Travel and cheese
The Caprini of Montevecchia, excellence of a small territory
Delicious fresh goat cheeses are produced in a Regional Park in Lombardy: all you need to know to bring them to the table
With a population of less than 3,000 inhabitants, a surface area of less than six square kilometres, Montevecchia (in the Lecco region of Brianza) has become a sure reference point for lovers of out-of-town excursions with gourmet stops.
Among the excellent products of this small but virtuous area are the Caprini di Montevecchia.
Making the Caprini di Montevecchia
Caprini di Montevecchia are fresh cheeses made exclusively from goat’s milk from the territory of the Montevecchia Regional Park and the Curone Valley. The milk is used raw to preserve its olfactory and taste qualities and the processing is called ‘lactic’. Specifically, this means that a minimum amount of rennet is added, and the milk is left to ferment naturally for a time ranging from 18 to 24 hours. They are cylindrical in shape, generally 5 to 8 centimetres in diameter and with a height ranging from 3 to 5 centimetres. However, these are only general indications: Montevecchia goats are not a PDO product for the time being, so they do not have to follow a specific specification that also regulates their size. In fact, different sizes are also available like small cylinders of 10 centimetres.
Features and accompaniments
Fresh goat milk cheeses are usually matured for 5-6 days, and, for this reason, the colour of the paste is very white, and the flavour is lactic and pleasantly acidulous. Their texture is spreadable, and they are at their best when eaten on their own, perhaps accompanied by a good crusty bread or used as a base for bruschetta to enjoy as an aperitif, dressed with extra virgin olive oil.
On the other hand, mature goat cheeses are usually served in oil, with bay leaves, and release spicier and more aromatic olfactory and taste notes.
