40 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM
Fancy Food Show Booth #2469
CHEESE FOCUS
Piedmont, the procedure is being revived to make
lovely cheeses like Lou Bergier Pichin, a raw cow's-
milk tomme; and Gran Kinara, a large, year-old
wheel in the style of Parmigiano-Reggiano but
produced with thistle rennet.
Other Italian cheeses generating enthusiasm
among importers and retailers include Gildo
Formaggi's Cascina Capra, a roughly 5-pound
washed-rind goat cheese matured in natural
caves for about two months. It has a semi-firm
interior and a sweet, delicate flavor. "It reminds
me of a Toma Piemontese but it's all goat's milk,"
says Corcoran. "It's a little creamier than the
typical toma, with a floral,
mushroomy cave aroma." Cru
di Capra, a 7-pound goat wheel
matured for five months, is
from the same producer.
Every cheese lover knows
Taleggio, but the new Taleggio
Bergamasco is its rogue cousin,
matured with a natural rind
rather than the expected brine-
washed rind. It has a longer
life, says Kirtz, which should
appeal to merchants. Whether
it will disappoint or delight
fans of traditional Taleggio
remains to be seen.
To generate in-store excitement, consider
showcasing some of these new arrivals in an
Italian cheese promotion. Challenge mongers to
develop some all-Italian cheese boards, with Italian
accompaniments like chestnut honey and grissini.
Casa Forcello, a superb Italian mostarda producer,
has two dramatic new flavors for cheese-board
artists to play with: a pink grapefruit mostarda
and another version with orange rind and chopped
chocolate. Paired with sheep cheese or blue cheese,
these pungent condiments could help staff and
shoppers create platters that are Instagram stars.
Janet Fletcher writes the email
newsletter Planet Cheese and
is the author of Cheese & Wine
and Cheese & Beer.
"It reminds me of a
Toma Piemontese but
it's all goat's milk. It's
a little creamier than
the typical toma, with
a floral, mushroomy
cave aroma."
