Cheese festival in Italy. International cheese festival in sconces

What international gastronomic festival do you think any cheese connoisseur and lover would be happy to attend? Of course, to the festival of the same name, which is held once every two years in Italy. Local residents chose the city of Bra, located in the province of Piedmont, as the venue for the celebrations. It was here in 1986 that members of the Slow Food movement, which translated into Russian means “slow food,” organized the first action in defense of tasty and healthy food.

And Cheese Festivals have become a kind of logical continuation of this event, because at them visitors are introduced only to natural and high-quality products. Festive events usually last three days. IN this year they are scheduled for the period from September 15th.

How is the cheese festival held?

Representatives of dairy companies from different countries come here with particular pleasure, as amazing prospects open up for them: establishing business connections with new partners, exchanging experiences, concluding profitable contracts and attracting new clients. To do this, they set up festively decorated tents on the streets of the city, where everyone can come to taste not only a wide variety of cheeses, but also other dairy products.

Master classes are also held here, where eminent chefs demonstrate cheese making technology. All participants consider it their duty to equip their tents with the most modern technology used in their factories in order to demonstrate to potential clients and business partners their advantages over other companies. Moreover, each guest can not only participate in the process, but also try to create their own flavor, as well as learn original recipes for dishes in the preparation of which cheeses are used. Thus, everyone who visited the Festival has the opportunity to get acquainted with the cheese traditions of several European and even African countries: Italy, France, Romania, Greece, Switzerland, Bulgaria and others.

Another good tradition is holding special lectures in which experts talk about the history of the origin of this or that type of cheese, the traditions of its use in different national cuisines, its compatibility with other ingredients and serving rules. Not a single day of the Festival is complete without educational quizzes and entertaining competitions, the winners of which receive valuable prizes. Little participants of the holiday are happy to take part in the ceremony of walking along the “milk path”, during which they are allowed to try dairy products such as ice cream, chocolate, delicious yoghurts and cocktails.

Special classes are held for adults, where they are taught how to choose the right cheese snack to go with different types of wine. Therefore, the Bra Cheese Festival simultaneously becomes a celebration of Italian wine - a huge amount of it is drunk over these three days, as well as such famous Italian dishes as focaccio and olives.

The main event of the Festival, of course, is large-scale fair , where local residents and tourists can buy all the products they like, stock up on souvenirs, cookbooks and other pleasant little things. It serves as a meeting place for establishing friendly and business contacts, so it always has a lively and cheerful atmosphere, conducive to pleasant communication. So if you are a fan of healthy food and prefer an educational holiday to a banal lie on the beach, then the Bra Cheese Festival will be the ideal vacation option for you.

Cheese festival and recipes

Particularly popular Caciocavallo cheese. Many, inspired by the festival and the variety of cheeses, want to prepare this tasty and healthy product themselves. Here is the recipe for one of the most popular cheeses in Italy:

Italian cheese Caciocavallo

Caciocavallo cheese was previously produced only in Italy, and the recipe was kept a closely guarded secret. Only in the last century, thanks to close friendship and exchange of experience, it became publicly available.

The name itself combines the Italian words: cheese - cacio, and the process of its maturation - a cavallo - on horseback. First, the product is formed into pear-shaped knots and suspended, tied in pairs, from a horizontal pole.

Its taste is reminiscent of soft, sweet varieties of Mozzarella or Provolone.

To prepare you will need:

• milk – 10 liters;
• sourdough CHOOZIT MA 4001 - 1/8 tsp;
• enzyme that curdles milk - the volume is determined experimentally until flocculation is achieved.

For proper preparation you will need a Ph meter and a thermometer.

Cooking method:

Bring raw milk to 30°C. Ph 7.1 -7.2 in a water bath. Add the starter, stir vigorously for about one minute and leave for up to 40 minutes. stand, Ph 6.5-6.7. Add the rennet and knead for about a minute. It will take another hour to fold, Ph 6.5. Grind the resulting lump and set aside for 5 minutes. Then the composition is heated to a temperature of 39°-42°C, intensively mixed and left for 7 minutes to separate the whey from the curd. Drain the whey to a level 3-4 cm above the granular mass, mix and bring again to 40°C. Check Ph: it should be 6.0. If the level is too high, continue heating until the required Ph is reached, then leave to rest for a few minutes, then drain the exfoliated liquid.

If there is no special container for compressing the cheese, place the resulting mass in a sieve and press with a press to release the remaining whey.

Upon completion of pressing, the briquette is cut into plates and placed one on top of the other, i.e. Its own weight allows you to finally squeeze out the serum.

Ph 6.5 should drop to 5.0. Leave the plates to rest for 7-10 hours.

The compressed pieces should be cut into small strips up to 5-7 cm, put them in a deep bowl and leave for 2 hours.

After this time, heat the water to 80°C, add salt at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 12 liters, pour it over the plates and stir until completely homogeneous.

The next step is to shape the cheese. To do this, you need to wear gloves so as not to burn your hands, and begin to pull the resulting composition into a wide thread, winding it around your hand.

From the resulting ball a ball with a pressed top is formed. Ideally, it should take on a pear shape.

The cheese is cooled in cold water and stored in a suspended state at a temperature of 4 to 10ºС. The product is ready for consumption after a day, but it will not have a distinct taste. The product acquires the required qualities after aging for up to two years.

