Piave cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Piave |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Other names | Piave Fresco Piave Mezzano Piave Vecchio Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro Piave Vecchio Riserva |
| Country of origin | Italy |
| Region | Veneto |
| Town | Province of Belluno |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Texture | Hard |
| Certification | PDO 2010 |
Piave is a special kind of cheese from Italy. It's made from cow's milk and gets its name from the Piave river. This river flows through the area where the cheese is made.
Piave cheese has a special status called "Protected Designation of Origin" (DOP). This means that for a cheese to be officially called "Piave," it must be made in a specific part of Italy. This area is in the Dolomites mountains, within the Province of Belluno, which is in the northern part of the Veneto region. This rule helps make sure the cheese is always made the traditional way.
Contents
What is Piave Cheese?
Piave is known as a hard cheese. It's made using a process called "cooked curd," which means the milk curds are heated during production. This process helps give the cheese its firm texture.
Different Ages of Piave
Piave cheese is sold at five different ages. Each age has a slightly different taste and texture, and some even have different colored labels!
- Piave Fresco: This is the youngest Piave, aged for 20 to 60 days. It has a blue label.
- Piave Mezzano: This cheese is aged a bit longer, from 61 to 180 days. It also has a blue label.
- Piave Vecchio: This means "old Piave." It's aged for more than 6 months and still has a blue label.
- Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro: This special "gold selection" Piave is aged for over 12 months. It has a red label.
- Piave Vecchio Riserva: This is the oldest Piave, aged for more than 18 months. It has a black label.
Taste and Texture
Piave cheese has a very firm and dense texture. It doesn't have many holes inside, which is common in some other cheeses. When you look at it, Piave has a nice straw-yellow color.
When it's younger, Piave has a slightly sweet flavor. As the cheese gets older and ages more, it becomes much harder. The flavor also gets stronger and more intense. The oldest Piave cheeses are hard enough to be grated, just like Parmigiano Reggiano.
The outside of the cheese, called the rind, has the name "Piave" pressed into it many times. You can see the name repeated in vertical lines all over the rind.
Where to Find Piave Cheese
Piave cheese is popular and can be found in many places. It's sold all over Europe and also in the United States. When it's sold as a hard cheese, especially the older versions, its taste can remind you of a younger Parmigiano Reggiano.
The Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro, with its red label, is aged for at least one year. The blue label versions, like Piave Fresco or Piave Mezzano, are softer. Both types are available in Europe and can often be found in specialty food stores in the US.
Images for kids
-
A slice of Piave vecchio selezione oro
