An Easy Guide To Italian Cheeses

Cheese is Italy’s the third most important export to the United States after wine and olive oil. The top ones are Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano, and fresh one like mozzarella, ricotta and mascarpone. However, they are also the main victims of the “Italian- sounding” phenomenon currently being battled by the Italian Ministry for Economic Development, as many producers use an Italian name to sell products that are not actually Italian at all. One of the measures designed to protect quality is the introduction of a special European logo granted to 52 authentic Italian cheeses and dairy products that are PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), respectively DOP and IPG on Italian labels. Here are some of the most famous cheeses, along with a few new ones to discover, with suggestions on how to enjoy them, as well as food and beverages to pair them with.

CRESCENZA

Soft and creamy with an irresistible milky flavor, Crescenza is a Lombard cheese made from pasteurized whole milk.This creamy, dense white cheese, which does not have a rind, melts in your mouth. It belongs to the “stracchino” family, cheeses that, according to tradition, were made when the cows returned in the fall from the Alps to the valley and were thus tired: in the Lombard dialect the word for tired is “strach”—hence stracchino.It is aged for a very short time, ranging from 7 to 10 days. There are also new versions with a lower lactose content, or enriched with probiotics or yogurt.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Huffington Post