Italian cheeses are known worldwide as some of the best you can get. In America we love our pizza and our sandwiches, but they wouldn't be the same without the Italians and their cheeses. In fact, although most of us are quite familiar with three or four of the most common types of cheese they make, the fact is, there are about 400 varieties of cheeses they make.
From Tuscany to Sicily, the Italians roll out the parmigiano, the provolone, and the Mozzarella. And these are just a drop in the bucket compared to the overall outlay of Italian cheeses. They make their cheeses with goat, sheep, cow, or buffalo milk. Their cheeses are great for shredding and have a fragrance and texture all their own.
The Italians really take pride in the quality of their cheeses. One way to tell if it's quality, if you happen to be shopping for cheese, is to check for it's classification. This can be PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or IGT (Protected Geographic Indication). This is their stamp of quality assurance, and it's the same one used for wine.
Italian cheeses are known worldwide mostly due to the years of perfecting the techniques. They have managed to produce some cheese that are actually famous. Like the 'Bel Paese'. This cheese is very famous and extremely popular, and the name itself translates into 'beautiful country' in the Italian language. Originating in Milan, it's now made in Lombardy, and was intended to be a table cheese. It's made from the milk of the cow.
The Italians really have a passion for their cheese making. From way up in the Alpine mountains, they have refined their processes, and brought them down to a world that loves what they've done. In the old days they would go to the mountains and practice their craft. They had to use caves to keep their cheeses cool, because refrigeration was a pretty new concept.
They still use many of the old methods and tools today. Their cutting boards, wooden shelves, oils, water, salt, and miniature hammers are still the basic tools for production. Their cheese still are made with the three common ingredients of milk, some rennet, and some salt. They would interchange milks to produce different types of cheeses.
Milk is the beginning of all cheese making. Simply broken down, cheese is milk coagulated. Ricotta is a cheese that's made with milk whey and cream. The Italians have four basic types of milk that they use, and they are buffalo, cow, sheep, and goat. But other cheeses may be made up of the milk of yaks, reindeer, or camels.
Learning about tasty Italian cheeses can be a really fun study. Many people go through life enjoying the benefits of this great Italian craft, without ever knowing about the how's, where's, or why's. You can go online and learn much about the processes, like how long to heat at what temperature, etc. It really can be an eye opener if you've never read about it before. The Italians have their recipes down pat. And one thing you can't argue with, is that the quality is definitely up to par. - 30543
From Tuscany to Sicily, the Italians roll out the parmigiano, the provolone, and the Mozzarella. And these are just a drop in the bucket compared to the overall outlay of Italian cheeses. They make their cheeses with goat, sheep, cow, or buffalo milk. Their cheeses are great for shredding and have a fragrance and texture all their own.
The Italians really take pride in the quality of their cheeses. One way to tell if it's quality, if you happen to be shopping for cheese, is to check for it's classification. This can be PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or IGT (Protected Geographic Indication). This is their stamp of quality assurance, and it's the same one used for wine.
Italian cheeses are known worldwide mostly due to the years of perfecting the techniques. They have managed to produce some cheese that are actually famous. Like the 'Bel Paese'. This cheese is very famous and extremely popular, and the name itself translates into 'beautiful country' in the Italian language. Originating in Milan, it's now made in Lombardy, and was intended to be a table cheese. It's made from the milk of the cow.
The Italians really have a passion for their cheese making. From way up in the Alpine mountains, they have refined their processes, and brought them down to a world that loves what they've done. In the old days they would go to the mountains and practice their craft. They had to use caves to keep their cheeses cool, because refrigeration was a pretty new concept.
They still use many of the old methods and tools today. Their cutting boards, wooden shelves, oils, water, salt, and miniature hammers are still the basic tools for production. Their cheese still are made with the three common ingredients of milk, some rennet, and some salt. They would interchange milks to produce different types of cheeses.
Milk is the beginning of all cheese making. Simply broken down, cheese is milk coagulated. Ricotta is a cheese that's made with milk whey and cream. The Italians have four basic types of milk that they use, and they are buffalo, cow, sheep, and goat. But other cheeses may be made up of the milk of yaks, reindeer, or camels.
Learning about tasty Italian cheeses can be a really fun study. Many people go through life enjoying the benefits of this great Italian craft, without ever knowing about the how's, where's, or why's. You can go online and learn much about the processes, like how long to heat at what temperature, etc. It really can be an eye opener if you've never read about it before. The Italians have their recipes down pat. And one thing you can't argue with, is that the quality is definitely up to par. - 30543
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Want to find out more about italian food, then visit Luigi DeMarco's site on how to choose the best Italian cheeses for your needs.
