CHEESE FROM CALABRIA
The collective storytelling project Tasting cheese resumes with the story of cheeses from Calabria by Debora Calomino.
Debora is a journalist, deals with tourism and territorial marketing, and wrote the e-book Tourist Visions.
We asked her what her preferences are for cheeses, and here are his answers.
– What is the cheese in your area to which you are most attached for sentimental reasons and why?
«Among the cheeses of my area, my favorite is the Caciocavallo Silano. I consider it the cheese of the picnics, because it is always present in my packed lunch. I therefore associate it with carefree days discovering the area: a sandwich with two slices of Caciocavallo Silano and Calabrian brawn in my backpack is enough and I feel ready to leave for a trip out of town ".
– Which cheese do you prefer to eat "absolute"? And which one do you prefer to use in gastronomic preparations?
«I like all cheeses, but if I had to choose one to eat in purity, without doubt the buffalo mozzarella from Campania. Its flavor is unique and I could never do without it. In my gastronomic preparations instead, Grana Padano never fails ".
Discover Calabria through its cheeses
by Debora Calomino
A territory has several souls, the gastronomic one is one of the most interesting.
Calabria is a land that holds many culinary treasures and its cheeses are an example of this. From Pollino to Aspromonte, every place is a treasure trove of millenary traditions, handed down through dairy art, that creates unique products, fruit of quality raw materials and a lot of passion and love for the roots of culture.
Today I take you with me on a journey among some cheeses from Calabria, from north to south of the region, to discover traditional flavors and iconic places.
Pecorino del Pollino PAT
This hard and semi-hard sheep's milk cheese originates from the villages of the Pollino Park, north of Calabria. A delight that tells the soul of the area in which it is produced. How it is tasted? It is perfect with seasonal vegetables and homemade bread, it is often served as an appetizer with crushed olives and stuffed chillies, and goes perfectly with medium-bodied white and red wines.
Pecorino del Pollino tells through its flavor the identity of the small mountain villages in the north of Calabria, between cobbled streets and stone walls, where time seems to have stopped.
Caciocavallo Silano PDO
The Sila caciocavallo is produced on the Sila plateau, one of the oldest cheeses of the south. Hippocrates in 500 a.C. he mentions this delight to talk about the skill of the Greeks in the preparation of cheeses. It has a hard stretched curd and is used to flavor many dishes, but it is also very good with bread and vegetables.
Melted tastes great: try to taste it melted on a slice of homemade bread with a glass of white wine!
I love to eat it on the shores of Lake Arvo, immersed in the greenery of the Sila National Park, enjoying the cleanest air in Europe.
Mozzarella Silana PAT
La Sila is home to another typical cheese of Calabria, made with cow's milk. The soft stretched curd mozzarella Silana is a table cheese. It is also used to prepare stuffed pizzas and focaccias and is often also enjoyed accompanied by acacia honey.
The perfect wine to accompany Silana Mozzarella is white, young and sparkling.
Anche in questo caso, the ideal places to savor this delight are those where Podolic cows live, the beautiful green expanses of the green lung of Calabria.
Pecorino Crotonese DOP
It is made with sheep's milk and can be hard or semi-hard. According to some historical sources it is a cheese that was already produced from the second half of 1700. The production technique has remained unchanged since then and this makes us understand how much this cheese is considered a traditional and historical product.
It is used as an appetizer, combined with typical Calabrian products such as dried tomatoes, chillies in oil and Tropea onions. The suitable wine is full-bodied red.
The Crotone area is steeped in history and culture, one of the places not to be missed is the promontory of Capo Colonna, where stands a column that once was part of a temple dedicated to Hera Lacinia.
Pecorino del Monte Poro DOP
It is one of the oldest cheeses in Calabria, produced in the Vibo Valentia area, behind the Costa degli Dei. It is produced with sheep's milk and has a hard and semi-hard texture. Sliced grilled is great, but you can also eat it together with vegetables and homemade bread. If aged, it is very good to grate on first courses such as Fileja, traditional pasta from the Vibonese area.
The Costa degli Dei is one of the symbolic places of Calabria, right here is Tropea, the homeland of the famous Red Onion.
Caciocavallo of Ciminà PAT
This cheese is produced in the heart of the Aspromonte National Park, in a very small village of approx 700 anime, a stone's throw from the area known as Grecanica, where ancient Greek is still spoken today.
Caciocavallo di Ciminà is a semi-hard stretched curd, made with cow and goat milk. In purity it is really delicious, but it can also be enjoyed with homemade bread and seasonal vegetables. The perfect wine that enhances its flavor must be red and vintage.
Mussulupu d’Aspromonte PAT
Its particular name means "mouthful of the wolf". It is produced on the Ionian side of the province of Reggio Calabria, with goat's or sheep's milk, and has soft dough.
It is a classic table cheese, to be enjoyed with salads and seasonal vegetables, also to flavor pasta and to fill typical sweets.
The Aspromonte park from 2021 it is part of the Unesco world network of geoparks.
Debora Calomino
www.deboracalomino.it