Bitto DOP

Name: Bitto DOP
SKU: A03188
Price: 1600 JPY
Availability: InStock

~150 g

¥ 1,600 ¥ 1,728 incl. tax

Produced in the alpine pastures of Valtellina during the summer

Bitto DOP is a mountain cheese produced in pastures of the Bitto Valley, in the provinces of Sondrio, Bergamo and Lecco - all located in Lombardy. It is produced exclusively from June to September when the cows feed on fresh pasture. It is made with whole fresh milk from Bruno Alpina breeds, to which the goat milk can be added to a maximum of 10%. It is aged at least for 70 days, although it can go on for up to 10 years without losing its aroma. It has compact and whiteish yellow texture. Even though it is a long-aged cheese, the flavor is delicate and sweet. If further aged it hardens and becomes more crumbly, with the taste becoming increasingly intense and slightly spicy. It pairs perfectly with red wine with a good structure as Valtellina Rosso or Valtellina Superiore and is traditionally used for "pizzoccheri" or "sciatt" from Valtellina area.

cow

hard cheese

Lombardy

Average nutritional values per 100 g

Kcal:	390 Kcal
Protein:	25 g
Fat:	35 g
Carbohydrates:	0.5 g
Salt:	1.5 g

Guaranteed minimum of days until expiration after shipping: 30 Days

There are many varieties of dairy cows inhabiting each region, and the difference in milk yield and ingredients between breeds gives each cow’s cheese its individuality. In order to have a cheese approved as a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) cheese, it must be made with a specific breed of cow.

Cheeses are classified into soft, semi-hard, and hard cheeses depending on their water content. The hard type of cheese is drained of all its water content, making it a great candidate for long term maturing. The longer it is matured, the richer it becomes in flavor. Typically hard cheeses come in larger form, and usually they are made in mountainous areas.

Lombardy, with its many mountainous areas, produces relatively small size wash-rind cheeses that are suitable for cool climates. One of the area’s most renowned products is Taleggio, a cheese born in the Taleggio Valley around the 10th century. Moreover there is Gorgonzola, loved all over the world, as well as Stracchino, a cheese which name comes from the milk of "tired (Stracco)" cows as they descend from the mountains before winter.