Did you know that the name mozzarella comes from the Italian word mozzare, which means: "to cut off" because it goes back to the manual cut of spun cheese with the forefinger and the thumb?
Let's celebrate Italian cheese!
Today is National Cheese Day, and we couldn't start our blog without mentioning as a first thing the mother of all cheeses, for sure the most famous in the world: mozzarella! Just the sound of this word contains all the beauty Italy has to offer. Our country is really linked to cheese; both parts, north and south, have a strong tradition when it comes to cheese production. We talk about more than 400 dairy creations that make Italy the most thriving cheese market in the world. Mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, Gorgonzola, Provola, Caciocavallo, Asiago: we all recognize them even if sometimes we don't really know a lot about them, besides the fact that they are super yummy!
Why cheeses are so different from one to another
Because we eat cheese almost every day without thinking about it, let's take a few minutes to learn something more about it. First of all, how do farmers make it? It's not difficult: you have to let the milk sour; after some time, you have to separate curds from the whey. Later, you will put the curds into special containers, giving the shape and leaving them to age.
What makes cheeses different from one to another?
Well, first of all, the kind of milk we want to use. For example, Asiago is made with cow's milk, Pecorino Romano comes from sheep's milk. Another factor is the temperature, and the time we leave the cheese to age. Sometimes we can also add herbs to make the flavor unique. We use different cheeses for different occasions, of course. With pasta, everybody knows that the most common kind is Parmigiano Reggiano; to make pizza, we use mozzarella for the base, and we can have gorgonzola or Provolone as toppings. Caciocavallo cheese gives the name to the famous pasta "cacio e pepe". If you want to make a good toast, you can use Fontina cheese, because it is a stringy cheese. We don't even have to mention that cheese is incredible as a snack on its own also. Think about aperitivo. Aperol spritz and some cheeses with nuts and bread are a fantastic combination.
How to celebrate National cheese day
One of the first prominent American personalities, president Thomas Jefferson, inspired by his travels in Europa, started using Italian cheeses for important dinners. For example, for an official dinner, he served maccheroni and Parmigiano cheese. We are talking about Italian cheese because we are an Italian community but of course, starting from France, every country has its own cheese tradition. The best way to celebrate National Cheese Day today, June 4th, is to think about the cheese history we are going to eat and of course, don't forget to shop the best Italian cheese on Magnificofood.com
