The Cheese Plate: Northern Italian Cheeses

Dear Hannah,

Traditional producers in Italy make an extraordinary array of incredible cheeses. This month we’re highlighting four delicious cheeses from Northern Italy.

Northern Italian Cheese

These cheeses are each unique and full of flavor. Try them alone, add to a cheese board or use them to elevate a meal!

A Spotlight on Northern Italian Cheeses

Vennezza

Presented by Monti Trentini

The Vezzena of Monti Trentini is a semi-hard cheese, with a compact and slightly granular texture with sparse and small to medium holes. This cheese is produced exclusively with milk of local mountain farms of the Trentino region. It pairs best with a glass of Chardonnay or sparkling wine, such as Prosecco, produced in the northern Italian regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Photo Credit: Monti Trentini, not for download or re-use.

Curcumaggio

Presented by Luigi Guffanti

The novelty of the hot summer of 2022 was Curcumaggio, a cow's milk tometta with a slight addition of turmeric, which gives the cheese an intriguing yellow color. It pairs nicely with fruity white wines, light beers, orange marmalade, pumpkin and ginger jam, fresh fruit, or walnut or grape bread.

Photo Credit: Luigi Guffanti not for download or re-use.

BirbaBlu

Presented by Forever Cheese

This showstopping blue from the Rosso family is finished with artisanal blonde ale, resulting in a creamy, sweet, beer-forward cheese. It soaks in beer for 10 days before cheesemaker Maria covers each wheel with malted wheat to regulate the moisture content and give the cheese its characteristic malty, fruity flavor and aroma.

Photo Credit: Forever Cheese, not for download or re-use.

Pecorino Marzolino

Presented by Orrman's Cheese Shop

Pecorino Marzolino is a raw sheep milk cheese made in March when the sheep begin grazing on tender Spring pastures. The flavor is delicate and both sweet from the milk and savory from the tomato rub on the rind. One of our seasonal favorites!

Photo Credit: Orrman's, not for download or re-use.

International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day is October 15th!

Celebrate, learn about, and show your support for traditional raw milk cheese! Follow us on @OldwaysCheese for discussions with cheese mongers and information about these delicious, traditionally-produced cheeses. You can also celebrate by visiting cheese counters, tasting, purchasing, and enjoying delicious raw milk cheeses. Post on Instagram with #rawcheeseday to join the conversation!

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The Cheese Plate is made possible through the generous support of Emmi Roth, Gruyère AOP, Parmigiano Reggiano, FoodMatch, Gourmet–Food, and Whole Foods Market.