Hands up who knows what is "behind" a form of Fontina DOP!
A few weeks ago visiting The Tzaven, agrimercato of the Campagna Amica Aosta tended to favor the short chain to the consumer closer to the producer direct, Yves incontrato ho Perraillon, craftsman Fontina. A chat and ... in less than no time I was in a Pasture 2200 meters! You will say: "Ma che far?"A Mangia Pane, burro e… Fontina!
And now I ask you: "Hands up who knows what is" behind "a form of Fontina?” Okay I see that there, but ... do not you mess with us! Therefore, I am saying that giving birth before my guided tour I had not given due consideration to this typical Valle d'Aosta. Do you think it will take much 100 liters of milk to make a form of fontina!
(PDO: Protected Designation of Origin, which is attributed to foods whose characteristics depend on the region from which. Is ensured by a disciplinary.)
I recommend everyone to visit, because, as well as to spend a day in contact with nature, you will appreciate the uniqueness of a product obtained with great Italian job, commitment and passion! I could appreciate the work that led by Yves and his wife, I have conducted in phases and in places of work. Guardando Yves in un momento di vita, in the ritual gestures repeated over the years, I asked him admired: “How many times have you done these operations…?“
The visit to the pasture was the most exciting part of my career. Nature, silences, contact with a calf born only a day… Then, watch the production of butter as his time as a child… I remember that in the country in Treviso watched my grandmother Jija in the fulfillment of the same operation, almost in contemplation, admired by the transformation of that cream into butter and then spread on bread gustavo, exactly as I did in pasture by Yves…
In these valleys at an altitude of 2000 meters animals are fed in pastures rich in a particular vegetation that gives the milk characteristics far more peculiar farming in the valley. Despite this, you can not distinguish between a label and a fontina Alpine valley floor, seen that the marking is the same, and is not allowed by the specification to add anything beyond the specification for the PDO. Only the aromas and flavors tasted allow us to differentiate. It is good? And for mio parere! The work involved in the breeding pasture is awarded to a product with specific characteristics, and why the consumer should not have the possibility of being able to read the label! Mah!
But who can tell you better than Yves ...
- Yves Perrailon, producer of Fontina Alpine. How did your passion?
Born from a passion passed down from generation to generation family. I have always been passionate about everything that is related to agriculture from the animals ..., from haymaking, cheese from milk…
- What is your typical day?
Well depends on the season ... In the winter you go to the bottom of the valley:
– Wake up at 5, milking, animal feeding, contribution of milk and dairy 16 second milking.
In period estivo you go to pasture:
– Wake up at 3 morning, milking, processing of milk for the production of Fontina. Following cleaning of the stable, salting and turning the fontina cheeses produced in the days before. Then you go to the pasture to the 12 with the return of the animals. We have lunch at 15, and after the second milking proceed with the processing of the fontina and the pasture until at 22.
- The DOP is certified as a guarantee of the product according to a product specification for the PDO "FONTINA". What are the requirements for certification?
There are many to the area of production, seasoning, portioning of melted cheese, feed the cows consists of grass and hay produced exclusively in Aosta Valley and more… The specification is available on the website of the Ministry of Agricultural Food and Forestry Policies. It is recognized by the "Consorzio Tutela Fontina" (CTF).
- In my visit to your company, I noticed that your employees are mostly foreigners. How is the working approach of the Italian dairy sector?
No staff is Italian, alas. Assume that we train foreign personnel on the job, I have to say with great results.
The cheese… the stroke of the milk to immortality.
Clifton Fadiman