Some Holiday Cheese

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

Today's delectable offering is one well known to many of us --

Provolone (pro-voh-LOH-neh)

Provolone, a cheese originating in the province of Basilicata in southern Italy, is what you get when you rub a Mozzarella in brine, tie it up with a rope, and hang it out to dry in a room at the right humidity and temperature.  Provolone, a spun or pulled curd cheese (pasta filata in Italian) made of cow's milk, is now produced in just about every region of Italy. In southern Italy, Provolone is even more popular than Mozzarella or Romano.

The origins of the name Provolone come from the Campanian word "prova," which means "spherical." Provolone comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, from balls weighing 8 ounces to 200-pound "torpedoes."

With age, Provolone attains a marvelous intensity of flavor. At three months, the cheese is gently piquant. At one year, it becomes decidedly sharp. At a year and a half, it's both very sharp and spicy. Cheeses aged one year or more are often called Provolone piccante.

Far from the bland stuff we buy at the local grocery store for sandwich filling, real Provolone is fragrant and firm, with a light yellow exterior and a yellowish rind. Provolone is wonderful by itself or accompanied by veggies, salami, crusty bread, and hearty red wine.

It's true. Provolone is not just for your favorite submarine sandwich any more. Get yourself a slab, ball, loaf, torpedo, or whatever shape you can find and chow down!

Just in time for Christmas! Darklings... Buy it here!