How to celebrate the festival at home

Caciocavallo fritters

Ingredients needed to prepare this original dish:

• 300 g caciocavallo;
• 150 g breadcrumbs;
• 5 pieces. eggs;
• 1 tbsp. spoon of milk;
• parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper to taste;
• 100 g flour;
• sunflower or olive oil for frying;
• lemon (optional).

How to cook?

Mix crackers, grated cheese and 3 eggs in a suitable bowl. If the crackers are not soggy, add milk, then spices and mix thoroughly again. Roll into small balls the size of a walnut, roll them in flour and beaten eggs, fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Every two years, the Italian city of Bra (Piedmont region), which has long been famous for its cheese traditions, hosts the International Cheese Festival. It lasts three days and is extremely popular among connoisseurs of this product around the world. This is a real holiday and a very important event both for connoisseurs and cheese lovers, and for artisans involved in dairy and cheese production. It must be said that Italians cannot imagine their life without cheese. They add this favorite delicacy to almost all dishes. Accordingly, celebrations are held in honor of this king of dairy products. The cheese festival appeared as a continuation of the actions organized by the international movement Slow Food, organized in Bra in 1986 to protect tasty, and most importantly healthy food. Supporters of “slow food” and opponents of fast food defend consumer rights to quality products. The cheese festival takes place on the city streets, where over a hundred tents are set up, in which cheese producers present their products, and where tastings of different types of cheese take place. Since this event is international, naturally, here you can find not only Italian delicacies, but also cheeses from Greece, Switzerland, France, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania... Over 20 countries present their products at the festival - and these are hundreds of varieties. The Bra Cheese Festival is a real fair of taste, where any participant can find something to do: gourmets conduct tastings, cheese producers exchange experiences, chefs share recipes...

One of the most unusual and most interesting holidays in the world is, undoubtedly, the famous Cheese Festival, which takes place in Italy in the city of Bra in September (however, this holiday is celebrated only once every two years).

The Cheese Festival is not just a famous world holiday. No, the Cheese Festival is a very significant event in the world. And not only for cheese makers and dairy and cheese production workers. The Cheese Festival is a real feast, a delicious fair that you should visit at least once in your life, even if you are not a fan of such a wonderful product as cheese.

The idea of ​​an extraordinary Cheese Festival belongs to supporters of the “Slow Food” movement, who defend the human right to healthy and tasty food.

Italians are known for their special relationship with cheese. There are very few dishes in their cuisine where cheese is not used. And many brands of the world's best cheeses are produced in Italy. And therefore it is not at all surprising that the Cheese Festival takes place in Italy.

The cheese festival lasts three days, and all these three days the largest cheese fair takes place in Bra. During the festival, all sorts of cheeses are presented on the shelves, which are located in tents set up right on the streets of the city. Italy alone presents over five thousand different types of cheese at the Cheese Festival. And in addition to Italians, the best cheeses from France, England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania and other countries where world-famous cheeses are produced are brought to the Festival.

Of course, cheese fans spend all three days running from counter to counter, tasting and purchasing cheeses. And those who do not understand cheeses and their special taste qualities should attend special seminars where experts will teach anyone how to understand the taste of cheese, how to enjoy the taste of good cheese, how to combine cheese with other products.

Well, the cheese producers and cheese traders themselves exchange experiences and share their signature recipes for making cheese.

By the way, at the cheese fair you can try not only cheeses. Here you can also try many delicious dishes prepared with cheese. There is also a special “milk way”, where products made from milk are presented. Children especially like it here, because here you can try unusual and delicious ice cream, yoghurts, chocolate and other delicious products made from milk. And adults prefer to wash down food with cheese and cheese with excellent Italian wine.

Also during the Cheese Festival, various exhibitions and sales of cheese and cheese products, interesting and fun competitions, serious scientific conferences, and delicious themed dinners are held.

If you love cheese and dishes with cheese, if you want to taste the best cheeses in the world, if you want to learn to understand types of cheese and their special taste qualities, or just want to attend an interesting and tasty holiday, then visit the Italian city of Bra in September, when Here is the world famous Cheese Festival, one of the most delicious and most interesting holidays in the world.

The cheese festival in the Italian city of Bra takes place every two years. The cheese festival appeared as a continuation of the actions organized by the international movement Slow Food, organized in Bra in 1986, which opposes fast food and defends the rights of consumers to quality products. The festival has international status; it also presents cheeses from Greece, Switzerland, France, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania, etc.

The cheese festival takes place right on the city streets, where over a hundred tents are set up, in which cheese producers present their products, and where tastings take place. Seminars and conferences are held here for industry professionals, where they can exchange experiences and learn a lot of new things. Gourmets can attend numerous tastings, and chefs exchange recipes and secrets of cooking dishes with cheese. Everyone can see here the entire process of creating cheese; cheese makers will first teach you the technique of creating cheeses, and then tell you how to distinguish the shades of taste of various varieties at the so-called cheese educational seminars. At the tasting you can taste not only different types of cheeses, but also various dishes in the preparation of which they are used. In addition to gastronomic pleasure, guests will learn a lot of useful information about cheeses - their types, history, production methods, traditions of different countries, compatibility of different varieties with other products.

An obligatory part of the festival is the exhibition and sale of cheese products; various competitions, scientific conferences, and themed dinners are also held there. At the fair, new tastes and products, new producers and markets are discovered. In addition to cheeses, there is a kind of “milk way”, where other products made from milk are offered: ice cream, smoothies, chocolate and yogurt. In addition, at the festival you can enjoy Italian focaccio flatbread and delicious olives, and there are about 1,500 types of wines.

More than 13 thousand people visit each festival annually.