By Erica and KaraAt some point in Erica's birthday festivities, she received a mysterious package containing three varieties of cheese from Artisanal Premium Cheese. Though the origins of the gift were eventually determined, the excitement and allure of the unexpected cheese delivery endured. We couldn't resist eating the Majorero Pimenton straight out of the package... But we summoned up enough self-restraint to catch Mystery Cheese #2 on video.
Background: Pecorino Balze Volteranne is a raw sheep milk cheese from Italy. "Pecorino" is a label applied to any Italian cheese made from the milk of a sheep (una pecora! -- or perhaps more than una, but we don't know how to pluralize in Italian). The Balze di Volterra, or Cliffs of Volterra, are located in Tuscany, and provide a breathtaking backdrop for cheese-crafting. P.B.V. is a mouthful of a name for a mouthful of cheese; see our video for a thoroughly unilluminating discussion of how (not) to pronounce it.
Artisanal provides very thorough introductions to their cheeses, as well as suggestions about wine and beer pairings. According to their description, P.B.V. is a firm, toothsome ("al dente!") cheese with "a nutty texture" that pairs especially well with red wines, such as sangiovese/chianti. The flavor is supposed to call to mind green olives, due to a 60-day aging process involving the ash of oak and olive trees. Some sources suggest that Pecorinos like P.B.V. are used mainly in cooking, and may be freely substituted for Parmesan... but we decided to forgo the grating and take a big bite right out of the hunk.
The Taste: This is the first cheese of which we'd read a detailed description before we had our first bite. We noticed right away the firmness described by the distributor. Kara in particular loved the hard-but-not-crumbly texture. The cheese has a complex taste that starts off mild and creamy before spreading over the tongue and waking up. The taste lingers and becomes stronger, with grassy, leafy notes coming through. We could taste the influence of the olive wash on the rind. This cheese is less pungent than most of the cheeses we've tasted (and loved) previously, but it still has a very unique taste. We recommend it for beginning and advanced cheese tasters alike!
The Taste: This is the first cheese of which we'd read a detailed description before we had our first bite. We noticed right away the firmness described by the distributor. Kara in particular loved the hard-but-not-crumbly texture. The cheese has a complex taste that starts off mild and creamy before spreading over the tongue and waking up. The taste lingers and becomes stronger, with grassy, leafy notes coming through. We could taste the influence of the olive wash on the rind. This cheese is less pungent than most of the cheeses we've tasted (and loved) previously, but it still has a very unique taste. We recommend it for beginning and advanced cheese tasters alike!
Sources:
- Wikipedia.org
Pecorino...so good with pear!
ReplyDeleteOoh, that sounds delicious... Erica, why did you have to go away? I have pears in my fridge!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-03-09/breast-milk-cheese/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsR1
ReplyDeleteCHECK IT OUT!!!!