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Mangia!
Cooking Authentic Italian
By Jacqueline Rupp
"Appearance, smell and tasting are absolutely the top three ways to test the quality of a cheese," Mark Monaco, director of catalog sales at Di Bruno Brother's House of Cheese, says. "Cheese is constantly going through various stages in aging so the word 'freshness' isn't as important as if a cheese is stored properly."
Monaco says that to really become a discerning cheese buyer it takes time and practice. "The more you research and experience different cheeses at different ages, the better you will be able to determine the optimum age for various cheeses and at the same time determine your palate for each," he says.
For a good starter cheese, Monaco recommends a dual purpose grating and table cheese. "I would say a 24-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano (over pasta, casseroles or served to finish a meal)," he says. "For a melting cheese, a young Fontina (works well with pizza, egg dishes, grilled cheese, etc.). For a melting or table cheese, a good Taleggio (table cheese, fondues, melted with polenta)."
For those that want a little adventure, Monaco suggests trying Testun al Barolo, a yellow, crumbly cheese made from goat's or sheep's milk and aged for over a year in pressed wine grapes. This cheese can take on an herb or sweet flavor depending upon what plants the animals have grazed on.
To find quality cheeses, online specialty stores can become a great resource, like DiBruno Bros., which can ship across the country. Upscale nd natural supermarkets also can be a good resource for finding many comparable varieties of cheeses.