Formai de Mut dell'Alta Valle Brembana

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Formai de Mut dell'Alta Valle Brembana is a raw cow's milk cheese from Lombardy, Italy, made in the high pastures of the Alta Valle Brembana and around Bergamo. It has carried protected designation of origin status since 1996 and is produced in very small quantities.

Key Facts

Country of Origin Italy
Specific Origin Upper Brembana Valley, Bergamo
Protection PDO (1996)
Milk Type Cow's milk
Milk Treatment Raw
Fat Content Minimum 42% in dry matter
Rind Thin, firm, natural, straw yellow, becoming more pronounced as it ripens
Texture Compact, elastic, with scattered eyes and small cracks permitted
Flavor Delicate, fragrant, mild, not very salty
Aroma Characteristic
Colors Ivory to slightly straw-colored paste
Forms Cylinder with flat or semi-flat sides
Age Minimum 45 days; "Riserva" if aged over 6 months
Rennet Type Bovine

What is Formai de Mut dell'Alta Valle Brembana Cheese?

Formai de Mut dell'Alta Valle Brembana comes from Lombardy in northern Italy. It is made in the high pasture lands of the Alta Valle Brembana and in Bergamo. The cheese was granted protected designation of origin status in 1996.

Production starts with raw cow's milk and follows much the same method used for Fontina d'Aosta. Wheels meant for longer aging get rubbed with extra brine as they mature.

A young wheel has a pale, thin rind. With more age and more brine, the rind turns harder and darker. The taste is delicate and simple, with a light floral note in the manner of Branzi. Older cheese picks up more fragrance and a fruitier flavor.

In the valleys where it is made, cooks grate or melt it over soups and stews, stir it into fonduta, and use it in gratin dishes. Quantities are small, so it is seldom sold outside Lombardy.

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