Ingredient of the Month: Montasio Cheese

Montasio Cheese

Montasio producers will tell you that its unique characteristics are the result of three basic ingredients: the sweet grasses and hay of the land, the crisp air of the mountains, and the milk that results from this happy combination.  The consortium that governs the production of Montasio monitors the cheese making process with a watchful eye; only milk from dairy farms within the DOP production area may be used.  The cheeses are shaped into large, flat wheels, each bearing the official consortium stamp and numbered to identify the producer and the date of production.

Montasio is classified and sold according to its age.  At 2 months, the interior is ivory-white, soft dotted with holes and considered fresco, or fresh, with a tangy, grassy flavor.  After 5 months, it transitions to mezzano or semi-aged; the color turns slightly golden, the texture becomes firmer, and the flavor begins to deepen.  After 10 months or more, Montasio becomes stagionato, or aged, with a deeper, nuttier flavor, straw-like color and firm texture.

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