A Look At Some Rare Italian Cheeses

Everyone is familiar with these popular Italian cheeses: Parmesan, Mozzarella, Provolone, Ricotta and Asiago. You can find these in any grocery store, and they are popular in many recipes. But these are only a few of the delicious cheeses Italy has to offer! It’s time to get to know some of the lesser known varieties and expand your knowledge and palette.

Ubriaco. In Italian, Ubriaco means drunken! It’s aptly named, because it matures in wine. First the cheese is encased in the grape rinds left over from the pressing. Then it is soaked in wine for up to six months before it’s ready for sale. It’s a hard, mild cheese of cow’s milk and it takes on the flavor of the type of wine in which it is soaked. The result is a fine cheese with a fruity taste and dark purple rind.

Castelmagno. This cheese is made of a mixture of cow’s milk and either goat or sheep milk, that has been left sitting overnight. Then, in the morning, fresh milk is added. When cured, it has fine blue veins, which are a result of it being aged in a damp cellar. The flavor is a bit spicy, and it usually has a pungent smell.

Ragusano. This cheese is made exclusively in Ragusa, Sicily. They use unpasteurized milk exclusively from a breed of cow called the Modicana. Because of this exclusive breed and location, it is understandably made in small batches. While it is aging, it is rubbed with oil and vinegar! The result is a wonderful hard cheese with a flavor that is both savory and slightly tangy.

Montasio. Montasio was originally made by the Maggio monastery back in the thirteenth century. At that time it was made of sheep’s milk, but now it is made with cow’s milk. It is made exclusively in northeastern Italy. It’s a hard cheese, and becomes harder as it ages. It has a fruity taste, sometimes with a hint of pineapple flavor.

Pannerone. This is a melt-in-your-mouth soft and creamy cheese made from cow’s milk. It is curdled, drained and then stored at high temperatures for a week. During its second week, it is stored at cooler temperatures, and then is ready to be sold. Because of its short aging time, it can be hard to ship. Therefore it is more difficult to find the farther you get from Italian borders. A lot of people think it’s Gorgonzola when they first encounter it, but Pannerone does not have any veins. It has a smooth, slightly bitter taste.

Fiore Sardo. This cheese is only made in Sardinia. Here they use raw sheep’s milk. Because Sardinia is dry and hot, the cheese cures in very different conditions to those common in northern Italy and has a unique flavor. It is cured in smoke, and is rubbed in sheep fat or olive oil during the curing process. It is smoky, sweet, and can be semi-hard to hard.

As you can see from their rarity and quality, you are very unlikely to find any of these Italian cheeses in your local market. So where do you go? Many large cities have Italian specialty markets, so check your local business directory. If your area is too small for a specialized Italian market, try another special foods shop and see if they can order some for you. It may cost you a bit, but it’s a small price to pay for getting to sample some of the best cheeses in the world.

Want to find out more about Italian cheeses, then visit Franklin Baggoio’s site on how to choose the best imports for your needs.