Quartirolo

Product Soft raw cheese produced from cow's milk, either whole or partially skimmed.

Shape The cheese is square in shape, approximately 3"x3". Its weight varies from 3.3 lbs to 6.6 lbs.

Characteristics Quartirolo has a thin and slightly wrinkled rind, colored gray-green by the presence of moulds. The paste is soft, crumbly, and somewhat grumous, colored a straw white. If the cheese is aged longer the color becomes more yellow, and the part closest to the rind softens. To the taste it is acidic, softer and fuller in the aged type. It does not contain an excessive percentage of fats yet it is nutritionally rich in minerals, vitamins and proteins. 3.5 oz. contain approximately 300 calories.

Aging or Ripening Quartirolo is usually aged for about 40 days. A fresher version is also available, which is aged for 1 week.

Consumption Quartirolo is a table cheese, consumed fresh at approximately 59°F with hearty bread, diced into salads, or softened with a drop of oil and a light dusting of pepper. It also goes well with honey and dried fruit. Quartirolo also makes a good spread for hors d'ouvres, softened with butter and mixed with a few drops of cognac. Since Quartirolo and Taleggio are very similar in both shape and taste, be careful that at the time of purchase Taleggio is not substituted for genuine Quartirolo.

Production The production process is similar to that of Taleggio. Originally the milk used came from two milkings. The milk is heated to 82°F, and then is grafted through the addition of slightly acidic milk and liquid calf's rennet. At this point, as soon as the curds have formed, salt is added and the cheese is aged in the appropriate square molds for 40 days. In the past Quartirolo was aged in caves which guaranteed a consistent temperature of approximately 50°F. This resulted in the formation of a thin layer of mould on the surface of the rind, which protected the interior and allowed it to remain soft. Today the same results are obtained using specially refrigerated storerooms.

Production Area The production area of Quartirolo remains today, as in the past, the entire region of Lombardy. The cheese is on the brink of receiving a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) designation.

History It is said that the cheese was being produced before the year 1,000 in Val Taleggio, in the Lombard pre-Alps. Production increased until the shepherds had to transfer the aging molds to Valsassina, then to Val Brembana and finally to the flat land of the plain where, during the cold season, when mountain fodder became insufficient, the cattle was brought to pasture.

Name This cheese owes its name to the fact that, in the past, it was produced exclusively during the months of September and October, when the cows ate "quartirola," grass from the fourth cutting. In Brianza it is also known as "Strachin Quartiroeu." The word "stracco" means tired and it referred to the cows, who were tired due to the long transhumance.

Storage It may be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in tin-foil.