Taleggio cheese

Taleggio is a North Italian soft cheese with protected designation of origin, it has 48 percent fat in dry matter.

History

Already by Marcus Tullius Cicero and Cato the Elder recipes have been handed down on the basis of Lombard cheese, and Gaius Plinius Secundus described the art of cheese Orobbi, as the inhabitants of the valleys of Bergamo were called in ancient times. The Taleggio in its present form and under this name may have been produced in caves in the Val Taleggio near Bergamo in Lombardy before the 10th century. From the 13th century documents are obtained, which demonstrate the trade with this cheese, which he is likely to be one of the oldest soft cheeses. The preparation was carried out initially in autumn and winter, when the cows are tired (Italian stracche ) were from cattle drive, which is why the cheese, like Gorgonzola, was known as Stracchino. Giacomo Casanova decided allegedly after he had tasted in 1763 in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano the Taleggio to write an encyclopedia of cheeses. The work was never finished, because Casanova was very taken by other pursuits to complete. With growing popularity of Taleggio, the production was extended in the Po Valley beyond. 1979 included several manufacturers for Consortium for the protection of Taleggio ( Consorzio di Tutela del formaggio Taleggio ) together, which today has 97 members and is responsible for overseeing the production and trade since 1981.

Production

In the production of Taleggio DOP cheese than the original artisan tradition has largely retained. First, the acidified milk with rennet from calves milk is curdled. Fifteen minutes after the addition of rennet is broken with a cheese harp and cut to the size of hazelnuts the jelly. The curd is placed in metal molds of the size of the subsequent cheese. While he sits down and he is solidified turned several times and marked with a punch. The cheeses are salted by hand or immersed in brine. For the maturation they are stored on wooden shelves in ripening chambers, in which the conditions of the original and used in part today caves (temperature only a little more than 5 ° C, humidity 90%, typical microflora ) are reproduced. To let Roughly once a week during the six - to ten -week ripening, the cheeses are washed with a sponge with salt water and red smear cultures to protect the cheese from drying out and caused the typical pink to orange - red bark with characteristic greenish and gray mold stains.

Properties

The rind is very thin in young cheese, thick and wavy with age and should show no cracks. The pale yellow dough is smooth with scattered small holes and melts on the tongue.

Today the cheese is produced both as a factory cheese made from pasteurized milk, as well as raw milk farmhouse cheese, the cheese factory is brighter in the dough and milder in flavor. First-class raw milk variants have a distinctly spicy aroma, reminiscent of raisins, nuts and lemon, combined with a subtle smell of the stable. The taste is pleasantly spicy and fruity with hints of roasted nuts.

Use

Combined with fig mustard or fruit and walnut bread crowns of Taleggio cheese course each. As a small meal it is served with bitter salads such as radicchio or arugula and ripe tomatoes or as extra spice on bruschetta with zucchini and sage. Even in the warm kitchen, he is very versatile, it melts well and is excellent with risotto or polenta. As an accompanying drink a Chianti classico or Recioto di Soave is recommended.