CHEESE 2019
Dal 20 al 23 September the city of Bra ha ospitato Cheese 2019, the biennial event Slow Food dedicated to international raw milk cheeses.
This twelfth edition with the theme Natural can It has been focusing on production without the use of enzymes selected in the laboratory – that flatten the taste -, with the aim of enhancing the cheeses that are totally less of the ferments and those made with the same enzymes produced by the dairyman.
As a good Master Taster Onaf certainly I could not miss this important event, optic service training but also personal pleasure.
So after two years, I again immersed in this whole four days in casein, by grinding a total of over one thousand seven hundred kilometers by train.
Again I wandered far and wide among the stalls of exhibitors, watching, sniffing, tasting and buying.
Finding again old loves (as refined Mons, especially the Roquefort, or used by seasoned Marcel Petite), tuffandomi in Italian DOP and Slow Food Presidia, jumping from one country to the other world to discover traditional or more contemporary products.
This year was won particularly from Spain and the UK. Perhaps because of my recent holiday in the Land of Albion that pushed me to seek become familiar flavors, perhaps due to the enthusiasm caused by the absence of transport restrictions (the previous time I had come by plane), the fact is that I literally looted the stands of The Fine Cheese Co. e di Neal’s Yard Dairy.
But I am also fascinated by the stories of an Italian cheesemaker, who praised me passionately ancient history and characteristics of Silter CSR, making me enjoy in various versions. Hit and sunk.
WORKSHOPS
Of course I have reserved a bit 'of time for the part more properly teaching. The event always offers a rich calendar of activities and workshops, for experienced and less.
At the booth of Campania Region It took place a meeting with Paolo Amato, the master cheese maker Caseificio Aurora di Sant’Egidio del Monte Albino (who he story of our visit).
Eight cheeses for tasting, of all four types of milk (bufalino, caprine, ovino e vaccino) and with different processing methodologies.
Well known to fans the Campania Formaggella of rind hoax, creamy and delicate heart.
Great Pecorino dei Monti Lattari.
A real treat the Erborinato spun paste, a unique product because it is unusual to see these two processes combined pasta (spinning and erborinatura). dairy industry, infatti, the difference between a cheese, and the other makes it especially the production process, more that the raw material.
In addition to cheese maker, Paolo Amato is also a refiner. Use local products (e non solo) to flavor certain cheeses.
A Bra brought a Pecorino aged in walnut leaves treated with alcohol, and Erborinato sheep with essential oils from herbs of Lattari.
For an additional fee laboratories, I chose The cheeses of the Ark of Taste and Presidia European, to learn about cheese limited availability and territories stories, cheesemakers, of long standing traditions.
tasting, Bryndza of hutsuls (Ukraine), bartender (Norway), Artisan Somerset Cheddar (UK) and Tupi (Spain).
Except for the more popular Cheddar, three cheeses from the texture and flavor very special: much salt the Bryndza (sheep), intenso yl barman (vaccine), very strong Tupi (ovine), as it prepared with a mixture of ingredients including a liquor.
NOT JUST CHEESE
Obviously Cheese is not just cheese. The encroachment in Piemonte offers the opportunity to taste around some local specialties such as Bra sausage, the Bra Bread, the Zizzola of Focaccia (Bra with Bra sausage and soft cheese PDO), i Ravioli del full and sweets made of Tonda Gentile delle Langhe.
As a communicator and teacher Onaf, my recommendation is always the same: choose crafts, choose Home, choose authentic, choose ethical, for cheese as for any other product.
The appointment is for Cheese 2021.
The account of previous edition, with all the practical information for your visit: Cheese 2017
Official Site Cheese https://cheese.slowfood.it/