Cheese of Italy

DECLARATION
I HEMANT CHOPRA, hereby declare that this project “CHEESES OF
ITALY”, based on my area of specialization is based on the original study and analysis
conducted by me under the guidance of my F & B Production faculty Mr. Paul.
This has not been submitted earlier for the award or any other degree by the Bangalore
University or any other University.
_______________________
PLACE: HEMANT CHOPRA
DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Principal Mr. Sridhar and our
faculty guide Mr. Paul for the valuable inputs provided during the course of the project.
I would also like to express my heartful gratitude to the management and the staff of my
college and my seniors without whose help the project would not have been possible.
________________________
HEMANT CHOPRA
RESEARCH DESIGN
The project has been based on the survey and analysis of the different types of
cheeses that are produced in Italy and used in Italian Cuisine
The Cheeses at one of the most important ingredient that is used in the preparation
on Italian dishes, they contribute both the flavor and some times to the texture of the dish.
This project has been made by doing a survey in different outlets and also with different
gourmet specialty companies.
Research done here has made me come out with few suggestions after
understanding the use of the cheeses. There are certain specific equipments required to
get the best possible outcomes out of these ingredients. Only best quality Italian cheesesr
with proper usage will give the best result.

OBJECTIVES
1. To have an overview of the different types of cheeses in Italy.
2. To study different cheeses in detail.
3. To study the importance, influence and popularity of the different Italian Cheeses.
4. To gain required information so as to provide a detailed project report.

LIMITATIONS
1. Since “cheeses of Italy”, as a topic, as understood carries a lot of information, all
information could not be collected.
2. Some part of the project is based on theoretical and not practical bases.
There was a time constrain in data collection from the different sources
INDEX
CHAPTER – I ITALY: AN INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER – II HISTORY OF ITALIAN CUISINE
CHAPTER – III ORIGION OF CHEESE
CHAPTER – IV TYPES OF CHEESES
CHAPTER – V CHEESES OF ITALY
CHAPTER – IV CONCLUSION & SUGGESTION
CHAPTER – V BIBLIOGRAPHY
ITALY: AN INTRODUCTION
Europe’s kinky over the knee boot has it all: popes, painters, polenta, paramours,
poets, political puerility and potentates. Its three millennia of history, culture
and cuisine seduce just about everyone. In Italy you can visit Roman ruins,
gawk at Renaissance art, stay in tiny medieval hill towns, go skiing in the alps,
explore the canals of Venice and see more beautiful churches than you imaged
could exist in one country. Naturally you can also indulge in the more
elementary pleasures of enjoying food and wine, improving and wardrobe and
seeking out la dolce vita.
Full Country Name : Italian Republic
Area : 301,250 sq. km (117,487 sq. mi)
Population : 57.6 million
Capital City : Rome (pop 3.6 million)
Languages : Standard Italian and Numerous dialects,
German, French Slovene
Currency : Lira
Religions : 85% Roman Catholic, 5% Jewish &
Protestant
Government : Republic
Prime Minister : Silvio Berlusconi
GDP : US $ 1.8 trillion
GDP Per Head : US $ 20,800
Annual Growth : 1.5%

Inflation : 1.8%
Major Industries : Tourism, Engineering, Textiles,
Chemicals, Food Processing, Motor
Vehicles, Clothing and Footwear
Major Trader Partners : E.U. (especially Germany, France, UK,
Spain, Netherlands), USA
Member of EU : Yes
Euro Zone Participant : Yes
CULTURE
Dubbed the world’s living art gallery, Italy has more culture than you shake a
baton, paintbrush, quill or chisel at. Whether it’s a broken pillar rising up
through the linoleum floor of a train station or a baroque church overlooking a
cracked antique pediment in the forum, history and culture surround you.
Outside there are Etruscan tombs, Greek temples, cat-infested Roman ruins,
Moorish architecture and statue filled baroque fountains to gawp at, inside, you
swoon to Roman sculptures, Byzantine mosaics, beatific Madonnas from Giotto
to Titian, gargantuan baroque tombs and trompe l’oeil ceilings.
Writers from Virgil, Ovid, Horace, Livy and Cicero to Dante, Petrarch,
Boccaccio, Ficino, Mirandola and Vasari all sprang from Italian loins. The
Italians were no slouches when it came to music, either, as they invented both the
piano and our system of musical notation, as well as producing Monteverdi,
Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Verdi, Puccini, Bellini and Rossini. Cinema would not be the
same without Italy’s Marcello Mastroianni, Anna Magnani, Gina Lollobrigida,

Sophia Loren and directors Luchino Visconti, Roberto Rossellini, Frederico
Fellini, Michelangelo Antiunion and Bernardo Bertolucci.
Modern literary Italian appeared in the 13th and 14th centuries, developing out
of its Latin heritage, the country’s many dialects and the works of Dante,
Petrarch and Boccaccion, who wrote chiefly in the Florentine dialect. Though
over 80% of the population professes to be Catholic, the number of people who
actually practice the religion is surprisingly low: an average of only 25% attends
Mass regularly. However, saint’s days, first communions and religious festivals
never fail to attract large crowds.
Italy’s many regional cuisine, while remaining distinctive to their regions of
origin, have undergone a pan-Italian fusion in the hands of chefs both popular
pricey, evolving into a unique cuisine that is justifiably world famous. Cooking
styles vary notably, from the rich and creamy dishes of the north to the hot and
spicy specialties of the south. Northern Emilia-Romagna has produced the best
known dishes – spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne and tortellini-and is also home to
the best prosciutto and mortadella. Liguria is the home of pesto, that mainstay of
café’s worldwide Spectacular vegetable and pasta dishes feature just as
predominantly as seafood and exotic meats anyone for frog rissotto, donkey steak
or entrail pudding ? Desserts – cassata, cannoli, zabaglione, granita and marzipan
come into their own in Sicily, while Sardinia is famous for its spit roasted piglet.
Coffee, beer and wine are of course magnificent countrywide.

ENVIRONMENT
Italy’s instantly recognizable boot shape kicks its way into the Adriatic, Ionian,
Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas – all of which form part of the Mediterranean sea.
From west to east, France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia form a rugby scrum
to the north. The islands of Elba, Sardinia, Ischia, Capri, the Aeolians and Sicily
lie offshore.
Mountains feature prominently in Italy’s topgraphy and bolster its landlocked
borders all the way from Genoa in the west to Trieste in the east. Italy’s
backbone is formed by the Apennines, extending from Genoa right down to
the soccer ball that bounces off the toe of Calabria : Sicily.
The Po River Valley in the countries northeast forms the largest lowland area,
and is heavily populated and industrialized as a result. Underground
rambunctious is on Sicily and the devastation wrought by earthquakes, especially
fierce in 1908 and 1980. Beauty abounds in Italy but, unfortunately, so does
pollution, particularly in the big cities and along the coast.
A couple of millennia of human occupation, coupled with the local’s love of
hunting, have extinguished many animal species once endemic to Italy. You
might spot a brown bear or a lynx if you’re lucky, and the Alpine regions are still
home to wolves, marmots, chamois and deer. Mouflon sheep and wild boars and
cats can be found on Sardinia, while in the skies, falcons, hawks and golden
eagles dodge the hunter’s birdshot.

Italy’s climate varies from north to south from lowland to mountain top. Winters
are long and severe in the Alps, with now failing as early as mid-September. The
northern regions experience chilly winters and hot summers, while conditions
become milder as you head south. The sirocco, the hot and humid African wind
that affects regions south of Rome, produces at least a couple of stiflingly hot
weeks in summer.
Italy consists of 19 states or regions. They are as follows :

