Raviggiolo – slurping is a must!
Just like any other food, cheese can be seasonal. For example, there are the flavorful “summer cheeses” [either fresh or aged from the prior season] that are made of the milk from when the animals are on higher pastures and eat rich mountain grasses full of flowers and herbs.
Other cheeses are periodically not even available—for instance, some goat’s milk cheeses that are not produced at all during the two months prior to the end of gestation.
And then there are cheeses that are not produced at certain times of the year simply by following a traditional path or method.
A representative of the last category is Italian *Raviggiolo* – our guest today.
Cevrin di Coazze – slow food, great mood!
It´’s not a secret that Gustav and I are huge fans of Italian cheeses and traveling to Italy is a regular must. This time we were in the Piedmont and found our way to Giaveno about an hour West of Turin where we stopped by *Azienda Agricola Fratelli Lussiana*.
The little towns of Giaveno and Coazze in the Sangone valley are home to Slow food family member Cevrin di Coazze which is only produced by a handful of cheese makers.
*Cevrin* in the local dialect means a mix of cow’s and goat’s milk cheese and * Cevrin di Coazze * is indeed exactely that. A mix of goat´’s and cow’s milk with a goat´’s milk proportion of at least 40%.
The goats of Lussiana family are Chamois Coloured Goats from the Piedmont valleys (Camosciata delle valli piemontesi), which don’t produce as much milk as eg. the white Saanen breed but are robust and well adapted to the mountainous territory they live in. The cows are of the autochtone and sturdy Barà cattle breed which is similar to the better known Pustertaler, derives from the valleys around Cuneo and Turin and is unfortunately in danger of going extinct.
With production time limited from March to November when the animals are out in pasture ,dry salted, *Cevrin di Coazze*can be made from raw, thermized as well as pasteurized milk and has a minimum age of 90 days. The evening milk of the cows is completed with the morning batch of the goats and in our case coagulated with the help of calves rennet.
*Cevrin* has an unpressed and semisoft paste that melts hesitantly midst its regular eyes and releases notes of spicy mushroom and lactic, nutty pastures, all of which make you feel history, valleys and animals alike.
We paired our * Cevrin di Coazze * with a Barbera d’Asti that manages to cut through the spicyness and brings out the milder more buttery sides of todays guest of honor.
Gustav rates our travel encounter a happy 12/10 and says next time he will also keep an eye on people and landscape and not just the cheese.
Well Gustav, welcome to my world …
What the actual Goat – Farewell springtime!
Just in time for the beginning of summer, today we will finish our little spring excursion into the world of goat cheeses. And since our vacation paths will lead us down South we send a farewell salute to spring with Italian Grandezza *Capriziola Dolce* by Carozzi Formaggi Srl. from Lombardy.
Provolone del Monaco DOP –not from Munich, not a monks coat
Don’t worry I did not forget that May and June are goat cheese months and I have at least two more posts in mind. But first, as an Amuse-Gueule for a different type of cheese family a short stage dive of someone entirely different – Provolone del Monaco DOP
Let´s Talk Fromage…
Goat cheese season already started and as promised May will be the month we will introduce some white delights every cheese lover dreams of.
As you all know there are as many variants of goat cheese as there is sand on a beach and therefor our selection was driven by personal cravings, curiosity and a hint of conservatism.
Today we introduce a super fresh and sparkly french gal as well as two somewhat more earnest compatriats. – Curtain up!
Truffle&Cheese – please be my Valentine!
For some people Valentines day is just another day of the year. Others celebrate with flowers, cake and special surprises. We at *formaggiastic.com* follow the decadent love road of cheese and truffle!
notes from the cheesy roads – the Holy Prosecco Land
Last fall for a long weekend we drove to the Veneto, namely into the area of Conegliano. Our main focus, I have to admit was to stack up on as many bottles of Prosecco as Signor Rossi can carry but Gustav wouldn´t be *team formaggiastic* if he wouldn´t have pointed out some cheese hot spots for us.
So here, an excursion for mind and heart and a short idea post for your future travels; two cheese places we went to and happily recommend for your next trip to “Prosecco Land”.
L’Ottavio – Beer and Cheese, together forever!
Gustav and I can’t wait to return to our beloved Piedmont and were super happy to find this gem at @Tutta Posto last week. – L’ ´Ottavio (alla birra scura) by Fattorie Fiandino from Villafalletto about one hour south of Turin.
Have yourself a merry cheesy Christmas!
Gustav says „Happy Surf-Turf Christmas“ to all of us and no rating‘s on him today.
I say – Gustav rates 1000/10 and we both wish you a relaxed, safe and extra cheeseful Christmas! 🎄🧀🧀🐾🐺🍾