In this installment
Piave Vecchio Cheese
Cacciatore Salami
Piave Vecchio Cheese
This rarely tasted traditional cheese made high in the mountains of northern Italy has been one of my favorite eating cheeses for years. In truth, I’ve always been reluctant to reveal it for fear that already limited supplies will become even more difficult to get. It’s simply one of the tastiest, most versatile cheeses I’ve ever tried. After aging for more than ten months, its flavors are accessible enough to entice a cheese novice yet more than complex enough to compel cheese fanatics to come back for more. Flavor wise, think of a good Parmigiano Reggiano, with a little kick of sweet mountain Gruyére. It’s excellent on polenta or in risotto. It brings the smoothness of cheddar, the texture of Parmigiano-Reggiano and the mellowness of sweet mountain butter to your table.
Cacciatore Salami
Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian and this salami would be the perfect accompaniment for anyone walking in the woods for an afternoon. But you don’t need to shoot anything to enjoy this cured creation from Red Bear Provisions in Chicago, Illinois. A rousing, meaty, full-flavored salami that’s just as tasty on a cheese tray with a handful of nuts as it is up in a deer blind. Or just reading in a deer blind. That’s what most of the “hunters” I know are up to.