 Northern Italy
1. Lombardy
2. Emilia – Romagna.
3. Piedmont.
4. Val d’ Aosta
5. Trentino / Alto Adige
6. Frinli / Venezia – Ginlia.
7. Venice
8. Liguria
 Southern Italy
1. Sicily
2. Calabria
3. Basilicata
4. Apulia / Puglia
5. Campania
 Eastern Italy
1. Apulia
2. Molise
3. Abruzzi
4. Marche
 Western Italy
1. Tuscany
2. Umbria
3. Lazio / Rome
4. Sardinia
Italian Cuisine
Cuisine is definitely a very important aspect of Italian culture. Italian food is highly
famed: greatly loved and tirelessly imitated the world over, it has been a source of
endless pleasure and joie-de-vivre in countries far and wide. And everyone knows how a
tired, depressed individual will react if they come across a sign for Italian dining in the
midst of a busy, industrial city anywhere in the world: their hearts will quite simply will
glow.
Italian cookery is exceptionally varied, nutritious and healthy; traditions have been
handed down from one family to the next over the centuries, and are associated mainly
with country life in that dishes are directly linked to what the Earth produces over the
changing seasons: in other words, wholesome cooking whose goodness depends on all-
natural ingredients. Italian cooking is full of marvelous single pasta dishes made with all
types of vegetables and pulses. These are also the prime ingredients for many local
specialties though countless types of meat dishes abound, as well as fine fish from the
plentiful seas around the peninsula, fragrant cheeses and exceptional desserts. But the
undisputed star of Italian dining is the famous “first course”, in all its many varieties,
including pasta “dry” or in broth, soups, many kinds of noodle soups and minestrones,
risottos and timbales.
It must always be remembered that generally speaking, the origins of the most widely
known traditional dishes derive from humble peasant cooking and from what was eaten
by the poorer classes, which over the years have transformed into veritable “specialities”:
one only has to think of soups made from stale bread and vegetables, such as the
“ribollita” or the “acquacotta” from Tuscany, and many more recipes containing fairly
modest ingredients that have nonetheless become absolute “classics” of Italian cookery.
All of this goes to show that the goodness of any dish depends above all on the magical
combination (always “unique”) achieved through an unrepeatable fusion of flavours and
aroma, cooking times and the balancing of single ingredients, individual “creative” skills
and care taken over all stages of preparation. At times all that’s needed in cookery is a
single detail or a tiny touch to transform an ordinary dish by “normal” standards into a
veritable triumph of taste. Passion therefore is a fundamental requisite of Italian cooking
and without it, as with life in general, not much can be achieved. Regardless of any local
differences, the most classic dishes in Italian cookery are kept alive across the nation, and
are turned into more sophisticated delicacies when spiced up with a fuller range of
ingredients by the skilful hand of a creative chef.
ORIGINS OF ITALIAN CUISINE
Magna Grecia and the Etruscans
The history of Italian cooking begins with Magna Grecia, where the culture of the Greek
colonies popularized the art of cooking. The daily meal was simple and sober: pork,
salted fish, chickpeas, lentils, lupins, olive pickles, and dried figs. At banquets the food
was more varied and plentiful: soups, game in vinegar and honey sauces, sweets with
almonds and walnuts; it also took on ritual and symbolic meanings. The Etruscans too
had a simple diet based on the cereals favored by the fertile region of present-day
Tuscany. The richest Etruscans were particularly fond of food excellence and the
pleasures of dining.
Roman Cuisine in the Republican Era
Romans of the Republican Era were a sober people of frugal dietary habits: they usually
had two meals a day, prandium and supper. The custom of a breakfast of cereal, honey,
dried fruit, and cheese was gradually introduced. For a long time, the most widely
consumed foods were boiled cereals (a kind of mush), legumes such as broad beans,
lentils, chickpeas, lupins, vegetables of various types, bread, and cake. The diet also
included fish, game from the hunt (which was eaten only on festive days), milk, cheese,
and fruit. Romans of that time did not raise livestock.
Roman Cuisine in the Imperial Age
The Romans in the Imperial Age had two main daily meals, but they often added a
breakfast of bread soaked in wine, grapes, olives, milk, and eggs. The midday meal was a
light affair of cold dishes. Dinner was the main meal: a feast of hoer d'oeuvres (mixed
seafood) followed by game, pork, veal, goat, fowl, fish, and sweets with a honey base,
fresh and dried fruit. Meals were accompanied by sweets and aromatic wines.
Cuisine in the Middle Ages
The cuisine of the Barbarians who invaded Italy from the 5th century AD was
considerably different from that of the Romans; it was based on roast meats, stuffed
pastries, and oven-baked pies. For the Italian population reduced to poverty and
servitude, food was rather poor and consisted of cereals, milk, cheese, and vegetables.
Gradually, culinary art began a revival, especially after 1000 AD, in the agricultural
centers around the monasteries where the famished and terrorized population had taken
refuge. The general tendency was to make food healthier, more appetizing and digestible,
eliminating elaborate preparation and introducing more fresh fruit and vegetables.
Gastronomical Revival in the Feudal Courts
Around 1200 AD, life in the courts became less difficult, commerce and social life
resumed, and the feudal lords organized frequent celebrations, feasts, and tournaments.
However, important meals had no variety or cohesion. Endless dishes of roast meats were
seasoned with a sauce made of garlic, herbs, sweetmeats, and almonds. The dinner ended
with cheese and fruit. . There was little change from the Roman cuisine; however, spices
made their appearance from the East in greater quantity. Their exotic aroma was used to
scent the food - a prelude to future cuisine refinements.
The Spice Trade
Although there had been a spice trade during the Early Middle Ages, it really intensified
after the Crusades with the direct contact of Europeans in the Arab world. Spices were
very much in demand for cooking and medicine. They had other more practical and
important qualities: the preservation of meat and fish, and the flavoring of otherwise
bland foods.
The Culinary Discoveries of Great Explorers
Among the many goods brought to Europe and Italy by the explorers there were some
foods whose importance was understood only in later times. Maize was widespread in
North Italy. at the time of the great famines of the 17th century, became the base for the
most common dish. Other imported foods were potatoes, tomatoes, and beans. Rice,
imported from Asia, was an instant success and joined the pasta as the nation's first
course. Venetian merchants imported sugar from the Orient, which initially was used in
medicine; only later it was added to cooking. Coffee, of Turkish origin, was also initially
used as a medicine.
Cuisine in the Renaissance
The 15th and 16th centuries were a particularly fortunate time for Italian cuisine. A
greater variety became available in the preparation of foods: soups, grilled, roasted, and
boiled meats; meat pastries, fish, vegetables, olive oil, refined salads, almond-based
sweets, pine-nuts, and candied fruits; cane sugar began to replace honey. Renaissance
court banquets were famous for their grandiose variety and refinement. The food of the
common people remained rather simple: beans, lentils, chickpeas, buckwheat (used to
prepare soups and porridges), eggs, cheese, and mutton.
Culinary Art and Etiquette in the Renaissance
Italian cuisine reigned supreme from the end of the middle Ages to the 17th century and
had a notable influence abroad. In particular, Catherine de' Medici popularized Italian
recipes (especially sweets and ice cream) in France when she married King Henry II. It
was also in this period that the first menus and table manners were established. Italians
were the educators of Europe, and the famous 'Galateo' by Monsignor Della Casa was
quickly translated and distributed throughout Europe. The principal innovation was the
use of individual cutlery.
Cuisine in the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the upper classes enjoyed a refined cuisine. Every
official event became a pretext for sumptuous feasts. Meals were abundant, hors
d'oeuvres and delicate French-style soups were followed by numerous meat and fish
dishes, vegetable purees, intricate sweets and fruit - all presented with the utmost care,
particularly in the restaurants. Still, the food of the common people remained frugal and
monotonous, based on bread and vegetable soups, beans, cabbages, and potatoes. Cheese
and eggs were very much used, as were polenta and pasta, which were made of flour and
eggs.
Foreign influence and the spread of new Foods
From the 17th to the 19th century many new dishes arrived from France:
consommés‚ crepes, purees, jellies, gravies, and delicate, tasty sauces such as mayonnaise
and béchamel. The presentation of food was very important, and its execution was of
great refinement. Even English cooking became accepted with such typical dishes as
roast beef, pudding and, above all, tea, although it was less popular than coffee and
chocolate. In fact, coffee became so popular as to give rise to the coffeehouses, or cafés.
20th Century Cuisine
In the last few decades, Italian cuisine has changed as a result of rapid and profound
changes in lifestyle. The involvement of industry in the food sector, and subsequent
improvements in preparation, conservation, and distribution of foods, has increased the
production of foods worldwide. However, Italian cooking has preserved its quality, and
Italy is still a country of noble culinary tradition.

A traditional Italian menu consists of:
1. antipasto - hot or cold appetizers
2. primo ("first course"), usually consists of a hot dish like pasta,
risotto, gnocchi, polenta or soup. There are usually abundant
vegetarian options.
3. secondo ("second course"), the main dish, usually fish or meat
(pasta is never the main course of a meal). Traditionally veal is
the most commonly used meat, at least in the North, though
beef has become more popular since World War II and wild
game is very popular, particularly in Tuscany.
4. contorno ("side dish") may consist of a salad or vegetables. A
traditional menu features salad after the main course.
5. dolce ("dessert")
6. caffè ("coffee") (espresso)
7. liquors/liqueurs (grappa, amaro, limoncello) sometimes
referred to as ammazzacaffè ("Coffee killer")
One notable and often surprising aspect of an Italian meal, especially if eaten in an Italian
home, is that the primo, or first course, is usually the more filling dish, providing most of
the meal's carbohydrates, and will consist of either risotto or pasta (both being excellent
sources). The secondo, or second course, which in French or British cuisine really is the
main course, is often scant in comparison. The exception to this tends to be in Tuscany,
where a traditional menu would see soup served as a primo and a hefty meat dish as the
secondo.
Cooking techniques
Owing to its peasant roots, classic Italian cooking is inherently simple, and the cooking
techniques used therein are those that were accessible to people who worked long hours
and had limited resources. This explains the absence of dishes that include elements such
as fine pastry or delicate sauces—things which require long, close attention and precise
temperatures.
The most common techniques in Italian cooking are:
• Boiling or simmering: food is cooked in hot water. Examples of this include
pastas, rice, vegetables, and tough but flavorful cuts of meat.
• Pan frying: food is quickly cooked in a small amount of very hot fat—butter or
vegetable oil. This is what we commonly think of as “sautéing.” Although some
dishes are cooked in larger amounts of oil—say, an inch or two—deep-fat frying,
which requires a large amount of (expensive) oil is rare.
• Braising: food is browned in hot fat, then cooked in a moderate amount of
flavored liquid (wine, broth or vegetable juice), most often with aromatic
vegetables and other seasonings. A good example of braising is Osso Buco [1],
braised veal shanks. In some respects, risotto is a braised dish; though similar to
braising, its method of preparation is entirely unique.
• Pan roasting: similar to braising, the food is initially browned in hot fat; it is then
cooked in a small amount of liquid—just enough to keep it moist. This is most

often used for chicken, rabbit, and certain cuts of pork and veal—flavorful cuts of
meat which are often spit-roasted or, in modern kitchens, oven-rooasted.
• Grilling: food is quickly cooked over the embers of a hardwood or charcoal fire.
This is used for tender, well-marbled cuts of beef and pork, small game birds, and,
on the coast, certain kinds of seafood.
One may wonder “what about baked goods?” As Marcella Hazan notes in The Classic
Italian Cookbook, “Reliable ovens are only a recent addition to the Italian kitchen....” As
such, breads and cakes were rarely made in the home but, rather, were purchased from
the local bakery. Dishes which are oven-baked, like pizza or lasagna, usually require no
more than 15-20 minutes baking time to finish. These were traditionally prepared at
home, and then taken to the local bakery for the final baking.
Every town has a distinctive way of making sausage, special kinds of cheese and wine,
and a local type of bread. If you ask people, even in the same area, how to make pasta
sauce, they will all have different answers. Variations in the omnipresent pasta are
another example of this multiplicity: soft egg noodles in the north, hard-boiled spaghetti
in the south, with every conceivable variation in size and shape. Perhaps no other country
in the world has a cooking style so finely fragmented into different divisions. So why is
Risotto typical of Milan, why did Tortellini originate in Bologna, and why is Pizza so
popular in Naples?
This is so for the same reason that Italy has only one unifying Italian language, yet
hundreds of different spoken dialects. Italy is a country of great variety, and cooking is
just another aspect of the diversity of Italian culture.

