Gorgonzola (cheese)
Gorgonzola is a northern Italian blue cheese with at least 48% fat i. Tr. and protected designation of origin : Since 1955 "Denominazione di origine", since 1996 "Denominazione di origine protetta (Dop)" (PDO). It consists of cow's milk , rennet and salt , which are mixed with a noble mushroom culture .
history
The Gorgonzola has been made since the 11th century. It used to be called Stracchino di Gorgonzola (The Tired of Gorgonzola) or Stracchino verde (The Green Tired) in the Lombardy region of origin , as it was originally made in autumn and winter when the cows were tired from the cattle drive. Another older name was Stracchino erborinato (erborino = parsley) because the green mold veins are reminiscent of parsley leaves. According to unconfirmed sources, the cheese was first made in Gorgonzola in 879 , while others attribute the origin to the town of Pasturo in Valsassina (north of Lecco ), also one of the centers of cattle drive in autumn.
According to legend, it was invented when a milker received a visit from a seductive maid while milking the evening. She is said to have kept him from his actual work and kept him busy until morning that, dead tired, he poured the fresh milk from the morning milking session with the curdled milk from the previous evening. This resulted in a new type of cheese, which the milker's friends called the tired , referring to the robbed night 's sleep .
The Taleggio was also referred to as stracchino , which is why the search for a clear name with increasing popularity. They agreed on the name of the village of Gorgonzola, one of the many localities where the cheese is produced. In 1970 the most well-known producers joined together to form the Association of Gorgonzola Producers ( Consorzio Gorgonzola ), which controls the production and distribution of the cheese. You can recognize this cheese by the seal with the initials CG .
By regulation, Gorgonzola with a protected designation of origin can only be produced in two areas:
- In Piedmont in the following provinces: Province of Novara , Province of Vercelli , Province of Cuneo , Province of Biella , Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and in the area of Casale Monferrato
- In Lombardy in the following provinces: Province of Bergamo , Province of Brescia , Province of Como , Province of Cremona , Province of Lecco , Province of Lodi , Metropolitan City of Milan , Province of Monza and Brianza , Province of Pavia and Province of Varese
Production focus
Today, the largest amount of Gorgonzola is produced in the province of Novara (45%), followed by Pavia with 22%, the rest is distributed between Gorgonzola and other places in Lombardy.
Manufacturing
Gorgonzola is usually made in cylindrical loaves weighing between 6 and 13 kg. It is obtained either from the separately thickened milk of two milking parlors, from the poured milk from two aisles or from the milk of a single milking parlor. Cultures of Penicillium roqueforti are added to the curd . In order to promote better distribution of the mold growth, the loaves are pierced with copper or stainless steel needles during ripening , so that oxygen is distributed in the dough. Depending on the type, the Gorgonzola matures between two months and a year.
properties
Gorgonzola generally has a typical, rather thick, reddish bark with gray mold spots in places. The soft, sometimes spreadable dough is white to straw yellow and streaked with green-blue mold veins. The spicy, piquant taste of the cheese with a subtle sweet note is usually milder than the smell. Cheese that smells sour or bitter or has a brown discoloration should no longer be eaten.
variants
- Gorgonzola due paste : Originally, rennet was added to the evening milk to make Gorgonzola and the curd was then hung up in towels until the following morning. The next day, it was then alternately layered in molds with the curd made from the morning milk. This cheese is very rarely found today because it has to mature for over a year. It has a strong, piquant taste and is highly valued by connoisseurs.
- Gorgonzola una pasta is a hot cheese made from a mixture of the thick morning milk with the milk from the evening before.
- Gorgonzola dolce is a mild cheese that has matured for 60 days.
- Gorgonzola piccante is called a spicy cheese that has matured for 90 to 100 days.
- Dolcelatte is the trade name of a young, creamy, mild Gorgonzola made from the milk of just one milking parlor with slight surface mold , which is wrapped in foil and sold by the Pavia- based company Galbani , which has been part of the Lactalis Group since the beginning of 2006 .
- Torta San Gaudenzio is one of the trade names for a layered cake made of mascarpone with inlaid Gorgonzola layers.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Il Gorgonzola. Latte News, accessed May 24, 2018 .
- ↑ Protected designation of origin. Archived from the original on September 22, 2014 ; accessed on September 22, 2014 .
- ↑ History of origin ( Memento of the original from October 23, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 22, 2014.
- ↑ Consortium for the Protection of the Gorgonzola. Archived from the original on September 17, 2013 ; accessed on March 13, 2018 .
- ↑ production. Archived from the original on September 22, 2014 ; accessed on March 13, 2018 .
