Bitto

Bitto

Country of origin	Italy
Region, town	Lombardy: province of Sondrio (from the Valle Spluga to Livigno, some comuni from the Val Brembana and the original valleys Gerola Alta and Albaredo per San Marco. Province of Bergamo: Averara, Carona, Cusio, Foppolo, Mezzoldo, Piazzatorre, Santa Brigida e Valleve
Source of milk	Cows (and max 10% goat milk)
Certification	Italy: Denominazione di Origine Protetta 1996 (Reg. CE n.1263/96)
Related media on Wikimedia Commons

Bitto is an Italian DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) cheese produced in the Valtelline valley in Lombardy. It owes its name to the Bitto river. Bitto is produced only in the summer months when the cows feed on the high alpine meadows.

The cheese received the DOP (Protected Denomination of Origin) recognition in 1996, with a less restrictive product specification than the traditional one.

Since then, another version of Bitto, called "Bitto Storico" (Historical Bitto), has been produced by means of traditional methods and promoted by Slow Food (Slow movement). In 2016 Bitto Storico changed its name, the new name will be in effect from September the 1st, 2016.^[1]

Production areas

The production area includes province of Sondrio (from the Spluga valley to Livigno, some comuni from the Val Brembana and the Gerola Alta and Albaredo per San Marco vallies.

Production

Bitto Storico is made from whole cow's milk produced in the summer months around the Valtellina valley, to which must be added 10% to 20% goat's milk. Adding a higher percentage of goat's milk allows long aging of 10 years or more. However, due many uncontrollable factors, it is the dairyman's job to determine how long to age each Bitto wheel.

Bitto DOP can be added with goat's milk (it is not mandatory) and can use arbitrary feed for the cows. Can use enzyme in powder.

References

Cozzolino, Laura (September 3, 2013). "5 Most Expensive Cheeses in the World". Epoch Times. Retrieved 4 October 2013.

External links

Media related to Bitto at Wikimedia Commons
Formaggio Bitto Storico Presidio Slow Food (Italian)
Consorzio Tutela Valtellina Casera e Bitto (Italian)

Italian cheeses

PDO	Asiago Bitto Bra Caciocavallo Casciotta d'Urbino Castelmagno Fontina Formaggio di Fossa Formai de Mut dell'Alta Valle Brembana Gorgonzola Grana Padano Montasio Monte Veronese Buffalo mozzarella Parmigiano-Reggiano Pecorino Pecorino di Filiano Pecorino Romano Pecorino Sardo Pecorino Siciliano Pecorino Toscano Piave Provolone Spressa delle Giudicarie Ragusano Raschera Taleggio Valle d'Aosta Fromadzo Valtellina Casera

PAT	Bastardo del Grappa Bella Lodi Mascarpone Robiola d'Alba Scamorza Toma cheese Toma Piemontese

Non-protected varieties	Bel Paese Bocconcini Brös Burrata Cacio figurato Caciotta Caprino Casu marzu Crucolo Dolcelatte Galbanino Morlacco Mozzarella Paddraccio Pallone di Gravina Ricotta Robiola Rosa Camuna Sottocenere al tartufo Stracchino Stracciatella di bufala

Manufacturers	Auricchio Parmalat Sterilgarda

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/6/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.