Lots of working processes for a POD cheese

 

The Vallée d’Aoste Fromadzo is a POD cheese prepared with cow's milk taken from two milking sessions,to which small quantities of goat's milk may be added. Its cylindrical shape and straw colour with reddish hues encapsulates a compact paste, with a few small and medium-sized holes ; the maturing process takes place in cellars or caves with a high humidity (60-70%), at a temperature of 10/15°C, for a period ranging from 60 days to 14 months.

It has a semi-sweet flavour when fresh, and a stronger, slightly salty flavour, sometimes a little spicy when it is more mature. Regulations allow its production in several types: half-fat, half-fat with added herbs (juniper, wild cumin, etc.), low-fat, mixed cow's-goat's milk.

Thanks to its etymological roots, which make it highly representative of the production area (Valle d’Aosta, in fact),  the Vallée d’Aoste Fromadzo was added to the register of European POD cheeses.