From the curd to the first milk, the dairy specialties of Livigno that are not pasteurized
I cheeses They can be classified according to degree of maturation (distinguishing, for example, younger cheeses from older cheeses, that is, cheeses that have been aged longer), to type of milk (cow or goat, as in the case of our delicious goat cheeses from Livigno) but also depending on milk processing. What does it mean? Let's find out in detail.
Raw milk or pasteurized milk for the production of cheeses
I unpasteurised milk cheeses These are the ones for which the construction the milk is not pasteurized before processing, that is, without subjecting the raw material to any thermal treatment: the milk is used for dairy production as it is when it is curdled. Raw milk This way it maintains its original natural microflora, Thus, they also retain more of the Aromas linked to the territory of origin. The potential microbiological risks of raw milk are eliminated through the maturing process of cheeses, which experts in any case advise against for at-risk individuals such as pregnant women or younger children.
I cheese made from pasteurized milk Instead, they are those in which the fresh milk is collected from the milking It is heated to high temperatures (approx. 75° C for 15-20 seconds) to eliminate potentially harmful bacteria; however, this also disperses part of the bacterial flora and the natural enzymes of the raw material. The result is a cheese with greater microbiological safety, but from a taste definitely less peculiar and less influenced by local pastures.
A middle way is represented by cheese made with heat-treated milk, A thermal treatment at lower temperatures (around 60°C) that allows at least part of the bacterial flora to be preserved: it is typically used to long- or medium-ripening cheeses.
The raw milk cheeses of Alpe Livigno
Some great examples of the Italian dairy tradition are raw milk cheeses, and among the delicacies produced in our country are also cheeses made with goat’s milk. mountain dairy farm in Livigno There is no shortage of cheese made with raw milk:
- the scimudin, Classic Valtellinese soft cheese which we prepare in the dairy by working the fresh milk of our cows that are fed in the summer months. The milking machine requires a rather short maturation period, On average, about a month, to be ready and serve with its creamy and soft taste;
- the first flower, semi-grassy alpine cheese that owes its name to the diet of the cows that graze on it first grass of the summer pastures, at altitudes exceeding 2000 meters. The raw processing of their milk (find out more) allows you to perceive the unmistakable aromas and natural flavors of the Livigna mountains in the first infusion;
- cottage cheese, which, although not exactly a cheese, is obtained from cow's milk serum and not from milk that has been fermented, it is prepared from raw milk by our dairy farmers at Alpe Vago and is distinguished by its freshness and his natural taste;
- and ours too butter from Livigno It is produced with raw milk: find out more here.
Discover all the other zero-mile dairy products made in Livigno with the milk of our cows: explores the cheeses of Alpe Livigno