This diversity stems largely from peasant heritage and geographical differences. Italy is a
peninsula separated from the rest of the continent by the highest chain of mountains in
Europe. In addition, a long spine of mountains runs north to south down through this
narrow country. These geographic features create a myriad of environments with
noticeable variations: fertile valleys, mountains covered with forests, cool foothills,
naked rocks, Mediterranean coastlines, and arid plains. A great variety of different
climates have also created innumerable unique geographical and historical areas.
But geographical fragmentation alone will not explain how the same country produced all
of these: the rich, fat, baroque food of Bologna, based on butter, parmigiano, and meat;
the light, tasty, spicy cooking of Naples, mainly based on olive oil, mozzarella, and
seafood; the cuisine of Rome, rich in produce from the surrounding countryside; and the
food of Sicily, full of North African influences.
The Romans politically controlled the territory about two thousand years ago, integrated
Greek civilization, and created an empire that laid the foundations of Western
civilization. They imported all kinds of foods from all over the known world. Roman
ships carried essential food, such as wheat and wine, as well as a variety of spices from as
far away as China, to satisfy the Romans’ appetite for exotic ingredients. Roman cooking
habits fascinated and influenced generations in the centuries that followed. The fall of the
Roman Empire was caused by unstoppable waves of invading people—barbarians who
came from as far away as Tibet. They pillaged and destroyed, but they also took with
them new cooking customs. It took centuries before some order was restored and
medieval peoples could begin to rebuild something that could be called a cuisine.
During medieval times, the absence of a powerful central authority allowed the creation
of many fiercely independent cities. This Comuni, from the Alps to the border of the
Kingdom of Naples, progressed faster than the other European towns of that time in
wealth, and in artistic and intellectual achievements. The cities of northern Italy
developed mostly through the trading of valuable merchandise, such as spices and fabric,
with northern Europe and the East. A rich cuisine developed offering great diversity from
one town to another.
After the decline of the city states, the territory of northern Italy was partially occupied
from time to time by France or Austria, which left additional culinary influences in the
Northeast. The richness of the cities of northern Italy is reflected in particular in the
creation of a “culture” of fresh pasta. While dry macaroni was an item of mass
production, fresh pasta associated with eggs, cheese, sugar, cream, and other expensive
items was a luxury item. Even though fresh pasta became diffused throughout the
peninsula and outside the borders of Italy, it is in northern Italy that we find the most
spectacular recipes. It is no coincidence that many consider Bologna the gastronomic
capital of Italy.
Tuscany represents a phenomenon by itself in Italian history. Starting from the thirteenth
century, the city of Florence in particular became rich during the evolution of the banking
system. The De Medicis, a family of merchants and bankers, would become patrons of the
arts and would accelerate the movement that became known as Renaissance. It was the
birth of a new way of seeing human beings as controllers of their own destinies. New social
rules were created here and were exported all over Europe, which at that time was on the
verge of great transformations due to the discoveries of the age of exploration. The
Renaissance initiated a great revolution in the arts, which was also reflected in spectacular
and extravagant new ways of cooking.
While the north would see the creation of many small independent political entities, the
south of Italy remained mostly unified for a long time. Separated from the great trading
routes with northern Europe, the south suffered greater poverty and isolation. The people
of southern Italy made the best of what they had. But it is here, in southern Italy, that
spectacular dishes like spaghetti and pizza, originated. Born as the poor people’s way of
cooking, these dishes were exported by groups of Italian emigrants and disseminated
outside their regions of origin, making them extremely popular everywhere. Dry pasta is
the greatest contribution from southern Italy.
Dry macaroni is suitable for storing, trading, and transporting. The invention of the
bronze press industrialized the manufacturing of pasta, making macaroni affordable.
Present in Sicily since Arab occupation, macaroni became extremely popular in Naples in
the 1700s. It is from there that dry pasta started its journey to conquer the world. Sicilian
history is fascinating for all the different people that occupied the island during different
times. The greatest influence was left by the Muslim occupation that lasted for two
centuries. Muslims contributed greatly to Western cuisine with a variety of foods: rice,
spinach, alcohol, oranges, lemons, apricots, sugar and more. And in Sicily their influence
is still greatly felt today.
Local traditions result from long complex historical developments and strongly influence
local habits. Distinctive cultural and social differences remain present throughout Italy,
although today mass marketing tends to cause a leveling of long-established values. In a

country so diverse, it is impossible to define an “Italian” cooking style, but traditional
food still is at the core of the cultural identity of each region, and Italians react with
attachment to their own identity when they are confronted with the tendency toward
flattening their culture.

Introduction to Cheeses
Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep and other mammals.
Cheese is made by coagulating milk. This is accomplished by first acidification with a
bacterial culture and then employing an enzyme, rennet (or rennet substitutes) to
coagulate the milk to "curds and whey." The precise bacteria and processing of the curds
play a role in defining the texture and flavor of most cheeses. Some cheeses also feature
molds, either on the outer rind or throughout.
Origin
Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive
evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, either in Europe, Central Asia or the
Middle East, but the practice had spread within Europe prior to Roman times and,
according to Pliny, had become a sophisticated enterprise by the time the Roman Empire
came into being.
Proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE (when sheep
were first domesticated) to around 3000 BCE. The first cheese may have been made by
people in the Middle East or by nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia. Since animal skins
and inflated internal organs have, since ancient times, provided storage vessels for a
range of foodstuffs, it is likely that the process of cheese making was discovered
accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting
in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach. There is a
legend to this effect, about an Arab nomad carrying milk across the desert.
Cheesemaking may also have begun independent of this by the pressing and salting of
curdled milk in order to preserve it. Observation that the effect of making milk in an
animal stomach gave more solid and better-textured curds, may have led to the deliberate
addition of rennet.
The earliest archaeological evidence of cheesemaking has been found in Egyptian tomb
murals, dating to about 2000 BCE.[3] The earliest cheeses were likely to have been quite
sour and salty, similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese or feta, a crumbly, flavorful
Greek cheese.
Cheese produced in Europe, where climates are cooler than the Middle East, required less
aggressive salting for preservation. In conditions of less salt and acidity, the cheese
became a suitable environment for a variety of beneficial microbes and molds, which are
what give aged cheeses their pronounced and interesting flavors
Types of cheese
Factors in cheese categorization
Factors which are relevant to the categorization of cheeses include:
• Length of aging
• Texture
• Methods of making
• Fat content
• Kind of milk
List of common cheese categories
Fresh, whey and stretched curd cheeses
Feta from Greece.
The main factor in the categorization of these cheese is their age. Fresh
cheeses without additional preservatives can spoil in a matter of days
• Cheeses classed by texture
Categorizing cheeses by firmness is a common but inexact practice. The
lines between "soft", "semi-soft", "semi-hard", and "hard" are arbitrary,
and many types of cheese are made in softer or firmer variations. The
factor controlling the hardness of a cheese is its moisture content which is
dependent on the pressure with which it is packed into molds and the
length of time it is aged.
Emmentaler Parmigiano reggiano

• Cheeses classed by content
Some cheeses are categorized by the source of the milk used to produce
them or by the added fat content of the milk from which they are
produced. While most of the world's commercially available cheese is
made from cows' milk, many parts of the world also produce cheese from
goats and sheep, well-known examples being Roquefort, produced in
France, and Pecorino Romano, produced in Italy, from ewes's milk.
St. Pat Goat's

Milk Cheese
Moldy cheeses
There are three main categories of cheese in which the presence of mold is a
significant feature: soft ripened cheeses, washed rind cheeses and blue
cheeses. Some of the most renowned cheeses are of this type, each with its
own distinctive color, flavor, texture and smell. They include Roquefort,
Gorgonzola, and Stilton

CHEESE OF ITALY
For more than six centuries Europe was dominated by the Romans. What begas as a few
farming settelments in the 8th century B.C grew into the city of Rome. In the 6th century
B,C Rome became a republic, governed by a senate, which was made up of
reperesantives from the influential families of the day. The Romans set about conquering
the worlds as they knew it, and by the 2nd century A.D the Roman Empire included all the
countries that encircled the Miditerranean, streaching as far as the Persian Gulf in the
East, to England, France and Spain in the West, and the countries of North Africa.
Cheese played a major role in the diet of the Romans, as it was convinent,
compact and travelled well- even in the knapsacks of the Legionnaires- and came in
numerious forms. One of the earlist mentions of cheeses was by Pliny the Elder when he
refered to the cheese making techiniques used by the shepherds on the outskirts of Rome
to make the sheeps milk cheese that was the forefather of Pecoreno Romano. In his
writings, Columella also reffered to cheese and cheese making, demonstrating his
understanding of the use of rennet, a significant breakthrough in the art.
Cheese making skils were recorded and communicated to sherphards and farmers
across Europe who, until the arrival of the romans, had only a rudimentary understanding
of the process, and made mainly soft, fermented cheese preserved in oil or salt it was the
Legions of Julius Caesar who brought the knowledge of how to make hard cheeses the
swzerland in 400 B,C, laying the foundation for what were to become some of the worlds
finest cheeses. Some of the classic English and French hard-cheeses also owe there
origions to the Roman cheese making skills.
Roquefort was among the earlist cheeses to be mentioned by Pliny in around A.D
40. the stretched cured (Pasta filata) cheeses, such as provolone and mozzarella, are
thought to have originated, not in Italy, but with the Bedouin tribes of Persia.
The Cheese of Italy have been divided with the reference to there
originating region:-
Cheese from Campania, Calabria and Puglia- Southern Italy
BURRATA
A variant of Mozzarella from Puglia, a gorgeous calorie bomb. The process is similar to
mozzarella with the difference being additional cream is added. The result is a hedonistic,
milky cheese, best when just-made. Burrata is served on its own or also in white pasta.
delicious.
CACIOCAVALLO
Type- Traditional ,farmhouse and creamery, stretched cured cheese
Source- Cow’s Milk
Description- 2-3 kg, gourd- shaped cheese, tied at the thin end with a cord for hanging.
The rind is oily and smooth.
Culinary Uses- Table Cheese, Grating, grilling, melting.

