5 Of The Most Famous Italian cheeses

Think of Italy and you’ll undoubtedly think of some of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. You’ll probably also think about Italian cuisine. The Italians are famous for pizza, pasta and the cheese that accompanies almost every dish. While every Italian cheese can be considered excellent, some stand out from the crowd.

Discover The 5 Best Italian Cheeses
Every Italian cheese has its own unique texture and flavor. It’s important to understand the taste of each one, its general shape, and how the flavor changes according to the aging process.

What are the 5 Italian cheeses we’re talking about?

1. Mozzarella
Mozzarella can be made with either cow or buffalo milk. This cheese started life in
Campania, Italy. Here the traditional recipe uses buffalo milk, which gives the cheese a rich flavor with hints of cream. It’s surprisingly light and you’ll already be familiar with the dense, yet slightly springy consistency. The cheese is made by adding rennet to the buffalo milk: this creates a stiff paste. The milk is left to curdle and excess whey is removed. The longer the cheese rests, the stronger its
flavor. The curdled mix is dropped into boiling water to make it stringy. It’s then kneaded by workers to make it smooth.
Of all Italian cheeses, that’s probably the most famous.

2. Parmigiano
This is considered a hard cheese. The texture is smooth and the cheese has a waxy edge. It’s made using cow’s milk and must be aged for at least 12 months. This cheese has a slightly salty taste, is high in protein and calcium and is very easy for the human body to digest. You may know Parmigiano as Parmesan, as the names are interchangeable. The cheese comes from several regions of Italy, including Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Modena. It should be noted, authentic Parmigiano will have a fruity taste with a hint of nuts. Inferior copies are likely to have a bitter taste.

3. Caciocavallo
Caciocavallo is made using cow or sheep milk. It originates from the Basilicata region in the south of Italy and has a natural rind. The cheese is yellow with a springy feel and a stringy appearance. When aged properly it will have an earthy aroma and a sharp taste. It’s best described as slightly spicy with hints
of fruit and salt. This cheese has historically been tied together in a rope before being left dangling over a wooden board. It allows excess fluid to drain and ages the cheese properly. The process is completed in caves, while the humidity and compact surroundings help to ensure the cheese picks up all the right earthy aromas.

4. Pecorino
Fewer people have heard of this delightful Italian cheese. The cheese is hard and grainy, white with just a hint of yellow, and a dark brown, almost black, rind.
The flavor is best described as earthy with hints of grass. It has hints of both spice and salt and can be added to almost any dish. However, to really appreciate this cheese you need to cut a small piece and let it sit on your tongue. You’ll quickly notice a nutty flavor, reminiscent of walnuts. Pecorino originates from Tuscany and the surrounding areas.

5. Blue Cheese
You’ve probably already come across blue cheese and tried it. This is the cheese that has blue streaks running through it. You can’t mistake it for anything else.
The cheese has a sharp flavor, let it sit in your mouth for a moment and you should be able to taste nuts, grass, mushroom and perhaps even a hint of metal.
The flavors change depending on where the cheese was created, but it should always be soft and crumbly with a creamy flavor. There are many different Italian blue cheeses for you to try.

What Is Italian Cheese And Its Aging
One question everyone needs an answer to is ‘What is Italian cheese?’. There are 5 Italian cheeses which classify as genuine Italian cheese. That’s the five listed above.
Each cheese is considered Italian as it originated in the country and, although it’s replicated across the globe, the authentic version is still created in Italy.
Aging is an essential part of Italian cheeses. It simply refers to how long the cheese is left to curdle before the production process is finished. In general, the longer a cheese is aged the stronger the flavor.

However, you have to get the process and the aging time right to get the best Italian
cheese blend. It’s a process the Italians have refined over centuries.
Order some today and taste the difference yourself. You will be amazed!