{"id":57723,"date":"2019-08-05T18:58:23","date_gmt":"2019-08-05T16:58:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bbuono.it\/shop\/uncategorized\/valtrompia-dop-aged-mine\/"},"modified":"2026-08-29T23:30:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T21:30:34","slug":"valtrompia-dop-aged-cheese-mine","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.bbuono.it\/en\/shop\/aged-cheeses\/valtrompia-dop-aged-cheese-mine\/","title":{"rendered":"Aged cheese from Valtrompia mine D.O.P. 0.5 Kg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Nostrano Valtrompia DOP aged in a mine: an exceptional cheese, unique in its kind, enhanced by aging in a mine.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How does cheese aging in a mine start?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The idea of aging Nostrano Valtrompia DOP cheese in a mine was conceived a few years ago. On July 2, 2017, the project experiment started, which involves using an abandoned mine in Graticelle (a hamlet of Bovegno, in the province of Brescia) to mature the cheese wheels as naturally as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mine, built in the 19th century<\/strong> for silver mining, was chosen because it offers numerous advantages, including the aging of a sought-after cheese with DOP certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experiment was promoted by the University of Parma and the Mountain Community of Val Trompia. The goal was to check if the environment is suitable for cheese aging. The results obtained and demonstrated were encouraging. <\/strong>From the early stages of the experiment, the cheeses left to mature were subjected to strict controls<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We at bbuono often go to the mine with Chiara and Silvio Zanini (Formaggi TreValli) to carefully select each individual cheese<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

How Nostrano Valtrompia DOP is made<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\n \n \"Bovegno\n <\/a>\n \n \"Mattia\n <\/a>\n \n \"Nostrano\n <\/a>\n \n \"wheel\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The production process of Nostrano Valtrompia<\/strong> DOP<\/strong> is typical of “hard-grain” cheeses. Its milk<\/strong> comes solely and exclusively from the Brescian Valleys<\/strong> and from a maximum of four consecutive milkings<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The milk milked in the evening is left to rise in a flat basin for 14-15 hours, and in this case, the milk is drained from the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


The morning milking is placed in round basins for 3-4 hours, and then the cream is separated using the skimmer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Then, the milk is introduced into the traditional copper vat<\/strong> for the coagulation process.
This procedure is carried out by adding calf or young bull rennet<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The curd<\/strong> obtained this way is broken up until small grains are formed, and then mixed with a wooden tool called “rotella.” Before being cooked (at a temperature of 47-52 degrees), saffron<\/strong> is added, which gives the cheese its typical yellow color and slightly affects its flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n \n \"Chiara-Zanini-and-Mattia-at-the-Le-Poffe-farm\"\n <\/a>\n \n \"Adoption-of-a-breeder\"\n <\/a>\n \n \"Zanini\n <\/a>\n \n \"Artisanal\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The cooked curd is then extracted and moved into molds with the identification mark<\/strong>: this operation is to mark the rind (the outer part of the cheese). Once this is done, salt is added to the cheese wheels<\/strong>. Afterwards, the cheese wheels are left to age for at least 12 months<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over these months, the shapes are constantly turned over<\/strong> on both sides, and during this process, the crust is oiled with linseed oil<\/strong> to prevent the cheese from losing moisture too early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The benefits of aging in a mine<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The decision to age the Nostrano Valtrompia DOP cheese in a mine (about 180 meters long) was initially made experimentally for the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n