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Sardinia: Fiore Sardo Pecorino |
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Margi Cintrano
Master Chef Joined: 03 February 2012 Location: Spain Status: Offline Points: 6357 |
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Posted: 29 February 2012 at 09:50 |
Curiously, despite the name of this cured ewe cheese, most pecorino is produced on the island of Sardinia. Pecorino Sardo is also called Fiore Sardo or just Sardo.
On a label of Sardo, it should read 100% latte di pecora, denoting that the cheese is only made from sheep milk 100%.
For an urban big city tourist coming to Italy, there are few sights more lovely than a rolling landscape dotted with cypresses and pines, and villas in the foreground and flocks of sheep. For the knowledgeable, the finest pecorino is only produced with ewe milk.
This cheese is made in the following desgination of origins:
1) Sardinia - pecorino sardo
2) Po Valley Cacio ( an ancient Latin Italian word for cheese )
3) Sicily
4) Tuscany - pecorino toscano
Sources in The USA for purchase are:
1) Di Palo´s - 200 Grand Street, NYC ( 212. 226. 1033 )
3) Fromaggio Kitchen ( 888. 212. 3224 )
4) Cossi ( Italia Mainland )
Pecorino Romano, as it has been called is one of the oldest cheeses in the world. Writings have proven that it dates back 2,000 years and existed during the times of the Roman Empire.
It is made from fresh ewe milk and is formed into cylinders of 20 to 30cm. and its height is 15 to 22cm. This aged cheese can weigh from 20 to 35 kilos. The rind on pecorino is a beige to pale banana yellow and as the cheese is aged, the rind can change to a darker sepia color.
The cheese is hard and ivory to deep gold inside. The ageing process begins at 5 months and can continue for alot longer. The Origin is regulated by the DOP which stands for: Product Designation of Origin.
The tasting notes are: piquant yet a nutty sweet nuance and intense in its flavor the older the cheese is ...
Pecorino Sardo is the most superior of this genre and the oldest producer, making artisanial Fiore Sardo ( called by Sardinians ) to this day is The Giovanni Dettori Family, Giovanni and his 3 sons; which is limitedly exported and available at Di Palo at 200 Grand Street, NYC.
Pecorino Romano, is a typical cured ewe cheese also made on the island of Sardinia. The next type is El Pepato, which is piquant however softer in texture and is elaborated with goat cheese milk.
Via tradition, Macomer Dulce, a type of Sardinian cow variety cheese is soft in flavor and less fatty than its ewe or goat milk cousins.
Note, that Fiore Sardo or Pecorino Sardo is only made from ewe milk.
The region to visit on Sardinia for those interested in tasting the Dettori brand are:
The Barbagia Mountains - Gavioli and Ottana, Sardinia.
Margaux Cintrano.
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Marissa
Cook Joined: 28 February 2012 Location: Austin TX Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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I LOVE 'real' pecorino. My husband can't stand the sheepy flavor though. He does like other sheep cheese, but not that one for some reason. We actually bought milk sheep 3 years ago to try to make our own, but got bogged down with the dairy goats! I'd love to experiment with it some day!
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TasunkaWitko
Admin Group Joined: 25 January 2010 Location: Chinook, MT Status: Offline Points: 9356 |
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hi, margi, and thank you for posting such great information! i've only ever had cheese from cow's milk, except one time when i sampled goat cheese at an agricultural expo. it simply isn't available up here ~ as far as i know, cheese from latte di pecora isn't available either, but i will re-double my efforts to find some, and try this ~ |
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Marissa
Cook Joined: 28 February 2012 Location: Austin TX Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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*faints* A lot of cheese ships pretty well. Get thee to an internet cheese shop, man! Hopefully Margi can recommend some manufacturers to try. I've only had one real sheep pecorino but I'd like to try more. I'm lucky enough to have a specialty cheese shop in town - Antonelli's. Love that place!
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Margi Cintrano
Master Chef Joined: 03 February 2012 Location: Spain Status: Offline Points: 6357 |
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Marissa,
Thanks for your posts.
Fiore Sardo or Pecorino Sardo: there is a landmark Italian Deli at: 200 Grand Street which sells Sardo ... Their´s is the best in NYC, and this is where Chef Mario Batali gets his too ... The Dairy I had visited in Sardinia is owned by:
Giovanni Detorri and his 3 sons ... This renowned dairy has been producing Sardo since the 1800s.
The man is amazing, the cheese is to die for ... and I am a cheese-holic ...
I have not finished the article as I am going thru my notes of that trip I took last October ...
I had wanted to include the names of the dairies I had gone to and the tasting notes. I shall have it finished on Saturday ...
I also recommend: Cow variety Reggiano Parmigiana ( parmesano ) which is from Emilia Romagna Province ...
Thanks for note and post.
Margi.
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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.
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Margi Cintrano
Master Chef Joined: 03 February 2012 Location: Spain Status: Offline Points: 6357 |
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@ Ron,
There is a renowned famous Italian Deli in NYC at: 200 Grand Street ... this is where Chef Mario Batali gets his fiore sardo pecorino ...
I shall provide the name of the shops that Detorri and his sons export to -- this is one of them off top of head ...
Yes, you should try pecorino on your Lasagna ... this is totally different from Reggiano Parmesano which is a cow variety.
Margi. ( that article is not finished --- needs work ... ) I shall have it finished by Saturday.
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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.
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Hoser
Admin Group Joined: 06 February 2010 Location: Cumberland, RI Status: Offline Points: 3454 |
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Ron...good pecorino is also available at Venda's here in Providence. They offer 5 different versions.
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Go ahead...play with your food!
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TasunkaWitko
Admin Group Joined: 25 January 2010 Location: Chinook, MT Status: Offline Points: 9356 |
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hey, dave ~ i think i see the beginnings of an exchange in the works here!
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