{"id":9769,"date":"2014-06-12T08:00:14","date_gmt":"2014-06-12T12:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/?p=9769"},"modified":"2014-06-19T10:50:48","modified_gmt":"2014-06-19T14:50:48","slug":"italian-cheese-pride-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/italian-cheese-pride-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Cheese: Pride & Protection"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the most famous Parmigiano to the most secluded pecorino, get ready to tour through the <\/em>mondo magnifico of Italian cheese. We’ll talk about the history, production, and trivia for each cheese, and then tell you what to pair with it at your next <\/em>festa. So grab a class of <\/em>vino and<\/i> mangiare!<\/p>\n

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It’s no secret that the Italian people are proud. We’ve built empires, revolutionized culture and thought, and created some of the finest products this world has ever seen. But on the home front, there are few things we’re more proud of than our cuisine.<\/p>\n

Only a few weeks after I was born, my mamma carried me me in a pouch through the supermarket, to the deli, the bakery, and the cheese counter, exposing me to all the different sights and smells of the culinary world. At four months old, my favorite food was mashed up meatballs and some gooey melted mozzarella on top–probably something you shouldn’t feed your baby, but I digress. When I was three, mamma taught me how to boil pasta. As Italians, we grow up around food. We learn the tastes and smells of cheese almost from day one. They’re carved into our nostrils and our tastebuds, and no matter what wonderful things we sample during our lifetime, the dishes and delicacies of our heritage always comes first.<\/p>\n

Cheese, at the heart of our cuisine, is the essence of our national pride. Our Roman ancestors lay claim to the perfection of cheese as the first to age it and develop ripening techniques that would positively augment the flavor. They took cheesemaking with them as the Roman Empire expanded to cover the rest of Europe, passing on their knowledge to the conquered peoples of Gaul (take that, French). The Romans also were the first to export cheese to other Mediterranean countries. Today, Italy and its varieties of cheese corner the global market; mozzarella–both imported and American-made (from the Italian technique)–comprises over 40 percent of the United States’ total cheese consumption. Basically, Italian cheese ruled the world–and still does.<\/p>\n

\"CheeseShopItaly<\/a>

Italian cheese shops are treasure troves, with wheels stacked high to the ceiling and hunks hung so close you can barely see where you’re going. — Photo Credit: Andrew Crump<\/a> via Flickr<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Italy lays claim to over 450 varieties of cheese spanning almost 2,000 years. Our culinary pride and joy also comes from a load <\/em>of different animals and is often distinguished–quite proudly–by region. Here’s the small sampling of Italian staple varieties that we’ll cover in this series:<\/p>\n