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Asiago cheese.

Asiago cheese [pronounced azi'ago] is an Italian cheese that according to the different aging can assume different textures, from smooth for the fresh Asiago cheese (Asiago Pressato) to a crumbly texture for the aged cheese (Asiago d'allevo) of which the flavor is reminiscent of sharp Cheddar and Parmesan. The aged cheese is often grated in salads, soups, pastas, and sauces while the fresh Asiago cheese is sliced to prepare panini or sandwiches; it can also be molten on a variety of dishes. Asiago is treated as interchangeable with the parmesan and romano cheeses in some cuisines. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ... Ageing or aging is the process of getting older. ... Look up texture in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about flavor as a sensory impression. ... Country of origin England Region, town Somerset, Cheddar Source of milk Cows, rarely Goats Pasteurised Frequently Texture hard/semi-hard Aging time 3–30 months depending on variety Certification West Country farmhouse Cheddar Only: PDO Cheddar cheese is a fairly hard, pale yellow to orange, sharp-tasting cheese originating from... Parmesan cheese. ... This article deals with food. ... For other uses, see Soup (disambiguation). ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... For other uses, see Sauce (disambiguation). ... Panini can refer to: Pāṇini, the 5th century BC Sanskrit grammarian Panini (sandwich), a type of Italian sandwich Panini (stickers), a brand of collectible stickers Giovanni Paolo Panini, an Italian artist This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For other uses, see Sandwich (disambiguation). ... Parmesan cheese. ... Romano cheese is a type of cheese that is known for being very hard, salty and sharp. ...

As Asiago has a protected designation of origin (Denominazione di Origine Protetta or DOP, see below)^[1], the only "official" Asiago cheese is produced in the alpine area of the town of Asiago, province of Vicenza, in the Veneto region, and now is also made in the Alpine region of the Province of Trento, which has become part of the DOP area for Asiago cheese production. Most Asiago cheese in the world, however, is made elsewhere using techniques and cultures that produce a cheese of the same or similar flavor. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Protected geographical indications in the European Union. ... Alp redirects here. ... Asiago (Cimbrian: Schleghe, German: Schlägen) is the name of both a minor township (population roughly 6,500, ) and the surrounding plateau region (the Altopiano di Asiago) in the Province of Vicenza in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy. ... Vicenza (It. ... Veneto or Venetia, is one of the 20 regions of Italy. ... Trento (Italian: Provincia autonoma di Trento, German: Autonome Provinz Trient) is an autonomous province in the autonomous Trentino-South Tyrol region of Italy. ... A microbiological culture is a way to determine the cause of infectious disease by letting the agent multiply (reproduce) in predetermined media. ...

Production

Asiago is produced in co-ops, specialized groups of local dairies which provide high-quality grassfed cow's milk. Alpine milk is what makes Asiago a special, healthy^[2] cheese. Alpine meadows have a larger variety of grass species, medicinal plants and flowers all of which contribute to a better tasting milk with a higher protein content. Co-op is: A cooperative education program. ... A dairy farm near Oxford, New York in the United States. ... A glass of cows milk Milk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. ... An Alpine Meadow is a high-altitude grassland located in an alpine climate, above the treeline of a mountain. ...

Protected designation of origin

Asiago cheese (pronounced ah see ah goh) is an Italian D.O.P. product (Denominazione di Origine Protetta), equivalent to a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This simply means that the product can be considered as real by European law if and only if it is produced in its specific origin area, and according to a specific regime, known as the Disciplinare di produzione. The EU law does not necessarily apply outside the European Union. Previously it had enjoyed protected status in a number of European countries with which Italy had bi-lateral agreements under the Denominazione d’Origine awarded by the presidential decree of 21 December 1978 and subsequently modified by the prime-ministerial decree of 1993-08-03, and by the ministerial decree of 1995-06-06 under which the current Disciplinare came into force. [1]^,[2] It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Protected geographical indications in the European Union. ... A decree is an order made by a head of state or government and having the force of law. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

An American-made Asiago-type cheese is also available, usually made in Wisconsin. It tastes completely different from the original Asiago with typically pleasant butterscotch undertones that intensify when aged.^{[citation needed]}

Varieties

Fresh Asiago cheese is tender and can be used in the preparation of sandwiches and panini or as a table cheese. Aged Asiago cheese can be used for grating and as a table cheese. The aged Asiago cheese can be granular, like Parmesan or aged Gouda, and can feature a bit of a crunch due to a buildup of Tyrosine, an amino acid found in milk that crystallizes over time in aged cheeses. The more Tyrosine found in milk the higher quality the milk and a considerable amount has to be present for it to crystalize; therefore a crystalin texture is considered a sign of high quality in aged cheese. Aged Asiago cheese features a very concentrated, complex variety of flavors ranging from the fruity, to the nutty, to the pungent. Some wheels can even taste a little like toasted bread. Tyrosine (from the Greek tyros, meaning cheese, as it was first discovered in 1846 by German chemist Justus von Liebig in the protein casein from cheese[1][2]), 4-hydroxyphenylalanine, or 2-amino-3(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propanoic acid, is one of the 20 amino acids that are used by cells...

Traditional asiago

Asiago Pressato Cheese and crackers

This cheese is available in flavors ranging from fresh to mild to aged, and the types are described by their flavor. Dolce describes a mildly spicy asiago, several months old; medio describes a stronger product, aged longer; and piccante asiago is a hard, aged cheese with a piquant flavor, suitable for grating. Piccante asiago is also enjoyed as a flavorful table cheese, eaten in paper-thin slices.

Asiago d’Allevo

This is the mature, hard cheese. It is produced from skimmed raw cows’ milk and sold in flat cheese wheels weighing 18 to 31 pounds (8 to 14 kg). It is marketed as fresh (fresco) asiago, aged two to three months, good for sandwiches and salads, and medium-ripe (mezzano), aged four to five months. Slow-ripened (vecchio) asiago, aged nine months or longer, is a table cheese, also suitable for cooking.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Asiago is enjoyed as a complement to pasta, rice, pizza, or soup. It can also be served with hearty bread, salami, or such fruits as fresh figs or pears, and it goes well with a variety of beverages such as red wine, cranberry juice, and sparkling grape juice.

Nutritional highlights

• Asiago cheese, 1 oz (28 g)
• Energy: 110 calories (460 kJ)
• Protein: 7.5 g
• Carbohydrate: 0.67 g
• Total Fat: 8.7 g
• Fiber: 0.0 g
• Excellent source of: Calcium (226 mg)
• Good source of: Phosphorus (145 mg)

Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.

External links

• Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago (English) The producers’ consortium
• www.milkonline.com, Asiago (English)
• Disciplinare di produzione della Denominazione di origine del formaggio "Asiago" (Italian)
• www.prodottitipici.com, Asiago pressato (Italian)
• www.prodottitipici.com, Asiago d’allevo (Italian)