Piave

Rennet: Animal

Milk: Pasteurized Cow (primarily the Bruna breed)

Cheese: Type 3 Grana

Related: Parmiggiano, Asiago, San Joaquin Gold

Origin: Made in the Northernmost part of the Veneto at Cooperativa Lattebusche

Age: 1 Year

Story: Piave is a wonderful example of how larger scale production can actually be good for local, artisan production and ensure great cheese. In the Dolomite mountains, where Veneto, Friuli, and Alto Adige converge, there is a great tradition of making cheese from the milk of the local Bruna breed. In fact it was practically the only way to eek out an existance in that high and lonely place. As the Venetian republic fell in the early 18th century, it shattered the fragile local economy. After a period of economic turmoil, cooperative dairying proved a salvation for the local herdsmen. Just such a cooperative produces Piave, and their production is immense by any standard. Yet the cheese they produce, particularly the older versions available to us in the states are a marvel of flavor. The Cheese has a dense firm paste that crumbles before it bends and a silky texture in the mouth with hints of cashews, cream, and a faint hint of grass.

Pairings: Lambrusco, Chardonnay, Northeastern Italian reds, American Lager

1/4 LB 1/3 LB 1/2 LB 2/3 LB 3/4 LB 1 LB 2 LB 3 LB 4 LB 5 LB $17.00 per pound