Softly, Softly, Nice and Cheesy: Part Middle

Here again... Prudence Dapperling's "Mouse in a Million" BIG CHEESE Blog!

Another delightful Italian "softy" is Ricotta.

Primarily a product of Lombardy, Ricotta is made from the whey byproduct of cheese made of fresh sheep's and goat's milk. Like Mascarpone, Ricotta is actually more of a dairy product than a cheese.

Ricotta was originally made in Rome (in the province of Lazio) from whey that was the byproduct of Romano cheesemaking. The disposal of whey has always been a problem. You can't just throw it away because it fouls up sewers and waterways by promoting the growth of algae, which uses up the water's oxygen supply and kills the fish. In the last century, it was discovered that whey could be turned into "cheese" by heating it up to create a new curd that, when drained, could be turned into Ricotta.

Italian Ricotta is made mostly from the whey of sheep's milk or the milk of water buffaloes, though cow's or goat's milk can also be used. This Ricotta has a wonderful mild, sweet, and nutty flavor and a somewhat dry texture.

Ricotta, like Mascarpone, mixes well with other foods, enhancing their flavor and texture. You can eat it with fruit or vegetables, mixed in with dessert or pasta recipes, or just by itself.

Italian buffalo milk ricotta is a particularly wonderful taste experience. Look for it at your favorite specialty shop and pick some up. You'll be glad you did! 

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Softly, Softly, Nice and Cheesy: Part First

Once again, it's Prudence Dapperling's "Big Cheese" Blog!

For the last few weeks, we've been looking at some of the big, brash, blue and crumbly cheeses of Italy. Piquant, captivating, and in your face (they're never shy about dominating the flavor palette on your plate), these brilliant morsels well reflect the bold character of their native country.

Not to say that Italy--that glorious Gucci boot lolling in the Mediterranean--doesn't have a soft and mellow side. No, indeed. Some of the most tender, gentlest cheeses come from there.

These "softies" play well with others (foods, that is), and are used in a variety of dishes.

One such delight is Mascarpone (mahs-kar-POH-neh).

Mascarpone, from the province of Lombardy, dates from the sixteenth century. It's made from the cream of cow's milk and is rather more of a dairy product than a cheese; no starter culture (the bacteria that turns milk into cheese) is used, and no curds are involved. Pale yellow in color, Mascarpone is soft, sweet, and smooth (yum!) with a butterfat content of 70% to 75%--the highest it can be without turning into butter. It's very similar to English clotted cream or buttercream cake icing.

These qualities make Mascarpone an ingredient that adds richness and sparkle to many Italian dishes, both sweet and spicy. For example, it's the main ingredient of tiramisu, a dessert of northern Italy made of lady fingers soaked in espresso, Strega liqueur, cocoa, and sugar.

In the province of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Mascarpone is sometimes combined with anchovies, mustard, and herbs to make a savory mixture for spreading on bread.

And, of course, Mascarpone can be enjoyed just as it is, sprinkled with sugar, cocoa, grated chocolate, finely ground coffee beans, or served with raspberries or strawberries.

Pick up some Mascarpone, toss it into your favorite dessert, whip it into a spread or a sauce for pasta, or just eat it by itself. You're sure to love it!

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The Greatest Cheese on Earth!

Welcome to Prudence Dapperling's "Mouse in a Million" BIG CHEESE Blog!

You're probably asking yourself, "The 'greatest' cheese? Really? And how would Dapperling know?"

I'm a mouse, remember? (Says so on my passport. Right page, seventh line from the top.)

 

And mice know these things.

Anyway, the cheese I consider to be the greatest ever, in terms of history, shelf-life, and all-around awesomeness, is... drum roll, please...

Parmigiano-Reggiano!

If you want to talk "big cheese," this one, produced in the Italian province of Emilia-Romagna, is the biggest. Wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano weigh in at 66 to 88 pounds!

