Fontina is an northItalian cheese with protected indication of origin.

History

The Fontina has its name of the Alm Font in the Aostatal (Valle d'Aosta) in the Italian alps in the proximity of the Mont Blanc and the Italian-French border, belonging to the municipality quart. It is since 1717 under the name fontine in writing proven (expenditure registers of the Ospizio del Gran San Bernardo), has however still very a tradition going back much further. In the Aostatal a dry climate prevails in the summer because of the barrier formed by the mountains, therefore prospers here a rich Gebirgsflora, which offers best conditions for a good dairy farming. Like that it is not amazing that in a archives writing of 1267 for this area Sennerei and cheese factory are authentic already, and in the Summa Lacticinorum (1477) it means over the valley: ""Â… the cheese is good and the pastures distinguished. They are manufactured in medium size and them to pull threads, if they are placed on the stove or given to the meals"Â…", what suggests a clear similarity of the cheese at that time with the today's Fontina. Also Fresken are received in some locks of the valley, on which medieval stands for cheese in clear Fontina form are to be seen.

After the doping appointment 1955 1957 the Cooperativa Produttori slat e Fontina (cooperative of the milk and Fontinaerzeuger) was created, in order to protect manufacturers (usually owners of small agricultural enterprises) like consumers and to guarantee a product safe before imitations. The cooperative supervises the production and marketing of the cheese. Today there (individual enterprises, genossenschaftliche cheese factories and dairies) are approximately 400 Fontinaproduzenten, which per year altogether produce approx. 3500 t Fontina, corresponds to a quantity of approximately 400,000 loaves. Only after strict examination, the Consorzio Produttori Fontina gives permission for the use of the brand name, which is attached on each cheese as quality seal to among other things sample-wise Kernbohrung to the withdrawal of test specimens, which are examined on correct punching and suppleness of the paste.

Production

Genuine Fontina after one over centuries tradierten prescription from the full raw milk of cows, which graze predominantly in the summer on the Alm and receive otherwise locally produced hay. The milk processing effected within two hours after milking, in order to receive the full quality. For coagulating serves lab enzyme of the milk calf, which is prepared directly by the After approximately one hour the gelatin is thick-put and is cut. The break is burned with 47-48"° C and made so more compact. Subsequently, the break from the boiler in chamfering cerium is filled and pressed, so that the whey can drip off. The won paste is given in forms, which impress its typical shape to the cheese. After approximately 12 hours the paste from the form can be taken, it has now to a large extent the end form of cylindrical loaves with a diameter of 30-40 cm with a height of 7-10 cm and a weight of 8-18 kg. It is straw-white, soft and flexible in this early stage. Maturing takes place in Grotten, which were struck into the rock of the slopes. There all year round a temperature of 5-10 "°C with a humidity of min. 90% is, so that the loaves stacked on pine wood shelves naturally mature in on the average three months. Here constant control and care are necessary, the cheese loaves daily are turned and alternating on one day gesalzen and at the following brushed, in order to remove the mould layer, which forms due to natural fermentation, and to keep the crust damp.

Characteristics

The milk used for the production is already free due to the mountain pastures with best grass and aromatic herbs faraway intensively agriculturally used areas as far as possible from Pestiziden and pesticides and from high quality. Their flavour, taste, protein and Vitamingehalt are transferred by the careful treatment nearly completely into the cheese with thin, ocher-yellow, oily crust. From the pale-yellow, flexible and soft, fat paste with few small holes, which is nearly brushable with young cheese, one can out-taste the high-quality biological and organoleptischen contents materials: Young Fontina zergeht in the mouth and has a mild milk flavour with smell after spicy Almweiden, in the taste is mildly, easily and on characteristic way harmonious it. At the age the cheese darkens after and more dryly, it developed then a erdig fruchtiges flavour and a fine nussigen taste.

Variants:

• Fontinella, Fontella and Fontal

Use

One serves the exquisiten board cheese preferentially with Bleichsellerie or grapes/clusters or on roasted weissbrot. It is suitable in addition, outstanding for cooking, particularly for fillings and Saucen, since it melts very easily and runs well. Fonduta valdostana, a Fondue variant from the Piemont, is prepared on the basis by Fontina with butter, Eigelb, milk and white As a Barbaresco or a Valpolicella is recommended recioto.

Sources and resuming information

• Milk and Fontina manufacturer cooperative in several languages
• Google: Fontina

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