Cheese aged under wallnut wood

Sheep’s cheese

The use of plant products in the aging of cheeses is recommended both for optimal preservation, both because they contribute to convey particular aromas that make the aged cheeses nothing short of “unique”.

The pecorino cheese “under walnut”, after a first seasoning, is put in “pots” or, as we say here, “ziri” and covered with the leaves of the nuts.

This is undoubtedly an ancient preservation technique to avoid the dehydration of cheeses exposed to weather conditions.
From the stories of our grandparents, however, we also know that the farmers of the past used this ruse to hide any fruit of their hard work in the countryside under the leaves of the nuts that, being quite large, were well suited to deception. After all, “the money was scarce” and it was a big party when he could hide some cheese from the master, slip it under his coat and take it home.

The scent of this cheese is that of the woods in autumn when the basket is collected with the first nuts, while the palate is slightly salty with a bitter aftertaste typical of walnut. To be enjoyed after maturing for about a year in the company of other cheeses or with a platter of cold cuts of Bradi Toscani, combined with full-bodied wines such as Riserva.