This Southern Italian cheese is shaped like a mini gourd,and comes plane or smoked.
Made with cows’ milk, it is a hand shaped cheese (“pasta filata”) & can be eaten as soon
as three month of ripening. Can be consumed while young (usually after 2 months), as
well as when aged (up to 2 years). The Caciocavallo Silano DOP is made in all the
southern provinces-Campania, Calabria, Molise, Basilicata and Puglia.
Caciocavallo Silano
Shape- Oval or Conical with or without a “Head” According to Local custom, some
indentations caused by strings
Weight- 1-2.5 kg
Texture- Even, compact with some slight eyes. White or pale straw yellow in colour
more intense towards the outer parts and lighter in the middle.
Flavour- Aromatic, pleasant, melts in the mouth, normally delicate and tends to be mild
when young becoming spicier when fully matured.
Production Method
Fresh or matured, semi-hard, stringy-textured cows’ milk cheese. This famous cheese
was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di Origine) in the year 1993 and the status
of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in the year 1996. Basilicata: some boroughs in
the provinces of Matera and Potenza. Calabria: some boroughs in the provinces of
Catanzaro and Cosenza. Campania: some boroughs in the provinces of Avellino,
Benevento, Caserta, Naples and Salerno. Molise: some boroughs in the provinces of
Campobasso and the whole of the Isernia province. Puglia: some boroughs in the
provinces of Bari, Brindisi, Foggia and Taranto. Aromatic, pleasant, melts in the mouth,
normally delicate and tends to be mild when young becoming spicier when fully mature.
Caciocavallo Silano is produced from cows’ milk, coagulated at 36-38OC using calves or
kid’s rennet. When the curds have reached the required consistency they are cut to
hazelnut-sized lumps. During curdling there is a lively fermentation that lasts 4-10 hrs but
may continue longer depending on the acidity of the milk, its temperature, mass and other
factors. In order to assess the correct degree of ripeness, small samples of curd are
immersed in boiling water to see if it stretches into long, elastic fibres which should be
shiny, strong and unbroken, i.e. “strings”. Proper “spinning” begins with the use of
boiling water. The milled stretched curd is then shaped by hand, sealed by the apex of
each piece by immersion in hot water; this operation is completed by hand. Salting occurs
by immersion over a period of time which may vary but cannot be less than 6 hrs. Once
removed from the brine the cheeses are tied in pairs with suitable strings and hung on
poles to mature for at least 15 days.
CANESTRATO PUGLIESE –
Shape - Cylindrical with flat top & bottom, slightly convex sides.
Weight – 7-14 kg
Flavour – Marked Typical Piquant Taste.
From Italy’s “heel” of Apulia (“Puglia” in Italian), this delicious cheese is made in the
Foggia province. It is a flaky sheep’s cheese that has used the same production technique
since it was mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey. The cheeses are aged on fennel stalks from
2 months to a year. Intense bouquet and a parmigiano -like texture, this cheese pairs well
with a rich Puglian red from the Tormaresca estate throughout the province of Foggia and
in some parts of the province of Bari, Rather marked typical piquant taste.
This famous cheese was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di Origine) in the year
1985 and the status of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in the year 1996.
The sheep are fed almost exclusively on the local pastures- fresh or dry- supplemented
with hay and exceptionally, simple concentrates. The milk from one or two milking is
coagulated at 38-45OC with animal rennet. Coagulation occurs between 15-25 min. The
entire production cycle lasts 30-60 days depending upon the size and weight of the
cheese, during which times the shapes are pressed into special moulds- called “canestri’
(baskets) - in order to give the rind its characteristic wrinkles. It can be dry-salted or in
brine and this process is repeated on several occasions throughout the production process
starting from 2-4 days after the start.
MOZZERALLA–
Authentic Mozzarella is made with water buffalo milk. When made with cow milk,the
correct term is “Fiordillate”.The process is the classic “Pasts filata”,of hand stretching
and kneading after the curd is dipped into hot whey.When exported, Mozzarella is most
often seen as a soft, fresh cheese firmed into a ball shape and stored in water.However
fresh mozzeralla must be eaten within 24 hours and is one of the sublime pleasures on
earth!You can taste fresh mozzeralla in many high-end restaurants in Italy,particularly in
Campania where real Mozzeralla di Bufala is made.At the Vanullo dairy for
example,taste just-made Buffalo milk yoghurts,ice creams,and moist mozzeralla
“braids”(called “treccia”)-an unforgetabble experience!Delicious served with heirloom
tomatoes and fresh basil (called an “insalata caprese”,or “Capri Salad”),it’s also the
world’s favourite pizza topping. Has got its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in
1993 and PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status in 1996

CHEESE FROM SARDINIA AND SICILIAN, ITALIAN
ISLANDS
FIORE SARDO
Fresh of more or less matured, hard, raw cheese made from sheep’s milk
Has got its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in 1955 and PDO (Protected
Designation of Origin) status in 1996
Shape- Two Truncated cones tied together at the wider base thus giving its typical
“Mule’s Back” shape.
Weight- 1.5-4 kgwith variations according to the conditions during production.
Flavor- More or less intense according to the stage of maturation.
“Sardinian Flower”, this sheep’s cheese (pecorino) is firm and with savory nuances of
Mediterranean herbs. Aged from 1-6 months, this cheese is of the highest quality and is
made using historic techniques. This is a hard , raw cheese produced with fresh whole
sheep’s milk coagulated with lamb or kid rennet. The cheese is shaped in special moulds
which give it the characteristic form. Following a brief period in brine the cheese are dry
salted. This is a table cheese when it is age for less than three months and a grating
cheese once aged for more than six months.
This famous cheese was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di Origine) in the year
1955 and the status of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in the year 1996. The
provinces in Sardinia where this cheese is produced are Cagliari, Nuoro, Oristano,
Sassari.
PECORINO
While Pecorino is made in many different regions of Italy (Pecorino Romano from
Rome, Pecorino Toscano from Tuscany and Pecorino Siciliano from Sicily, Pecorino dei
Monti Sibillini from Marche, Pecorino del Sannio from Molise, or example). Pecorino
Sardo from Sarinia is the one most means sheep. Pecorino is a hard, pressed cheese,
which is often aged. In general, it takes up to a year for the cheese to mature and it is
during this time Pecorino characteristic tangy and savory flavour comes into its own.
Pecorino cheese is used in a variety of ways- served on its own in wedges with wine, as
an ingredient in many sauces including pesto and grated into risottos and over pasta.
PECORINO ROMANO
A hard, cooked cheese made from sheep’s milk
Shape – cylindrical with flat top and bottom
Weight- 20 to 35kg
Body- compact, may have a few eyes . when cut the color may vary from white to lighter
or darker shades to straw yellow depending on the conditions of production
Flavour- aromatic and slightly sharped in table variety , sharp , intense and pleasing in
fully matured grating cheese.
Production method
The cheese is produced exclusively from fresh whole sheep’s milk . the milk , which may
be inoculated with natural and indigenous lactic acid cultures from the production area ,
is coagulated with lambs , rennet from animals bred in the same area. Salting may be dry
or in brine. The cheese is aged for atleast 5 months if used as a table cheese and a
minimum of 8 months if used for grating. In some cases a protective coating of a neutral
colour or black is applied. The cheese is produced from October to July according to
traditions linked to environmental conditions.
PECORINO SARDO
A partially cooked cheese made from sheep’s milk
This Cheese is of two types:-
PECORINO SARDO DOLCE
PECORINO SARDO MATURO

PECORINO SARDO DOLCE
Shape – cylindrical with flat top and bottom, straight or slightly convex sides
Weight- 1 to 2.3 kg
Body-white, soft, compact with a few eyes
Flavour- mild, aromatic or slightly acidic
Production Method
This cheese is produced exclusively form whole , raw sheep’s milk which is heated or
pasteurised and possibly inoculated with natural lactic acid cultures, including “
Streptococcus thermophilus” , and coagulated with calf’s rennet. The curd are cut until
they are the size of hazelnuts. Salting is dry or in brine maturation is completed in 20 to
60 days
PECORINO SARDO MATURO
Shape- cylindrical with flat top and bottom and straight sides
Weight- 1.7-4kg
Body- white, tending to straw colour with aging, compact or with the few eyes; elastic in
the fresher cheese and hard sometimes grainy, when matured
Flavour- mild and aromatic when fresh, pleasantly spicy when mature
Production Method
This cheese is produced exclusively from whole raw sheep’s milk which is heated and
possibly inoculated with natural lactic acid cultures including ” Streptococcus
thermophilus”, and coagulated with calf’s rennet. The curds are cut to the size of grains
of corn.Salting is dry or in brine. The cheese is mature for over two months in special
stores with controlled temp and humidity.
PECORINO SICILIANO
Shape- cylindrical with flat or slightly concave top and bottom
Weight- 4-12kg Both size and weight may vary depending upon the conditions of
production
Body- Compact white or pale straw coloured with few eyes
Flavour- distinctive spicy taste
Production Method
Pecorino siciliano is produced exclucively from fresh whole sheep’s milk which is
coagulated with lamb’s rennet. It is produced yearly in the months b/w oct and july.
Salting is dry. The cheese is aged for atleast 4 months and suitable for both table and
grating.
PECORINO TOSCANO
A soft or semi-hard cheese made from sheeps milk.
Shape- cylindrical with flat top and bottom slightly convex sides
Weight- 1-3.5kg
Body- Compact and resistant in the semi-hard type with possible minute unevenly
distributed eyes. The soft cheese is white or light straw colour and the semi-hard one has
a slightly more intense straw colour.
Flavour- fragrant, pronounced, typical of the particular production methods
Production Method
This cheese is produced exclusively from whole sheep’s milk taken from animals mainly
fed on fresh pastures or hay from local areas. The milk which may be inoculated with
indigenous natural lactic acid cultures, is coagulated with calf’s rennet in 20-25min at a
temp of 35-38*C. The curd are cut to the size of hazelnuts for the soft cheese and to that
of grains of corn for semi-hard cheese. For the latter type the curds are sometimes cooked
at 40-42*c for 10-15min. After cutting the curds and possible cooking; the curds are
placed into moulds to drain the whey. To help the process, they are either pressed or
steamed for 30-150min. Salting may be either direct with the addition of salt or in a 17-
19% salty brine solution. The latter case takes 8hrs/ kg for soft pecorino and 12-14hrs /kg
for semi-hard pecorino. It is then matured in stores at a temp of 8-10*C and relative
humidity of 80-90% for at least 20 days for the soft cheese minimum of 4 months for the
semi-hard variety.
PIACINTINU
This saffron-coloured Sicilian cheese is a hard sheep’s cheese made between October
and june and served fresh. It is spiked with peppercorn and pairs well with a Sicilian
white like planeta’s buttery chardonnay.
RAGUSANO
The name of this cheese from the sidilian city of “Ragusa”( beautiful place known for its
Baroque architecture).cows milk ffrom the special modicana breed of cows is used to
make this small production cheese, which can be aged from 3 months to one year.
Shape – brick-shaped, cross square sections with blunted edges, sometimes the cheeses
have slight indentations from the strings used to hang them during the ageing process
Weight -10-16kgs
Body- compact, some cracks and a few eyes possible with increased ageing . the cheese
is white with a tendency to light or dark straw yellow.