This cheese was the stuff that powered the mighty Roman legions on their marches across Europe and most of the known world. Parmigiano travelled well. Needing no refrigeration, the cheese had (and has) a "shelf life" of several years.

And flavor? Wow! It's huge. Thick, delicious, bold. Parmigiano is a hard cheese (a "grana") that can be grated into fine grains for spreading around on other foods or chipped off for enjoying all by itself. The flavor is spicy (like cinnamon or nutmeg), salty, nutty... in short, just plain wonderful.

Get yourself a wedge and chow down. Once you do, I'm sure you'll agree: Parmigiano-Reggiano is the greatest cheese on earth!

Glorious Gorgonzola!

Welcome back to Prudence Dapperling's "Mouse in a Million" BIG CHEESE Blog!

Today's "big cheese" is Gorgonzola (gor-gohn-ZOH-lah) from Lombardy in northern Italy.


Many years ago, tired cows, making their long and weary way to and from their seasonal pastures during the spring and fall, stopped to rest near the town of Stracchino, south of Milan (the capital of Lombardy). As a result, twice a year the residents of Stracchino and the surrounding area found themselves with more milk than they could possibly drink. So, what did they do with all that extra milk? They turned it into cheese.  And one of those cheeses was Gorgonzola.

If you've ever seen Gorgonzola, you'll have noticed it has bluish streaks in it... much like blue cheese or Roquefort. This blueness originally came from the mold that clung to the walls of the damp and drafty caves in which the cheese was stored. This mold was found to grow not only on the outside of the cheese, but on the inside as well. Over the years, the recipe for Gorgonzola has been changed and worked to encourage this marvelous blue invasion. It's what gives the cheese its wonderful flavor.

A good specimen of this "pearl of cheeses" is off-white or yellowish in color, with a full, pronounced flavor; it should never be strong or sharp.  Gorgonzola goes well with salami, smoked ham, prosciutto, fruit, crusty bread, and full-bodied red wine. It's also quite yummy sprinkled on salad greens or good lean steak.

Myself, I'll take it any way I can get it.

Try some Gorgonzola today. You'll love it!

The Veneto, Venice.... and Asiago!

Welcome to Prudence Dapperling's "Mouse in a Million" BIG CHEESE Blog!

The Veneto. It's a province in northeastern Italy. A lovely place. Venice is the capital.

Ahh, Venice! One hundred and eighteen islands -- laced with canals, joined by bridges, and festooned with fabulous palazzos and basilicas -- hanging like a bunch of beautiful grapes off the Veneto coast.

They eat a lot of cheese there. And the cheese they eat a lot of is... Asiago!

The most well-known and distinctive of Venetian cheeses, Asiago (ah-zee-AH-goh) is made in the village of the same name in the Dolomite Mountains. It comes in large, wide wheels 7-9 inches high, 14-16 inches in diameter, and weighing 18-24 pounds. There are two kinds of Asiago: Asiago d'allevo (day-LEH-voh), which is sold outside of Italy, and Asiago pressato (prey-SAH-toh), which isn't.

Asiago d'allevo is made of skimmed raw cow's milk. Light beige in color, inside and out, with small holes all through it, its flavor is mild and milky with a firm texture that can be sliced, shaved, shredded, or melted. Asiago d'allevo is sold in three stages of ripeness: fresh (fresco... aged 2-3 months); medium ripe (mezzano... aged 3-5 months); and slow ripened (vecchio... aged 9 months or longer).

Asiago is a hardy cheese, good with salami, crusty bread, and good red wine. It's used a lot in the cuisine of the region -- grated for pasta, cheese sauces, and soups, chunked for salads, and eaten all by itself. (Myself, I like it by its lonesome.)

Get yourself a hunk and enjoy a taste of Venice!

The best source on the most heavenly of edibles comes from what I consider the "bible of cheese": Cheese Primer, by Steven Jenkins, Workman Publishing Company, Inc., copyright 1996.