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CHEESE
Cheese plays a vital role in the Italian diet. From the Romans’ time, infact, cheese making was the only way to preserve highly nutritious milk before refrigeration. Because of this, Italy has a tremendous number of famous tasty cheeses, such as:
Asiago - firm, cooked and pressed cheese that may be aged for up to one year. It is mainly produced in the valleys of the Dolomite Mountains, also known as the Italian Alps. It is perfect for shredding, used as a table cheese or to complement pasta and risotto.
Fontina – Produced in Valle d'Aosta (located in the most northwest corner of Italy), it is excellent as a fondue or a simple snack.
Gorgonzola - Named for a town outside Milan where it was originally made, Gorgonzola is the Italian version of Blue Cheese.
Mascarpone - the smooth and luscious highlight of Tiramisu, it is a very tender and smooth, yet thick cheese but easy to spread.
Mozzarella - made from whole cow's milk, formed into balls and typically stored either in water, brine or whey to maintain its color and freshness.
Parmigiano Reggiano - one of Italy's most famous cheeses. This cow's milk cheese is a subtle blend of many Italian provinces including Parma and Bologna. Typically aged anywhere from 6 to 36 months, Parmigiano Reggiano is superb over fresh pasta or as a singular snack
Pecorino - Cheese made from sheep's milk, can be used instead of Pamisan on pasta dishes and is sometimes preferable if a sharper taste is desidered. The best known is the Pecorino Romano other poplular pecorinos are form Tuscany Sardinia and Sicily.
SALAMI
Salami is a generic term describing any type of encased meat products. Like many other Italian products, Salami has a long history; over the centuries regional variations as well as preparation techniques have created various types of salami, each one different than any other.
The mos famous varieties of italian salami are:
Felino - originated from the region around Parma, it’s a dry aged sausage recognizeable by its uneven shape
Finocchiona - typical for its use of fennel seeds (finocchio) in its spice mix
Napoletano - characterized for its small diameter, distinctive red color and spicy peperoncino
Soppressata – typical from the Calabria region ,it maintains a soft texture due to a short aging period.
Cacciatora - Salamini Italiani alla Cacciatora is a DOP sausage that is regulated by region, ingredients as well as dimensions.
This salami is produced all over Italy and is recognized by its smallish size, suitable for a hunter (Cacciatora) to carry with him, slung on his shoulder.
HAM
The most typical italian variety of ham is Prosciutto crudo. The overall process of making includes: Trimming the ham (made from the rear haunches) of skin and fat, salting the ham, air curing, greasing with salted lard and then a much longer curing period ranging from 1-2 years.
Even though the principles of making a Prosciutto are the same, each region has their own specific standards. The most famous varieties of prosciutto crudo are Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto di San Daniele (produced in the Friuli region) and Prosciutto Toscano of Tuscany, a "savory" ham with the salt accompanied by pepper, garlic, rosemary and juniper. Consortiums formed to maintain the integrity of Prosciutto flavor and quality protect these trade secrets and the strict rules regarding what makes a regional ham.
The best ways to enjoy prosciutto are with mozzarella, with melons and with figs.
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