Flavour-very pleasant, mild delicate and not sharp in the early stages of maturation for
the table cheese ; tending to be spiceier and more pronounced in flavour at advanced
stages of maturation for gratinf cheese. The cheese has a pleasant aroma, typical of its
particular method of production.
Production Method
Ragusano cheese is produced from raw , whole cow’s milk . the cows are mainly fed on
fresh grasses from the high pastures of the ibleo, with the possible supplement of hay.
The milk which is taken from one or more milkings , is coagulated at 31-37oC with
lamb’s or kid’s rennet in a paste. Setting time may vary from 60 -80 minutes. (8 ltrs per
hectolitre of milk) they become on average the size of a grain of rice. The curd is then
pressed in order to discard the whey, it is then scalded or treated with water at about 85
minutes. After drying naturally the curd is cut. It is then covered with water at about
80oC for about 8 mins , worked carefully in the shape of a ball with a smooth unbroken
surface and then tied to a pole. Modelling confers it its distinctive four- sided shape. It is
salted in brine and matured in ventilated rooms at a temperature of 14 -16 oC , the
cheeses are tied in pairs with thin strings and placed astride special supports. This
technique ensures that the entire surface of the cheese is fully aired. The cheese may be
smoked by natural , traditional methods, in which case the title of the denomination of
origin is followed by the word “ affumicato” (smoked)

CHEESE FROM EMILLA ROMAGANA, MARCHE AND
TUSCANY
CASCIOTTA D’URBINO-
From the marvellous region of Marche on the Adriatic coast, this cheese is made with
70% sheep’s milk and 30% cows milk .it is a young tendr cheese usually only aged 20-30
days .An anecdo te is that this cheewe is said to have been a favourite of michelangelo!
Shape- Cylindrical with low sides and rounded top & bottoms
Weight- 0.8-1.2 kg
Flavour-Mild, typical of the particular production methods
Production Method
Whole sheep’s milk is produce Cascoitta d’ Urbino cheese, to which 20-30% of cows’
milk is added taken from two milkings. The milk is coagulated at about 35oC with liquid
or powdered rennet. The curd is pressed by hand is special moulds. Salting may be dry or
alternated in brine and dry. Minimum aging period vary between 20-30 days in room kept
at between 10-14oC and at 80-90% humidity.
MARZOLINO DEL CHIANTI-
This young soft cheese is made in the lovely chainti wine country with raw ewe milk
intense flavour .goes great with a luscious riserva from chainti badia coltibuono estate.
PARMIGIANO REGGIANO-
“Parmesan” is perhaps Italy’s best –known cheese. There is a valid gamut of qualities and
prices ,with the simplestof this cow-milk cheese being aged 12 months and the more
sought-after versions boasting 36 months of aging and an impeccable production process.
parmigiano reggiano has an appellation which is very strict and can only be made in
certain areas including bologna alla sinistra del fiume reno,mantova alla destra del fiume
po,modena ,parma,reggionell’emilia. Parma is the heart of parmigiano production;here
,they often serve roughly cut chunks of cheese with sparking wine,an excellent
combination.you can also grate it over pasta,salad, soup or bread,or toss the ring into a
stew for added flavour.
This firm, grainy cow's-milk cheese has been made in the area around
the Po Valley, in the cities of Parma and Reggio Emilia, since the early
middle Ages. It is the most famous and highly prized of all Italian
cheeses. Wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano weighing about 70 pounds
each are aged from slightly less than one year to more than two years.
When the wheel is first cut open, flakes of the cheese are
incomparable when consumed as a separate course, accompanied
perhaps by pears or other fresh fruit but assuredly with a goblet of red
wine. The grated cheese is used in a vast number of dishes, enhancing
their flavors and textures. The cheese should be slivered with the aid
of a flat trowel-shaped knife that is inserted into the body and twisted.
It is best when freshly grated and should, therefore, be purchased in
large pieces. And textures the cheese should be slivered with the aid of
a flat trowel-shaped knife that is inserted into the body and twisted. It
is best when freshly grated and should, therefore, be purchased in
large pieces.
Shape – cylindrical form with slightly convex sides and with two flat ,
slightly bordered surfaces
Dimensions - diameter from 35 to 45 cm, height of the sides from 20
to 26 cms
Minimum weight of a form 30kg
External aspect light straw coloured natural rind with a thickness of
6mm
Interior colour – from light straw to straw
Internal structure – minutely granular, breaks into large flakes
Characteristic aroma and taste of the cheese fragment, delicate,
savoury but not sharp
Fat on the dry matter 32%
The aged cheese is used for grating or as a table cheese
Production Method
Milk destined for the production of PARMIGIANO REGGIANO comes
from cow’s fed according to a precise feeding regulation that provides
as the base diet the administration of forage from fields of alfalfa and
wild vegetation with – in the area of origin mixed with vegetable feed.
Fermented forage and silage are prohibited.
The milk of the evening milking is allowed to rest overnight and is
partially skimmed after the natural surfacing of the cream. This is
mixed with the milk of the morning milking.
After the addition of the natural fermented starter whey , rich in lactic
bacteria, the curdling is done using the veal rennet. Once the curd is
set it is broken into small grains and then cooked
The addition of any additive (preservative , colourant , etc) is not
allowed. After several days the cheese forms proceed to the salting
phase , which is accomplished in 20 to 25 days
The ageing is natural and must last for atleast 12 months , even if the
best ageing is notably greater (20 to 24 months). In fact , the particular
structural and organoleptic characteristics , the result of an intense
enzymatic activity that derives mainly from lactic bacteria present
naturally in the cheese , are completely realized when the cheese
reaches 20 to 24 months
Pecorinop di Pienza-a superb example of pecorino,this sheep’s cheese can be sold
fresh (with a red rind) or aged (with a black rind).it is also often sold in small pieces in
extra cvirgin Tuscan olive oil in jars.
CHEESE FROM LOMBARDY CHEESES

BAGOS-
this delicious cheese is made in the Val Caffaro in Eastern Lombardy.”Bagos” in
Brescian dialect means “Bagolino” and Bagolino refers to the little village where this
cheese was invented.Cows milk is used to make this yellow cheese (colored from
saffron),often aged for 1 to 2 years.Pairs well with Franciacorta bubbly.
BITTO-
Made near the valtellina wine producing region of northern Lombardy, Bitto is a
wonderful cows cheese that can be “young”(70 days) or aged (“stagionato”) for up to 10
years. Intense flavour and bouquet. A small amount of goats, milk can also be included.
Bitto was given its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in the year 1995 and the next
following year(1996) this cheese was given the status of PDO (Protected Designation of
Origin) this cheese is made in the provinces of Bergamo and Sondrio.
Matured, cooked cheese made from cows’ milk and possible addition of goat’s milk. The
area of production includes all of the province of Sondrio and some boroughs of the Altra
Valle Brembana and Bergamo.
Shape- Cylindrical, regular shape with flat top & bottom, concave sides and sharp edges.
Weight- From 8-25 kg there may be slight variation in shape, size and weight. Due to
production condition and length of maturation
Flavour- Delicate, mild, becoming more intense as it matures. If blend with goats milk it
acquires a stronger more aromatic flavour.
Production Method
Bitto cheese is made from whole cows’ milk to which goats’ milk is sometime added in
a measure not exceeding 10%. The milk is obtained from traditional breeds of the area
which feed on fresh, local grass and hay. The milk of each milking is processed
immediately and coagulated on site with calf’s rennet. The curds are cooked at
temperature between 48-52OC for about 30 min and are subsequently cut into rice sized
granules. The cheese is then put into traditional container called “fascere” which gives it
its Characteristic concave sides it is dry-salted. The initial maturation begins in the
“casere d’ Alpe” (high alpine storage places) and is completed in the diaries of the valley
floor where it benefits from the climate of the production area. The cheese is matured for
a minimum of 70 days.
VALTELLINA CASERA
A matured, half fat, cooked cheese made from cows milk
Shape –regular cylindrical shape with flat top and bottom, straight sides
Weight – 7-12kgs. there may be variations in size and weight depending upon the
conditions of production and the state of ageing .
Body- medium consistency, elastic with sparsely distributed holes. When cut the cheese
varies in colour from white to straw yellow depending on production time and the stage
of ripening .
Flavour- mild , characteristic with a particular aroma which becomes progressively more
pronounced with ageing

