June 2012 - Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS JUNE 2012 www.gourmetnews.com CHEESE 29
Cello Riserva from Arthur Schuman
Arthur Schuman is proud to introduce
Cello Riserva, a truly authentic family of
award-winning Italian and Italian-style
cheeses. Cello Riserva Artisan Parmesan,
Copper Kettle Parmesan, Traditional Romano
and Hand Crafted Asiago are all
made at Arthur Schuman's Lake Country
Dairy facility, the preeminent hard cheese
producer in the United States.
For Cello Riserva cheese makers, quality
isn’t just part of the job––it is an obsession.
The classic Italian flavors of these cheeses
stem from craftsmanship dating back many
centuries, and from the water and mineral
character of Wisconsin’s rich land that
echoes the lush pastures of northern Italy.
A fourth generation family-run company,
immersed in tradition and regarded as a
leader in the hard cheese industry, Arthur
Schuman is committed to delivering the
expertise of Italian cheese making in every
wheel of Cello Riserva cheese. Cello Riserva
is available in exact and random
weight wedges, wheels with repacks,
cups, and exact and random weight bags
in order to meet all of your needs.
For more information about these
award-winning cheeses, please contact
Arthur Schuman Inc. at 40 New Dutch
Lane, Fairfield, NJ 07004 or on the
web at www.arthurschuman.com and
www.cellocheese.com. The company can
be reached by phone at 973-227-0030,
fax at 973-227-1525 or email at
info@arthurschuman.com.
A new range of natural cheese from New Zealand
Fonterra USA brings you cheese from the
dairy heartland of New Zealand. The range
includes Cheddar, Egmont and Swiss,
from cows that are grass-fed year round
and with no rBST.
Fonterra’s Cheddar is naturally robust in
flavor, with a dense mouth feel. The mild
type is aged three to six months, with a soft
texture suited for sandwiches and cooking.
Sharp and vintage are aged up to three
years, full-flavored, crumbly, marbled with
salt crystals and with a smooth creamy finish,
hand-selected by our Cheddar masters.
Egmont is a cheese unique to New
Zealand. Soft and mild, similar in flavor to
Jack. Great for kids’ snacks, sandwiches
and salads. When blended with mozzarella
or Cheddar, it creates a unique and tasty
pizza topping.
Fonterra has taken the classic Swiss
cheese and added a New Zealand twist.
Sweet and nutty as you’d expect, but with
the same robustness as its Cheddar. A
great addition to a cheeseboard, it pairs
wonderfully with Sauvignon Blanc.
Imported by Fonterra USA. Available in
44 pound, 10 pound, 5 pound, 1 pound or
8 ounce sizes; block, sliced or cubed;
shelf life 9 months. For inquiries, call
954-958-0329.
Only some 5 percent of Parmigiano-Reggiano
supply affected by quake
The Parmigiano-Reggiano supply and
quality remains consistent and will not be
seriously affected by the earthquake in
part of its production zone in May, according
to Nancy Radke, director of the U.S.
Information Office for the Consorzio del
Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano.
The epicenter of the quake was in the
northeastern area of the production zone, in
Bologna and Modena, with some damage
in Mantua. A total of 10 producers (out of
hundreds accredited) were affected at their
warehouses, but only one has been affected
in his production area. Damage is still being
assessed, but preliminary estimates put it at
about 300,000 wheels. Estimates of
400,000 may include wheels of Grana
Padano, produced in an adjacent area that
was also affected, according to Radke.
"At any given time there are
about 6 million wheels in some
state of aging," Radke told
Gourmet News. "So at
300,000 that is only about 5
percent of available commercial
production." Out of that 5
percent, about 2.5 percent will
probably be able to be saved.
Wheels still uncertified (under
one year of aging) will be used
as hard grating cheese for
foodservice applications, but
not bearing the official seal.
Others that have internal
cracking will be sent to
Consorzio-licensed facilities to be prepacked
into wedges, while wheels that
prove undamaged will be sent to other facilities
to continue aging.
"At this point it is important to protect
the integrity of the certification," Radke
said. For this reason, the Consorzio has
sent sanitation inspection teams and representatives
to inspect the affected facilities
and work with the producers to get
back up to speed.
"Rumors of milk quality being affected
are unfounded," she said further. Those
interested in following the issue can consult
the Consorzio’s blog at www.parmesan.com.
The consumer site was also
launched in May, and features recipes,
blog entries and other content to promote
authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Pecorino Sardo
Pecorino is a family of hard Italian cheeses
made from ewe’s milk. The word derives
from pecora, meaning ‘sheep’, also from
the Latin pecorosus, meaning cattle.
Pecorino sardo, also known as fiore
sardo, is a firm cheese from the island of
Sardinia, made from the milk of the local
Sardinian sheep. It was awarded Denominazione
d’Origine status in 1991 and
granted Protected designation of origin
(PDO) protection in 1996, the year the certification
was introduced. Its flavour is different
from that of Pecorino Romano,
which is also made on the island. Sardo is
richer, while romano is much more biting
and salty. Pecorino sardo is delicious in
contexts where romano could overpower,
such as in pesto—Ligurian pesto alla genovese
is traditionally made with a mixture
of Pecorino sardo and Parmigiano-Reggiano—or
with fruit.
Pecorino sardo is an uncooked hard
cheese made of fresh whole sheep’s milk,
curdled using lamb or kid rennet. The mixture
is poured into moulds to give the
cheese its characteristic shape. After a
brief period in brine, the moulds are lightly
smoked and left to ripen in cool cellars in
central Sardinia. The end product weighs
an average of 3.5 kilos, sometimes a bit
more or a bit less depending on conditions
of manufacture. The rind varies from deep
yellow to dark brown, encasing a paste
that varies from white to straw-yellow.
Sharpness of flavor depends on length of
maturation. It s most often found in the
United States as a hard cheese, its more
mature form.
Lettieri is proud to import direct from
Sardinia Corso Pecorino Sardo. For more
information, call 415-657-3392.