Castelmagno d'Alpeggio DOP with raw cow's milk is a raw cow's milk cheese with the addition of sheep or goat's milk.
It has been produced for centuries on the high pastures of Val Grana only in summer, at at least 1000 meters above sea level.
Method : The curd is crushed, chopped and pressed twice; hence the definition of broken dough processing. Aged for at least 60 days at high altitude, over time it accentuates its characteristic flavor which is reminiscent of aromatic mountain herbs. Its texture is dry, grainy and crumbly; over time it may present some streaks of natural mould, much sought after by gourmets.
Tasting : over time it accentuates its characteristic flavor which is reminiscent of aromatic mountain herbs. In the mouth it is initially crumbly and finely grainy, then creamy and very tasty.
The cheese village
Beppino Occelli has recovered Valcasotto , transforming it into a real " cheese village ".
The maturations of Valcasotto have a tradition rooted for almost a century: here the cheeses of the Langa and the Cuneo mountains find their ideal cradle.
In the darkness of these cellars, time works together with air and water to bring the cheeses to full maturation, while expert seasoners periodically turn the wheels over.
Discovering the secrets of an art...
The refinement Subsequently the best wheels are "rewarded" by being transferred to smaller cellars for refinement.
These are long months in which the special microclimate and contact with 12 different woods favor the development of mould: white, pink, orange or greenish.
The final flavor of the cheese is thus enhanced and becomes unique.
The rule of the good connoisseur: observe, smell, touch, listen and finally taste. Only in this way is true gourmet taste served.
Word of the lord of cheeses, Beppino Occelli, who organized a sensorial journey into the world of raw milk in the village of Valcasotto, chosen as the teaching center of the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo .
Starting from here... the initiation rite, the mold factory .
A large cellar set against the rock of the mountain which releases the humidity that the cheese needs in its slow apprenticeship.
When the noble molds have made their appearance, the cheese is ready for another journey: in the darkness of the cellars it matures under the effect of time, the water from the springs, the mountain air and the expert eye of the master seasoners .
Subsequently, a natural barricading takes place choosing between 12 woods: from beech to apple, from pear to cherry, on which to rest the great crus: Losa, Cusiè, Verzin, Valcasotto, and Valcasotto di Alpeggio , the King's cheese.
Every summer the farmers gave this square-shaped cheese to the House of Savoy to thank them for having granted them the Alpine pastures. Beppino Occelli has recovered the traditional recipe, presenting him as the father of Alpine cheeses.
SIZE : approximately 180 grams segment.
More info
SIZE : approximately 180 grams segment.
SPECIFIC NOTES : Vacuum-packed DOP Alpine cheese.
ORIGIN: Piedmont.
INGREDIENTS: raw cow's milk (origin: Castelmagno DOP production area), sea salt, rennet.
ADDITIVES AND PRESERVATIVES: None.
STORAGE METHOD : Temperature +6/8°C.
PRODUCER : Beppino Occelli -. Farigliano (CN).
Nutritional values per 100g: Energy 1754 KJ / 419 Kcal Fats 33 g Carbohydrates 1.9 Of which sugars 0 g Proteins 26 mg.
Story Beppino Occelli
50 years of quality on your table
Beppino Occelli's is a very personal story of taste full of intuitions, projects and satisfactions, but also of sacrifices and misunderstandings due to a mentality and lifestyle imposed by industrial logic and the cultural impoverishment of the countryside and mountains. Against this tendency towards homologation, Beppino Occelli has proposed creations and personal interpretations of traditional products that arise from his profound and indissoluble love for the territory where he was born: the Langhe and the Alps.
1976 is the year in which Beppino Occelli began his activity in the dairy sector. Beppino Occelli Butter and Cheeses have always followed the evolution of taste, indeed in some cases they have even anticipated their times: from the famous Tuma dla Paja to the very rare Escarun, unanimously considered an authentic and inimitable delicacy. His passion for local dairy traditions, combined with his great creativity, have allowed him to produce a wide variety of cheeses highly appreciated by gourmets all over the world. In the Langa dairy in Farigliano, only exclusive specialties are produced, some of which, such as Cusiè, mature and refine for a long time in the cool and ancient cellars of Valcasotto, to constitute the Beppino Occelli Gran Riserva. Beppino Occelli follows quality throughout the entire supply chain: as Giuseppe tells us, we also pay particular attention to the choice of stables. We have selected suppliers according to a precise protocol both starting from the feeding of their animals and whether they are cows or goats strictly focused on animal welfare: because only excellent products can be born from excellent milk.