\nEvery year there are many tourists, coming from every part of the world, who choose Puglia as a destination to taste the traditional Apulian dishes.
\nThanks to Terrachevive.com, however, you can do much more! In fact, you can visit the places where local specialties are produced<\/strong>. Farmhouses, agritourism, wineries, oil mills, and much more. Among all these, of course, the place of honor goes to the cheese factories and the many Apulian dairy products.
\nCome with us and visit the production facilities of hard cheeses and fresh dairy products to catch a glimpse of the master cheese makers<\/strong> practicing their ancient art.
\nOur guided tours, besides showing how the production processes take place, always include a tasting of typical Apulian products<\/strong>.
\nAre you ready for an unforgettable culinary experience? Welcome to the land of taste!<\/p>\n
Recommended cheeses to taste in Puglia<\/h2>\n1 TRADITIONAL CACIOCAVALLO<\/h3>\n
The Apulian caciocavallo, also called “provola” in other regions, has two characteristics that make it distinctive: its shape as a bag (spherical with a small extremity that creates a kind of head) and its very unique taste, which is delicate and sweet<\/strong>. <\/center><\/p>\n Podolian caciocavallo is produced with milk from cows of the Podolica breed<\/strong> reared in the wild. These are mainly located in the hilly areas of Gargano<\/em> (in the north of Puglia). This exceptional typical cheese is aged using one of the Apulian wine excellences: the famous Primitivo<\/a>. It is left in the marc of the Primitivo wine variety<\/strong> for a few days. The caciocavallo then undergoes the traditional seasoning process in the cellars, at the end of which the product turns purple and has a spicy and fruity flavour. This Apulian cheese has a sharp, creamy flavour due to its long ageing period of up to three years<\/strong>. This takes place in stone areas dug into the subsoil allowing constant humidity and temperature conditions, which cannot be replicated in mechanically refrigerated cells. The ripening process is therefore completely natural. Cacioricotta is certainly one of the most popular typical Apulian cheeses<\/strong>. It can be made with cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk (more precisely with just one of them or with a mixture of them). The only difference is in the flavour, which can be less intense (if cow’s milk is used) or more intense (if goat’s\/sheep’s milk is used). <\/center><\/p>\n A real delicacy, much appreciated for its versatility: it is both a hard cheese and an excellent spreadable cream<\/strong>. Let us introduce you to one of the tastiest typical Apulian products: ricotta forte. With its spicy flavour and intense aroma, it can be used in a variety of ways: it can be spread on slices of bread, used as a dressing for the typical Apulian panzerotti<\/a> or as an additional ingredient for pasta with tomato sauce. Try it if you love strong flavours!<\/p>\n A typical Apulian cheese that combined with a typical Apulian craft product, this is the canestrato. It is a pecorino cheese<\/strong> with a strong flavour, ripened for about 6 months in rush baskets hand-woven by artisans or expert farmers. The seasoning process can take place either in a cave or in a refrigerated room. This milk from sheep reared in the Murge<\/em> region is also used for another excellent Apulian product: pecorino<\/strong>. Compared to canestrato, it is ripened for a shorter period and its flavour is sweeter.<\/p>\n Like caciocavallo, pecorino can also be subjected to different methods of seasoning. One of these is under a layer of hay<\/strong> for about 2 months.<\/p>\n If the pecorino you will taste here in Puglia has a burgundy-coloured rind, it means it has been “drunk”. This ripening process consists of storing it in barrels together with layers of Primitivo di Manduria<\/strong> marc.<\/p>\n Pecorino is a typical Apulian cheese that can be seasoned in different ways. This particular one is done by placing the product under a thick layer of olive ash<\/strong> for about 4 months.<\/p>\n <\/center><\/p>\n Got curious? Would you like to taste all or some of the best typical Apulian cheeses?
\nIt undergoes very different seasoning, both in terms of duration (from 3 months to 3 years) and of location (caves, refrigeration cells, etc.).
\nAs with the most prized Apulian cured meat, Capocollo<\/a>, caciocavallo can also undergo a slow smoking process<\/strong> (with the bark of Fragno<\/em> wood, an oak tree typical of the Valle d’Itria<\/em>).
\nThe traditional recipe is also sometimes enriched with different types of spices such as pepper and chilli pepper. <\/p>\n<\/a>
2 PODOLIAN CACIOCAVALLO<\/h3>\n
\nUnlike the classic Apulian caciocavallo, it is only produced during certain periods of the year.
\nMoreover, its long aging period of 7 up to 9 months gives it a stronger taste than the classic caciocavallo, slightly spicy with notes of aromatic herbs. A real delicacy that must be tasted! <\/p>\n3 DRUNK CACIOCAVALLO<\/h3>\n
\nThis mixture of flavours reflects the many different aspects of Puglia.<\/p>\n4 CAVE-RIPENED CACIOCAVALLO<\/h3>\n
\nIts particularly hard and brightly coloured rind is the result of the proliferation of moulds, which give the cheese its very unique taste. Definitely a must if you love strong flavours!<\/p>\n5 CACIORICOTTA<\/h3>\n
\nTraditionally, it was ripened in the open air, but today it is ripened for about 15 days in special rooms with constant temperature and humidity.
\nIt has a unique, small, rounded shape and is delicious if eaten alone or as a dressing for various local recipes (among which the most famous is orecchiette<\/a> with tomato sauce, basil, extra virgin olive oil and cacioricotta cheese).<\/p>\n<\/a>
6 RICOTTA FORTE<\/h3>\n
7 CANESTRATO PUGLIESE<\/h3>\n
\nThe sheep from which the milk is obtained are bred in the Murge<\/em> area with a grazing feeding that gives this cheese its distinctive aromatic notes.<\/p>\n8 PECORINO FROM MURGE<\/h3>\n
9 PECORINO RIPENED IN HAY<\/h3>\n
10 DRUNK PECORINO<\/h3>\n
11 PECORINO RIPENED IN ASHES<\/h3>\n
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Our local Apulian cheese tasting tours<\/h2>\n
\nTerrachevive.com has the right gastronomic experience<\/strong> for you! All you have to do is to select one of our various food and wine offers:<\/p>\n\n
How to book your cheese experience in Puglia<\/h2>\n