PUZZONE DI MOENA PDO

$13.49

The “local cheese” of the mountain pastures.

A cheese that, for centuries, was a staple food, closely linked to the practice of summer mountain grazing and the survival of the farming population. In 1873, the “casello sociale” – a cooperative dairy – was founded in Moena, which began making the local cheese with a washed rind for its members, a practice that continues today, with respect for tradition.

Categories: ,

Description

Puzzone di Moena is a very characteristic cheese, recognisable by its moist rind, covered with an oily patina, its particular sharp smell and its unmistakable flavour. When cut, it has a full, white or straw-coloured paste with occasional scattered holes. It is made from raw milk and is matured for a minimum of 90 days and a maximum of 8-10 months.

It is very tasty and is popular with consumers who appreciate the strong flavours of days gone by. The name was introduced at the beginning of the 1970s, when the cheese progressed from self-consumption to being gradually marketed outside the production zones. The name “Puzzone” clearly defines the characteristics of the product; the term “Spretz Tzaorì” is its translation into the Ladin language.

For centuries it was a staple food, closely linked to the practice of summer mountain grazing and the survival of the farming population. In 1873 the “casello sociale” – a cooperative dairy – was founded in Moena, which began making the local cheese with a washed rind for its members, a practice that continues today, with respect for tradition.

 

History

Puzzone di Moena PDO belongs to the family of “local” mountain cheeses, which originated in the Alpine areas of Trentino during the Middle Ages and are closely linked to the practice of summer mountain pasture grazing. At the beginning of summer, every small farmer in the village would give his cattle to the Malga community to create a single herd that would spend the summer on large areas of undivided pasture at high altitude. At the end of the season, the cheese was then divided among the owners of the animals in proportion to the milk produced by their cows and stored for the long months of winter. For centuries Puzzone di Moena was a staple food, closely linked to the survival of the farming population.

The territory

Puzzone di Moena PDO is made in the north-eastern part of the Province of Trento, in the Fiemme, Fassa and Primiero Valleys, at the foot of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The production zone also includes the municipalities of Anterivo and Trodena, in the neighbouring Province of Bolzano.

How it is made

The milk is collected from the farmers once or twice a day and processed raw in the dairy, generally whole or after slight skimming. Coagulation takes place with bovine rennet, with no additives. Acidification is entrusted to the indigenous microflora using a natural lactic starter, which contributes significantly to the characterisation of the product.
The various portions of curd are placed in wooden moulds, wrapped in linen cloths and then pressed and turned several times. The cheeses are then salted in brine and taken to special humidity and temperature-controlled rooms to ripen, where they are turned and wetted with a sponge soaked in lukewarm water, with the addition of salt. During its first three months of life, Puzzone di Moena PDO is turned and soaked by hand at least 15 times, depending on the artisan’s expertise and the cellarman’s experience. It is during this phase that the cheese develops its typical red rind and the pungent hints that distinguish it. The Production Regulations stipulate a minimum maturing period of 90 days. After maturing for 150 days, Puzzone di Moena PDO can be defined as “mature”. The summer production, made from the milk of cows grazed in mountain pastures, is particularly valuable and is called Puzzone di Moena PDO di malga. This is a limited production, recognisable by its yellower paste and more intense aromas, which has been awarded the Slow Food Presidium.

The cows' diet

The permanent meadows and pastures of the Fiemme, Fassa and Primiero Valleys represent the identifying element of the landscape and the basis of the animals’ diet. They contribute to characterising Puzzone di Moena PDO thanks to their rich and diversified botanic species. The forage areas run vertically through the territory, ranging in altitude from 600 to 1,000 metres above sea level in the meadows on the valley floor to over 2,000 metres on the mountain pastures used for summer grazing. There are more than 50 different species of grasses and wildflowers on the high-altitude pastures at the foot of the Dolomites.

Consortium for the Protection of Puzzone di Moena Pdo

The Consortium is responsible for protecting the history and quality of Puzzone di Moena.
The Production Regulations define very strict rules regarding animal feed, excluding the use of silage of any kind, prohibiting the practice of unifeed and listing the less noble raw materials which are not allowed in the feed composition, including by-products of industrial origin. All animal feed is certified GMO-free, as is this is a requirement for all producers belonging to the Consorzio dei Caseifici Sociali del Trentino. The same specifications also indicate the breeds of cattle from which the milk must come, in particular Bruna, Friesian, Pezzata Rossa, Pinzgau and the two indigenous “mountain” breeds from Trentino, the Grigio Alpina and the Rendena.

Related products