Production Method
The cheese is produced using the cow’s milk from traditional breeds that are fed
predominantly on natural pastures and hay in the production area. The milk is taken from
two or more milkings and is partially skimmed before setting , which occurs by
spontaneous growth of micro flora. Calf’s rennet is used . the curds are cooked at a temp
of 40-45oC for about 30mins . the curds are cut to the size of grains of corns. The cheese
is then transferred into the traditional containers “ fascere” and progressively lightly
pressed for about 8-12 hrs. salting is dry or in brine. The cheese is matured in stores kept
at 6-13oC with a humidity level of 80% for a minimum of 70days.
FORMAI DE MUT
Matured, full fat, partly-cooked cheese made from cow’s milk.
Shape- Cylindrical with straight or slightly convex sides, flat or semi-flat top and bottom
Weight- 8-12 kgs
Flavour- Delicate, fragrant, neither very salty nor spicy and with distinctive aroma.
Production Method
The milk is taken from animals which are fed on dry or fresh grass or hay predominantly
from fields and pastures in the production area. The cheese is produced throughout the
year. The milk is coagulated at 35-37oC, with the addition of rennet, so as to obtain curds
in 30 min. The process involves a first cutting of the curds, it is then semi-cooked at a
temp of 45-47oC then taken off the heat and stirred. Adequate pressings must be carried
out using presses which encourage the draining of whey. Finally the cheeses are put into
moulds (“fassere”). Salting may be dry or in brine and must be repeated on alternate days
for a period of 8-12 days. The cheese must be matured for at least 45 days it is used as a
table cheese when matured for a minimum of 6 months.
PROVOLONE VALPADANA
A semi hard, stringy textured cheese made from whole cows milk
Shape – a variety of shapes in the form of “ salami” , “ melons”, “ conical trunks” or “
pears” sometimes with a small round head; the outer rind may present slight indentations
from the pressure of strings used for hanging the cheeses
Weight- 0.5 to 6kg. for cheeses to be consumed after a brief maturation ; from 6-100kg .
for cheeses to be consumed after maturation of more than three months
Body- Compact , with possible light and sparsely scattered eyes, a slight layering is
acceptable
Flavour- delicate up to three months; pronounced and spicier or sharper at later stages of
maturation or when kid or lamb rennet is used either singy or jointly
Production Method
This cheese is produced from whole cow’s milk with natural acid fermentation. It is
coagulated using calf’s , kid and lamb’s rennet- the last two can be used either jointly or
individually. The cheese is stretched in the traditional way after natural lactic
fermentation obtained by using starters produced by the same dairy. The cheese is shaped
manually or with special moulds. Salting which is in brine for a period which may vary
from 12 hrs to 25 days depending on the weight of the cheese concludes the production
process. The cheese is then matured according to traditional customs , by hanging the
cheeses in stores at appropriate temp and humidity , for a minimum of 30 days. The
cheese may be smoked.
QUARTIROLO LOMBARDO
Soft textured table cheese
Production area-Throughout the province of Brescia, Bergamo, Como, Cremona, Lecco,
Lodi, Milan, Pavia and Varese of the state of Lombardy
Shape- brick shape with flat top and bottom straight sides
Weight- 1.5-3.5kg
Body- Compact slightly grainy with possible cracks and fissures and with a tendency to
crumble (when there is no yellowish halo under the rind ) becoming more compact , soft
and with tendency to melt as maturation progresses
Flavour- distinctive, slightly sour and aromatic in the earlier stages and more aromatic
when mature taste
Production Method
This cheese is produced with cow’s milk from atleast 2 milkings , of these the second or
subsequent ones , may be partially skimmed. Coagulation takes place in 25 mins with
calf’s rennet at 35-40 oC . Sometimes starters from previous processings carried out at
the same dairy are added. After the first cutting the curds are left to rest. A second cutting
of the curds follows to obtain granules of the size of hazelnuts. The curd is then cooked at
26-28oC for 4-24 hrs at decreasing temp. salting takes place dry or in brine in rooms kept
at 10 -14 oC and its duration varies according to the weight of the cheese. The cheese is
matured in stores kept at 2-8oC with 85-90%humidity , for a period which may last 5-30
days for the soft cheese. After 30 days the product is considered matured “ mature” . no
rind treatments are allowed.
GORGONZOLA-
A pungent “Italian Blue Cheese”, Gorgonzola is an intensely flavourful semi-soft cheese
that’s best eaten on salads, with fruit like grapes or pears, or spread on bread. It’s
excellent accompanied by the rich Amarone and Recioto wines .Made in both Lombardy
and Piedmont.
Shape- Cylindrical with straight, high sides and flat top & bottom
Dimensions- 16-20 cm. high, 25-30 cm. diameters with variations depending on the
conditions during production.
Flavour- Slightly sharp characteristic flavour.
Production Method
Produced exclusively from whole cow’s milk, coagulated at 28-32*c with calf’s rennet.
Traditionally it was prepared in layers with cooled curds. After a few days it is dry salted.
This procedure continues over a number of days in rooms at a temp of 18-20*c. Aging
can extend over two or three months and is carried out at a temp of 5-8*c. During
maturation the cheese is perforated several times in order to encourage the development
of the various types of “Penicillium” mould which are typical of Gorgonzola and which
cause its green marbling.
MAGNUCA-
This Lombard cheese is made with cow milk and comes from the Val Chiavenna. It can
be aged for as little as 1 month and up to one year. It can be served in slices to
accompany polenta. Pairs well with robust red wines from Valtellina.
MASCARPONE-
Technically not a cheese as it is made with cream instead of milk; the process is similar
to yogurt. The texture is soft and ultra creamy and is salt less, so used for many deserts.
Mascarpone is the key ingredient in Tiramisu, for example. It is also used in savoury
sauces to add a depth of flavour.
Appearance- creamy, without rind and shape.
Flavour- delicate, mild and creamy.
Texture- Soft, compact spreadable consistency.
Aroma- Delicate, Creamy
Production Method
Unlike all the other Italian cheeses, mascarpone is a cheese which is made from
buttermilk to which small amounts of milk are generally added. Its production method
requires the buttermilk to be heated to 80oC for 15 mins and the addition of an acidifying
agent(citric acid, acetic acid). The combined effect of heat and acidity induces
coagulation and whey separation. At completion of these two stages the mascarpone is
cooled down and packaged.

TALEGGIO
This short and squat soft cheese comes in rectangular shapes and is made with pure cow’s
milk. The most famous characteristic of taleggio is its powerful aroma. Maturing takes
about 40 days and taleggio is often used in cooking (risottos especially) as it has a
delicious almost fruit flavour. The Val Taleggio (namesake) is in Lombardy near Lake
Como, but Taleggio is made all over the north of Italy including Piedmont (Novara and
Vebania) and the Veneto(Treviso).
Shape –square , straight sided , flat top & bottom.
Weight-1.7-2.2 kg. with variations depending on conditions at production
Body- even colour, from white to pale straw yellow
Flavour- distinctive and lightly aromatic
Production Method
Taleggio is a cow’s milk cheese made with whole milk. Salting is dry. The cheese is
matured for a period of about forty days. The matured cheese is for bable use.
Taleggio is made from whole milk cow’s milk which can be pasteurized. Salting can be
dried or in brine. All cheeses bear the brand of origin applied to the cheeses after the
curds have been shaped and left to rest to shed excess whey. Maturation lasts for at least
35 days. No treatment of the rind is allowed . at correct point of maturation it is an
excellent table cheese.

PIEDMONT CHEESES
BRA –
One of the best cheeses in Piedmont,
There are different types of Bra Cheese:-
1. Bra Tenero (young usually about 45 days)
2. Bra Duro (aged usually 6 months)
3. Bra Nostrale.
4. Bra Tenera
5. Bra di Alpeggio
Bra was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di Origine) in 1982 and the status of
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in 1996. the production zone being in the region
of Piedmont and the main provinces where its production takes place are Cuneo and
Turin.
Bra Duro tends to be the nuttiest one, all delicious. Bra is also the Piedmont town that is
home to the Slow Food Movement, and is near Barolo and Barbaresco wine country.
Half-fat pressed cheese made from cow’s milk with occasional addition of small
quantities of sheep’s or goat’s milk, more or less matured. Province of Cuneo. Ageing
zone: province of Cuneo and the municipality of Villafranca Piemonte in the Province of
Turin. Bra cheese which is matured in some of the mountain villages of the province of
the cuneo may carry the additional description of “di Alpeggio” (alpine). Pleasantly
aromatic. Soft variety: moderately spicy and tasty. Hard variety: strong and spicy. Cows’
milk is used which is produced by animals fed principally on green fodder or hay. Small
amounts of sheeps’ or goat’s milk will be added, often partially skimmed, taken from one
or two daily milkings. The cheese is produced throughout the year. The milk is
coagulated at 27-32*c. using liquid rennet. The particular production method involves
cutting the curds twice plus adequate pressing in moulds. Normally the cheese is dry
salted twice but sometimes it is salted in brine. Maturation lasts for at least 45 days for
the soft cheese version and six months for the hard variety. The soft type is suitable as
atable cheese whereas the hard one can also be grated.
BLU DEL MONCENISIO –
Cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, fantastic Alpine cheese which is a streaked
“blue” produced in the area around Moncenisio. Tastes great with late harvest sweet
wines.
CASTELMAGNO –
Named after the village where it is made, this is one of the most renowned cheeses of
Piedmont. Made in the Alps (in the Grana Valley) from a specific breed of Piemontese
Cow milk of two separate milkings and then aged naturally in caves for 2 to 5 months.
The cheese is crumbly and a pearly colour with blue streaks. Apart from being a great
cheese, it is also used a lot in gourmet cooking.
The villages of Castelmagno, Pradleves and Monterosso Grana in the province of Cuneo.
Shape- Cylindrical, flat top & bottom
Weight- 2-7 kg
Flavour- Fine, delicate and moderately salty when young. More intense, stronger and
spicier when aged.
Production Method
Castelmagno is made from cows’ milk which is often partially separated, to which are
occasionally added small amounts of sheep’s and goat’s milk. The animals are fed mainly
on fresh green fodder, or dried grasses from fields and pastures. The cheese is produced
from the milk of two consecutive milkings. It is produced throughout the year. The milk
is coagulated in 30-90 min at a temp of 35-38oC using liquid rennet. The typical
production cycle lasts for about six days during which several pressings are carried out in
appropriate moulds and the cheese is dry salted. The aging period varies from 2-5 months
in natural, cool and humid caves or in stores which reproduce natural environmental
conditions. The cheese is used as a table cheese.
RASCHERA
Shape- Cylindrical or quadrangular with flat top & bottom.
Dimensions - round raschera : diamerer 35-40 cm. slightly convex sides 7-9cm. square
raschera: length about 40 cms. Irregular sides of approx. 12-15 cm. height the sizes vary
depending upon the conditions of production
Weight- round raschera: 7-9 kg. Square raschera: 8-10 kg
Body – rather firm, elastic with tiny scattered and irregular holes.
Flavour- elegant, delicate, typically aromatic and moderately spicy, strong if aged\
Production Method
Raschera is made from cow’s milk to which sheep’s or goat’s milk may be added ( at
times partially skimmed). The animals basic diet consists of fresh green fodder or hay
from the meadows, fields and pastures . the milk is taken from two daily milkings. It is
coagulated at 27-30 oC with liquid rennet. The traditional production method takes about
7 days during which time the cheese is pressed in moulds with cylindrical or
quadrangular sections. Normally raschera is dry salted twice. The ageing process lasts at
least one month. The cheese is produced all year round. It is a table cheese.
RASCHERA D’ALPEGGIO –
Named after the Raschera Alps (Cuneo province, Piedmont). Made from cow’s milk, the
taste is pronounced, herbaceous and moderately spicy in the aged version. Pairs well with
juicy Dolcetto d’Alba.
GORGONZOLA – See the cheeses of Lombardy
VALLE D’AOSTA CHEESES
FONTINA –
A favourite for gourmet fondues, this semi-soft cows’ milk cheese is made in the French
influenced aosta valley in the northwest Italy. Fontana has a wonderful mild nutty, and
butter flavour. This famous cheese was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di
Origine) in the year 1955 and the status of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in
the year 1996.
Shape- Cylindrical with low, slightly concave sides, flat or almost top & bottom
Weight- 8-18 kg with variations depending upon conditions during production
Flavour- Characteristically mild
Production Method
Fontina cheese is made from cow’s milk taken from a single milking and natural
fermentation acidity. It is a cheese made of fresh milk, heated at a temp of not higher than
36*c before coagulation. It is dry salted with a special and typical technique. The cheses
are matured for about 3 months in a natural environment at temp of 6-10oC (never over
12oC ) and 90% humidity or saturation level achieved naturally.
VALLE D’ AOSTA FROMADZO
Shape- round with flat or almost flat top and bottom, straight or slightly rounded sides
Weight-1-7kgs
Body-firm, with sparse small and medium size eyes when cut , the fresh cheese is white
becoming light or darker straw yellow in the matured variety
Flavour-distinctive, fragrant, and quite mild in the fresh variety. More pronounced
slightly salty , at times with a spicy edge when aged. Has a pleasant milky nose with a
particular aroma of mountain herbs especially when produced during summer months
Production Method
Valle d’ aosta fromadzo or Vallee d’ aoste fromadzo is produced in two different
varieties one with cow’s milk taken from atleast two milkings and one to which a very
small amount of goat’s milk is sometimes added. The cow producing milk for these
cheese must be fed on a predominant diet of local fresh fodder or hay. For the half fat
cheese the milk must be left to rest for 12 -24 hrs , for the low fat cheese such period is
extended to 24-36 hrs. the milk coagulates at 34-36oC due to a spontaneous development
of microflora with a possible additional inoculation of natural indigenous lactic cultures
from the production area. Natural rennet is used. After the curds are cut they are heated to
a maximum of 45oC and placed in containers called “ fuscellu” or “ feitchez” where they
are lightly pressed and turned several times. Salting is dry or in brine. The cheeses are
cleaned usind a cloth soaked in brine . maturation lasts for a period between 60 days to 8
– 10 months in stores kept at 8-14 oC and with 60% minimum humidity. The less
matured cheese is used as a table cheese and the more matured may be used as a grating
cheese. The cheese may be flavoured with the addition of seeds or aromatic herbs during
the production methods.

