Caciocavallo Silano DOP Cheese

The name of this cheese, Caciocavallo Silano, may be related to the practice of hanging the moulds astride (a cavallo) horizontal rods. Caciocavallo Silano is a stringy semi-hard cheese. The rind contains small grooves left by the restraining cords. It is made from cow's milk and ripened for at least 15 days. Caciocavallo Silano can be oval or else shaped like a truncated cone, sometimes with a small knob at the top, depending on local custom. This gourmet cheese is shaped like a tear-drop, has a beautiful seal burned into the rind and the taste of Caciocavallo is similar to an aged Provolone cheese. In 1993 this Italian cheese obtained the DO (Denomination of Origin) and recently also the European DOP (Denomination of Protected Origin). These marks assures that this cheese is made exclusively from cow's milk coming from farms situated in the territories mentioned in the Decree and according to a described process. Our cheese comes from Basilicata, also known as Lucania, is an often neglected region of arid hills and desolate mountains that can be bitterly cold for a southerly place. The people of Basilicata have a taste for pasta and vegetables, mountain cheeses, lamb, mutton and pork (like soppressata). Cheesemonger's Note: The rind may feature spots of white, blue, or green mold leftover from the aging process.