Pairings

Lombardy: Cheese of the Year competition
«Gastronom» №10 (93) October 2009

Gastronomic festivals of Italy

Europe is a trendsetter in cheese fashion, but until recently it didn’t have a significant competition dedicated to cheese, like in America. Italians decided to correct this flaw, thus Cheese of the Year was born in Cremona two years ago.

Despite its youth, new Italian competition is already well known inside the country and beyond its boundaries. Cheese of any origin can participate. Previous entries included those from France, Switzerland, Spain, Greece and even faraway Mexico. The competition, naturally, cannot do without Italian cheeses. Regions of the Apennine peninsular are represented in full.

Many products are artisanal. They have limited production and rarely make it to supermarket shelves.

Quantity-wise, judges evaluate over a hundred contestants, from soft to aged cheeses. Quality is an essential criterion, as well as cheese’s taste and technical characteristics.

Italian cheeses won both times at previous competitions. The Cheese of the year title went to caciocavallo stravecchio from Molise and parmigiano reggiano from Emilia. What cheese will be the champion this year? It will be known at the next event in Cremona on 13 November. The competition and tasting, including the winners, is open to everyone.

Lombardy is one of the few Italian regions without direct sea access. It borders on Switzerland in the north, and surrounded by famous gastronomic neighbours — Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Trentino-Alto-Adige — on other sides. Such neighbourhood, however, only highlights advantages of the Lombardy cuisine.

– The regional capital is home to well-known risotto alla Milanese, that is made in Milan style. Saffron gives it peculiar golden hue. There is a beautiful legend that this noble colour, featured in many Lombardy dishes, comes from a medieval tradition. Gold was a talisman against illnesses, and local people would decorate food with golden foil. Risotto alla Milanese, polenta from corn flour, sweet panettone from Lombardy remind us of this old custom.

– There is no sea, but there are many lakes in the northern Italian region. Lake fish dishes, from trout to pike to local species which are difficult to translate, are commonly featured in restaurant menus. Missoltino, salted dried fish agone, is Como Lake specialty.

– Cremona, the birthplace of violin master Stradivari, is also known for mostarda which in the original recipe is made with sugared fruit. Then they are preserved in sweet syrup and white mustard and served with boiled meat.

– Typical Alpine dishes are simple but filling. For example, pizzoccheri, brown pasta ribbons made with buckwheat and wheat flour, are cooked with beet tops and potatoes.

– Bresaola, or cured beef, is a meat delicacy from mountainous Valtellina. It can be served with lemon juice and olive oil as a starter, or as an ingredient in the salad with rocket leaves.

– Lombardy cheese platter includes two famous cheeses — semisoft taleggio, which is particularly good in omelettes and pasta sauces, and blue gorgonzola.

– As for wine, there is Franciacorta, prestigious Italian sparkling made according to traditional Champagne method.