NORTH EASTERN ITALIAN CHEESE
ASIAGO –
This mild hard cheese, shredded over pasta or atop risotto. This pale cheese is made with
cow’s milk can be aged for up to 24 months. Assigo Meazzano is 6 months old, Vecchio
is one year old and Stravecchio is 2 years old. Assigo is produced in both the Veneto and
alto Adige areas. Has got its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in 1978 and PDO
(Protected Designation of Origin) status in 1996
There are three types of Asiago cheese:-
6. Asiago d’ Allevo “Mezzano”
7. Asiago d’ Allevo “Vecchio”
8. Asiago Pressato
MATURE ASIAGO (Asiago d’Allevo) –
Shape- Cylindrical with low, straight or almost straight sides, flat or almost flat top and
bottom.
Weight- 8-12 kg
Body - The “Mezzano” has a compact structure with small to medium size sparsely
distributed eyes. When cut the cheese is light straw in colour. The “Vecchio” has a
granular structure with sparsely distributed small or medium size eyes .when cut the
cheese is straw or light straw coloured .

Flavour- The ‘Mezzano’ variety has a mild taste whereas the ‘Vecchio’ has a more
marked and fragrant one, both of which are typical of the specific production methods.
Production Method
The milk, which can be inoculated with lactic and bacteria, is taken either from two
milking, only one of which is skimmed, or from a single milking, which is then partially
skimmed. Salting may be dry or in a light brine. The cheese is called “Mezzano”
(medium) or “Vecchio” (old) depending upon the duration of the ageing period which
may be up to two years.
FRESH ASIAGO (Asiago Pressato) –
Shape- Cylindrical with straight or slightly convex sides, flat or almost flat top and
bottom
Body- With marked and irregular eyes; when cut the cheese is white or has a hint of
straw yellow.
Flavour- Pleasant and delicate, typical of its specific production processes
Production Method
The milk, which may be inoculated with lactic cultures, is taken either from two or one
single milking and it is not skimmed. Salt is added to the milled curd and may be
completed after pressing. The cheese is aged for a period of between 20-40 days.
MONTASIO
This delicious is made with cows milk in the Veneto and in friuli . The “stagionotura” is
minimum 2 months and Montasio can be aged up to one year. This flavour is intence and
concentrated, and pairs nicely with friulli’s “super whites” such as the Bastianich Vespa.
Shape- Cylindrical with low straight or all most straight sides and flat or slightly convex
top and bottom
Weight- Normally 6- 8 kg
Flavour- Spicy and pleasant
Production Method
Produced exclusively from cows’ milk taken from morning and evening milkings. Milk
which comes from more than four milkings can’t be processed. Cheeses can be dry salted
or in brine. Maturation is at temps of at least 8oC for the first thirty days and
subsequently at higher temps. The product must be portioned only after a minimum
maturing period of sixty days. The cheese is suitable for table consumption between two
and five months of ageing and for grating after at least 12 months of maturation.
MURAZZANO
Soft , full fat cheese made from sheep’s milk or from a mixture sheep’s and cow’s milk
Shape – cylindrical with flat top and bottom with a slight rim
Weight – 300 to 400 gms \
Texture – soft , finely grained occasional eyes . no colourings or flavourings
Flavour- fine , delicately aromatic and with a pleasant sheep’s milk taste
Production Method
Murazzano cheese is produced either exclusively from sheep’s milk or from a mixture of
sheep’s milk ( atleast 60 % ) and cow’s milk . the animals are fed on fresh grass or hay
from the production area. Milk from two daily milkings is used and production goes on
throughout the year. The milk is coagulated at about 37oC using liquid rennet. Production
technology is typical and uses cylindrical containers with perforated bottoms. During the
ageing process the cheese is washed everyday with warm water. Salting is carried out
dry. Ripening takes between 4 to 10 days.
ROBILLA DI ROCCAVERANO
A full fat, fresh cheese made from cows, sheeps and goats milk.
Shape-Cylindrical , top & bottom have slight rims.

Weight- 250-400g
Body – milky white with a fine grainy structure no colouring or flavourings are used
Flavour- delicate, distinctive, very slightly sour.
Production method
Produced with cow’s , sheep’s and goat’s milk (maximum 85% cow’s milk) or with only
goat’s milk , taken from two milkings and patially skimmed. The animals are fed on fresh
or dry fodder. The cheese is kept in stores at 15-20oC for three days. This is a table
cheese and is produced all year around.
TOMA PIEMONTESE
A partly cooked cheese made from whole or partially skimmed cows milk
Production area throughout the provinces of novara, Vercelli, Biella, Turine and Cuneo
and in some Boroughs in the provinces of Alessandria and Asti.
SOFT TOMA PIEMONTESE
Shape – cylindrical with flat or almost flat top & bottom , slightly convex sides
Weight-1.8-8 kg
Body- pale straw white with faint widespread eyes.
Flavour-mild and pleasant with a delicate aroma

SEMI-HARD TOMA PIEMONTESE
Shape- dimensions , weight, body – same as above
Flavour-intense and harmonious with a fragrant aroma which becomes more distinctive
as ageing progresses
Production method
The “toma piemontese” designation of origin is reserved exclusively two types of partly
cooked cheese made from cow’s milk. One is a soft cheese produced from whole milk
and the second is a semi-hard cheese produced from partially skimmed cow’s milk.
The milk for the whole milk cheese , is taken either from two consecutive milkings or
from a single milkings . before production the milk is left to rest. After being partially
skimmed , it is placed in a cauldron where it is lightly stirred and brought to coagulation
temp (32-35oC ) . at this point, when the milk has an acidity level of no less than 3.7 SH /
50 , calf’s rennet is added and the mixture is stirred until it sets , this takes 30-40 mins .
the curds are cut a second time until the size of the grains of corn for whole milk cheese
or grains of rice for the variety made with partially skimmed milk. After being left to rest
for a few mins , to settle once again , the cheese is placed into “ fascere:” (moulds) ,
pressed and left to drain .
It is then salted- which is traditionally done by hand – for no more than 15 days , or in
brine for 24-48 hrs , depending upon the size of the cheese .
Maturation takes place in traditional caves or in other suitable stores at 85% humidity and
at temp of 6-10oC. During this stage the cheeses are sterned several times and sometimes
washed with brine. This stage lasts for a minimum of 60 days for cheeses weighing over
6kg and 15 days for smaller ones.

