Speciality Food April 2024

cheeseboard or antipasti platter with slices of freshmelon, ripe figs, and rich red wines. A further variety of Asiago PDO to explore is cheese labelled as a Mountain Product (Prodotto della Montagna), which can only be produced usingmilk from, and facilities based at, 600meters or above. Each of these cheeses across age profiles has huge versatility, which is why Asiago PDO is recognised as one of themost sold and best loved products in Italy. Whether melted into al forno dishes, grated over pasta, or eaten as an appetiser, it has a place in every kitchen and every cheese counter. Discover more at asiagocheese.it specialityfoodmagazine.com 19 A uthenticity is increasingly important to consumers. They want to know, when they are choosing artisan products, that what they’re putting on the table for their family has beenmade with care, quality, tradition, and respect for the environment inmind. A cheese that meets all these criteria is gaining popularity in markets across the world, from the USA, to the Far East. Asiago PDO can boast a truly ancient heritage, with the first written testimony of cheesemaking in Italy’s Asiago Plateau dating to 983 AD, whenmilk was collected and crafted inmountain huts, or ‘malghe’. This history, and Asiago PDO’s unique characteristics, are fiercely guarded by the Asiago Cheese Protection Consortium, whichwas founded in 1979 by an association of producers andmaturers to ensure only cheese that complies with a strict set of production specifications can be recognised and sold as Asiago PDO. “The institutional tasks of the consortium,” says director Flavio Innocenzi, “are to promote knowledge of the product, protect it fromany attempt at improper use, and ensure that the consumer can always, when purchasing, be certain of the originality of the product Asiago PDO.” “The Protection Consortium,” he continues, “is constantly engaged in the promotion and communication of Asiago PDO. Among themany activities, we are currently organising wine and cheese tastings – a formula that has interesting potential.” Asiago PDO can only be produced in a designated part of Northern Italy, stretching from themeadows of the Po Valley, to the lush, rugged mountain pastures of the Asiago Plateau in the Veneto area, up into the Trentino region. Milk used in the process must be sourced solely fromcows that graze in Vincenza, Trento, and parts of Padua and Treviso. Once collected, themilk is transformed into either fresh (fresco) or aged, semi-cooked cheese. Asiago PDO Fresco comprises of wholemilk, and is noted across Italy and beyond for its sweet, delicate, lactic flavour. The cheese is typically matured for 20 to 40 days, with Asiago PDO Fresco Riserva spending longer inmaturation rooms, at 40 days or more. These forms of Asiago are open textured, have a pale, straw-like colour, and reveal similar flavour profiles to yoghurt or butter, with a clean, delicious acidity that pairs well with honey, berries and light wines. Aged Asiago PDO, on the other hand, brings more oomph and body to the cheeseboard. Made with partially skimmedmilk, and rested for at least 90 days from the date of production, it is naturally lactose and preservative free. Aged Asiago PDO has more ‘bite’, and a lingering, stronger flavour that increases through thematuration process, where it is sold as Mezzano (four to 10months), Vecchio (10 to 15months), or Stavecchio (over 15 months). The cheese has a closer texture than fresh Asiago, with aromas of bread and toasted almonds and hazelnuts, and a rich, moreish, savoury taste that deepens towards the rind. It’s wonderful matched on a THEANCIENTFLAVOUROF ASIAGO PDO CHEESE Heritage, incomparable taste, and quality are crafted into every bite of one of Italy’s most loved products The institutional tasks of the consortiumare to promote knowledge of the product, and ensure the consumer can always be certain of the originality of Asiago PDO PARTNER CONTENT