Before moving to Italy, I would have long conversations with the very nice people at the cheese counter at Pastaworks in Portland, Oregon. They knew so much about the processes, altitudes, breeds of cows, sheep and goats. Cheese was one of the exotic flavors that brought me to Europe. The agricultural society where small food artisans are supported by the people in their area. One lesson it took me a few years to get my head around was how very different the cheese tastes at different times of the year. Spring flowers and herbs give their floral quality to fresh cheeses. Summer as the animals move higher up the mountain, affect the flavors in more complex ways, autumn the flowers are gone and grasses let the cheese express the fat characteristics and winter, well, winter is the season to enjoy a cheese plate, which in Italy means a selection of 10 or 12 various flavors – all within a two hour drive.
These shots are from the village of Elva, Stroppo near Cuneo.
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