ITALICO
Shape – cylindrical wit low sides, rounded top & bottom
Weight- diameter 20 cm. side 5-6cm.
Body – soft, white, melting and without eyes
Flavour- distinctive mild flavour
Production method
Whole pasteurised milk taken from two milkings is heated to 35-40oC for coagulation.
Liquid rennet is then added. Coagulation follows in about 20 -30 mins. The curds are
then cut with crosswise movements to produce quite large cubes. After discharge of the
whey the curds ae left to rest fro a short time and then placed into special moulds for
several hours and are turned upside down repeatedly. These are then warmed up and
salted in brine. The cheeses are matured for 20-40 days during which time they ae turned
and washed repeatedly.
CRESCENZA (also known by the name Stracchino)
Shape – rectangular or square
Weight – 1-2 kgs, the cheese may be cut into portions at the time of packaging
Body-uniform, on eyes, white or pale straw colour. Soft , spreadable consistency which
melts in the mouth .
Flavour- delicate, varies from mild to lightly sour
Production method
Crescenza cheese is produced using cow’s milk which arrives at the production site raw.
After pasteurisation the milk is coagulated with enzymes. The soft curd is broken up
several times in order to encourage the elimination of the whey and then put into moulds.
At this point mainly thermopile lactic acid bacteria are added which acidify the cheese
and lend it its distinctive characteristics. Salting is in brine. The cheese are then left to
ripen briefly under refrigeration until the whey has been completely drained.
MONTE VERNESE
Matured partially cooked cheese made from whole or partially skimmed cow’s milk.
Shape- Cylindrical with nearly flat tom & bottom and slightly convex sides
Weight- 7-10 kgs
Body- White a straw coloured cheese with uniform distribution of tiny eyes.
Flavour- Delicate and pleasant
Production Method-
Produced exclusively from whole cow’s milk from one or two consecutive milking with
3.6-3.8SH/50ml natural acidity. The curds are obtained with the addition of calf’s rennet
for 15-20min and are cut into in a few seconds to reach a rice sized grainy texture. The
cheese is then cooked at 43-45*C for about 10min. The curds are left in a cauldron for
approx. 25-30min. Salting is done dry or in brine. Maturation last around for about 30
days but never less than 25 days.
OTHER ITALIAN CHEESES
GRANA PADANO –
This cheese is the “twin” of Parmigiano Reggiano. However while Parmigiano Reggiano
is only made in a small protected appellation in Emilia Romagna, Grana Padano is made
all over the plains of Northern Italy from Piedmont, Lombardy, Trentino, Veneto and of
course Emilia Romagna. This affects flavour ever so slightly in the types of grass the
cows eat in the varying regions. Grana Padano is also a little paler than Parmigiano.
Shape – Cylindrical slightly convex or almost straight sides, slightly rimmed top and
bottom
Weight- 24-40 kg
Flavour- Fragrant and delicate
Production Method
The cheese is made with milk from cow fed on fresh or dried grasses, taken from two
daily milkings, left to rest and then partially skimmed. Coagulation occurs with acidity
produced by fermentation. The cheese is produced all year round and matures naturally,
the rounds are stored at temp of 15-22oC. One to two year maturation time, after six
months is maturing rooms, each individual cheese is checked and when considered at its
very best by some experts, each wheel is fire branded with the lozenged shaped logo.
In the case of Grana Padano produced in the province of Trento references may be made
to the zone of origin.
RICOTTA –
Made all over the Italian peninsula, Ricotta is created by combining the whey from other
cheeses, the spreadably soft Ricotta is most often used as a cooking ingredient; it’s a must
for dishes like lasagne, manicotti and cheesecake. Variations of traditional ricotta include
“Ricotta Forte”(Puglia), “Ricotta Affumicata Sarda” (Sardinia), “Ricotta Infornata”
(Sicily and Puglia), “Ricotta Ossolana”(Piedmont) and “Ricotta Salata”(Sicily, Sardinia
and Puglia).
Shape –varies according to custom
Body- more or less grainy, soft and spreadable white or pale straw yellow colour.
Flavour-delicate, slightly sweet milky taste. The fat content varies greatly depending on
the amount of milk and cream added in production as well as the differing animal origin
of the milk whey.
Production method
Ricotta cheese is a very well known dairy product in Italy. There are many different types
, it can be made from the milk of cow’s , sheep , goat or buffalo with methods of
production which reflect various local traditions. The main prime ingriedient however , is
whey obtained by cheese making process. This whey to which milk and cream are often
added, is heated to 80oC . during heating , an acidifying agent is added which causes the
coagulation of proteins and separation solids and liquids. The solid part is then cooled
and packaged in traditional baskets or in more modern packagings.
The Cheese Have also been divided in to the ways in which they
are used:-
• TABLE CHEESES
• Asiago-From the province of Vicenza, Veneto region. A sharp, hard and
granular cheese made from two cow milking. One milking is skimmed, the other
is partly skimmed.
• Bel Paese- From Lombardy. A soft, smooth, yellow cheese. It is deliciously
flavoured.
• Fontina- A product of the Valle D’Aosta. This fine cheese is semi-soft, delicate
and sweet.
• Gorgonzola- Originally from a town in the Alpine area near Milan. Now it is
produced in the Po river flatlands. Ranked among the finest veined cheeses, it is
sharp and lightly spiced.
• Mascarpone- From the region of Lombardy. A fresh, creamy cheese eaten for
deserts, sometime with powdered chocolate, sometime with Maraschino and
sugar.
• Pecorino- From the towns of Accumoli and Vallecupola in the province of
Rieti, near Rome. Pecorino is a very old cheese, produced since early Roman
times. It is firm and sharp, and can be grated as well as eaten as a table cheese.
This cheese is from whole sheep’s milk.
• Provolone- From Naples. A variety of Cacciocavallo cheese. For two or three
months, this product is creamy and delicate; thereafter, it is sharp and spicy.
• Ricotta- From the towns of Roccaverano and Marazzano in Piedmont. This
cheese is spicy and creamy.
• Taleggio- Produced in Bergamo(Lombardy). It is made from dry, salted curds. It
has an aromatic flavour.
• Toma Veja- From Gressoney Valley in Piedmont. A heavy cheese with a
reddish crust, derived from fermentation.
COOKING CHEESES
• Mozzarella- From Naples. Made from buffalo or cow milk, this cheese has a
mellow, slight sour flavour. It is used on Pizza, and mixed with Ricotta, in
Lasagne. It can be eaten up at the end of the meal.
• Prescinseua- From Genoa. A sour cheese from milk curds. It is used in
vegetable dishes.
• Provatura- From the province of Rome. A cheese which easily melts in the
oven. “Crostini alla Provatura” are slices of bread topped with Provatura; placed
in the oven, the cheese envelops the bread.
GRATING CHEESES
• Casu Marzu- From the area of Gallura in Sardinia. It is delicious grana-type
cheese, which Sardanias eat with their pasta.
• Parmigiano Reggiano- Produced in small towns of Northern Italy. This
cheese is considered the world’s true seasoning cheese. Made only from April to
November under carefully controlled conditions, this product is salty and sharp. It
should be grated just before serving. Freshly cut and moist, it can be used as a
table cheese.
• Pecorino Romano- From the towns of Accumoli and Vallecupola in the
province of Rieti, near Rome. Made of fresh sheep’s milk, it has an assertive taste.
It is used on pasta or as a table cheese.
CONCLUSION
This project report audits information to be complied was painstaking effort for me. This
project which furnishes the information about CHEESES OF ITALY in particular
imparts knowledge and generates interest to the Italian Cuisine.
The chapter has been discussed in such a way that the reader can go through the chapters
in minimum time, the appendices and the information made available from the source of
information.
Though not highly successful in gathering all information but still I managed to present a
report which has all the contents of having almost all the information of the topic
presented Italian Ingredients.
I would be highly satisfied if the project report is able to impact a first hand knowledge to
the reader.
SUGGESTION
The main aim of the project has been to highlight the popularity and importance of
Cheeses of Italy. The project work has helped me to gain an idea of the Italian Cuisine
and given me the reason to come out with this suggestion that the best of a particular
region come out the best when the best quality cheese of that particular region are used.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
REFERENCE BOOKS
• Classical & Contemporary Italian Cooking
• Gastronomy of Italy
• The Classic Italian Cookbook
MAGAZINES
• Food & Wine
WEBSITES
• www.ffcook.com
• www.italianfood.com

Cheese of Italy

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DECLARATION

I HEMANT CHOPRA, hereby declare that this project “CHEESES OF

conducted by me under the guidance of my F & B Production faculty Mr. Paul.

University or any other University.

PLACE: HEMANT CHOPRA

cheeses that are produced in Italy and used in Italian Cuisine

gourmet specialty companies.

with proper usage will give the best result.

1. To have an overview of the different types of cheeses in Italy.

2. To study different cheeses in detail.

4. To gain required information so as to provide a detailed project report.

1. Since “cheeses of Italy”, as a topic, as understood carries a lot of information, all

information could not be collected.

CHAPTER – I ITALY: AN INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER – II HISTORY OF ITALIAN CUISINE

CHAPTER – III ORIGION OF CHEESE

CHAPTER – IV TYPES OF CHEESES

CHAPTER – V CHEESES OF ITALY

CHAPTER – IV CONCLUSION & SUGGESTION

seeking out la dolce vita.

Full Country Name : Italian Republic

Area : 301,250 sq. km (117,487 sq. mi)

Population : 57.6 million

Capital City : Rome (pop 3.6 million)

Languages : Standard Italian and Numerous dialects,

German, French Slovene

Religions : 85% Roman Catholic, 5% Jewish &

Prime Minister : Silvio Berlusconi

GDP : US $ 1.8 trillion

GDP Per Head : US $ 20,800

Annual Growth : 1.5%

Major Industries : Tourism, Engineering, Textiles,

Chemicals, Food Processing, Motor

Vehicles, Clothing and Footwear

Major Trader Partners : E.U. (especially Germany, France, UK,

Spain, Netherlands), USA

Euro Zone Participant : Yes

through the linoleum floor of a train station or a baroque church overlooking a

swoon to Roman sculptures, Byzantine mosaics, beatific Madonnas from Giotto

to Titian, gargantuan baroque tombs and trompe l’oeil ceilings.

piano and our system of musical notation, as well as producing Monteverdi,

same without Italy’s Marcello Mastroianni, Anna Magnani, Gina Lollobrigida,

Fellini, Michelangelo Antiunion and Bernardo Bertolucci.

never fail to attract large crowds.

Italy’s many regional cuisine, while remaining distinctive to their regions of

known dishes – spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne and tortellini-and is also home to

café’s worldwide Spectacular vegetable and pasta dishes feature just as

or entrail pudding ? Desserts – cassata, cannoli, zabaglione, granita and marzipan

Coffee, beer and wine are of course magnificent countrywide.

Mountains feature prominently in Italy’s topgraphy and bolster its landlocked

backbone is formed by the Apennines, extending from Genoa right down to

and is heavily populated and industrialized as a result. Underground

rambunctious is on Sicily and the devastation wrought by earthquakes, especially

pollution, particularly in the big cities and along the coast.

A couple of millennia of human occupation, coupled with the local’s love of

eagles dodge the hunter’s birdshot.

Italy consists of 19 states or regions. They are as follows :

risottos and timbales.

combination (always “unique”) achieved through an unrepeatable fusion of flavours and

veritable triumph of taste. Passion therefore is a fundamental requisite of Italian cooking

ingredients by the skilful hand of a creative chef.

ORIGINS OF ITALIAN CUISINE