On the subject of food, a subject which is very close to my heart, because I like food, as the size of my stomach can bear testament, today a quick entry about cheese.
Italy has an enormous variety of cheeses. You’ve got the famous Parmesan, ricotta and marscapone cheeses, which just about everyone knows about, then there are the regional variations.
Cheese Stones
I remember a few years back wandering around a small Italian town, can’t remember the name, but it was near Monte Rosa in the north of the country, and coming across these small round lumps of what I was told was a form of cheese. I shall never forget these lumps, they were about the size of a small stone, ovalish and as hard as stone. Needless to say curiosity got the better of me and I purchased a couple of these cheesy stones.
Later, back at the mountain hut where I was staying with some friends, I attempted to try some of this food. Now, slicing it was impossible, seeing as it was very hard, so I resorted to hitting it in the hope of breaking it into edible fragments. I succeeded in this endeavour and popped one of these fragments into my mouth. With a little pressure it was possible to chew the stuff and obtain an idea of its flavour, which was unusual. It tasted like cheese in an odd but not entirely convincing sort of way. No doubt, I had no idea as to how this delicacy should be prepared and eaten, but then neither did my Italian companions. With hindsight, I think the stuff should have been grated and sprinkled on pasta, at least the heat may have melted it. So, that’s one cheesy experience.
Cow Pat Cheese
A more recent experience was when my other half brought home some more cheese. This was smallish roundish and flatish with a rind which looked a little like melted wax. The rind,was edible I was told , so I cut myself a slice of this, er, cow pat looking stuff and tried it. (It was, luckily, good and soft) The flavour was very strong and not unlike a very well matured cheddar. Not bad. There was the slight ammonia after-taste which I sometimes get from Brie, but despite this it was OK. This cheese, the name of which I know not, originated from the Piedmont region of Italy. I have no idea whether I could find it here in Milan in a specialist cheese shop (Yes, they do exist and there is one near me), but then I’m not sure that I really want to come across it again. This is part of the fun here, you keep discovering cheeses, trying them and either adding them to your cheese repertoire or relegating them to the ‘tried, but forgotten’ category.
Enough cheesey observations for this cold but sunny day here in Milan. I must away. Work and all that stuff, beckons.
Over and out for now.
Alex_Roe says
Don’t think I’ve tried Marzolino cheese, Vagabond.
Do you know if you can find it outside of Italy?
And yes, Italy has a seemingly endless variety of cheeses.
Thanks for the Marzolino tip.
Best regards,
Alex
Vagabond says
You are right! Italy has an enormous variety of cheeses… and some of them are quite unknown. Take for exampe the Marzolino: it’s an italian cheese as good as the most famous Pecorino one but no-one knows autside Italy. Here http://www.renieri.net/marzolini_e.html you can find some descriptions, photos and also traditional manufactruing procedures info…
Chris V. says
ugggh…um, yeah….be sure to Fed-Ex me some of that when you get a chance. 😉 You know I have an iron stomach and I’m pretty sure I could eat just about anything. There’s just something about the thought of eating maggots that just churns my stomach. To me they represent decay and death and I usually associate maggots with corpses. Perhaps this is due to my fascination with George Romero movies. You are a lucky man though, to have access to some of the tastiest foods in the world. I’m jealous.
P.S I accept your challenge. I am DEFINITELY posting pics of Baby Presley when he arrives so you’d better post some of your young one too.–>
Alex says
Hi Christian,
The National Geographic channel knows Italy better than I do! (not a great surprise) This maggoty cheese does indeed exist. I found a site on the net for a little place called Socchieve a little place with 1,030 inhabitants in it and they have this special cheese in/on which flies are encouraged to deposit their eggs!! The cheese goes by the name of ‘Salterello’ and it’s made with spring milk – so we are coming into the season almost. It has a creamy consistency and is full of little white maggots. Socchieve is a bit far from Milan and north west of Udine, which is north east (Udine, that is) of Venice, if you want to find the place. I sorry to have to say that I do not often find myself out in that neck of the woods, otherwise I would have DHLed you a few pounds of this interesting cheese. Sorry about that. If I come across any of the stuff in Milan, I’ll send you some! OK?
(PS I don’t think I’ll try too hard to find the stuff here in Milan – I mean I’ve eaten snails, frogs legs and even had a squirrel sandwich – but the idea of maggoty cheese does not tingle my tastebuds too much….)
Regards,
Chris V. says
Alex,
Your entry reminds me of an interesting program I watched a few months ago on the National Geographic channel entitled “Taboo.” It was about behaviors or practices which western society may deem as disgusting and logic-defying and how other cultures embrace them. Anyhow, there is a small village in Italy which views a certain aged, maggot infested cheese as a delicacy. Villagers will travel from miles around to congregate and partake in this cheese, maggots and all. Do you know anything about this?