From the Cheese Portraits series.

This incredible Sheep's milk cheese is central to the Villecco family identity, the founders of Central Formaggi in Sardinia. Making cheese for over 130 years, generations of this family have become known for providing the world with such quality cheeses, but Moliterno is their center piece. It's named after the township of Moliterno, which lies at the southern Italian region of Basillica, an ideal location for aging cheese in its high elevation in the Lucanian Apenne Mountains.
This pecorino begins with the milk of indigenous Sarda sheep, that roam freely and graze on the island's rich variety of herbs and grasses which give it the distinct aroma and flavor. Additionally Central uses their own homebred cultures as the fourth generation of Villecco family continues to produce this gem. The handmade reed (giunco) baskets are still used during production, a commitment to the signature imprint of the handwoven reeds by local artisans, that gives the wheel's rind a mark of its history.. It's aged a minimum of 4 months but remains moist and achieves the complexity of a more aged cheese.

When Ricky Roca, of Central Fromaggi visited my studio, he brought a half wheel of the Villecco's family history and cracked it open for me to witness the "tear of the wheel" - that glisten you see when first cracking open a firm cheese  as it emits an incredible fresh, almost half citrus and savory fresh grass and warm straw. It's hard to explain but it is absolutely as wonderful to smell as it is to taste.

*much of the information here was found in the writings of Kristine Jannuzzi

Origin: Italy

Availability: sold