This presentation in Microsoft Power Point concerns one of the most typical types of cheese in the south of Italy, the "caciocavallo podolico". This cheese is produced by an agricultural cooperative called Molara in the old town center of a small village, Zungoli, in the Province of Avellino. The first slide has not been uploaded correctly.

1. Caciocavallo
podolico
AMONG MYTHS, STORIES AND TRADITIONS OF THE PASTORAL CULTURE

2. Why “caciocavallo”?
Pear-shaped and roundheaded, this typical dairy
product (cacio) owns its name to the unusual
ligature of each couple of products through a
string, so as to allow each couple to be tied and
seasoned on horseback (cavallo) of a floorboard.
Why “podolico”?
This adjective refers to the milk from which they
get this type of cheese, deriving from a cow race
called “podolic”.

4. A podolic bull in the myth of Europa and Zeus
According to the most ancient iconographic
evidence, the bull in the myth of Europa is believed
to be “podolic”. Zeus, fallen in love with
Europa, daughter of the king Agenor, had to resort
to a trick in order to kidnap her.
While Europa was gathering flowers, she saw the
bull, caressed his flanks, and eventually got onto his
back. Zeus took that opportunity and ran to the sea
and swam, with her on his back, to the island of
Crete. He then revealed his true identity, and
Europa became the first queen of Crete, giving birth
to Minos.

5. Europa riding a bull, detail from Europa Chalice
Due to Asteas, about 300 BC (Paestum, near Naples).

7. The milking process
The milking is regarded as the first procedure, highly
complicated, considering that these cows give only
their veals milk. The cattleman can therefore draw
the milk from just one nipple, so long as the veal sips
the milk from the other one.
If the veal sips too much milk, the cattleman chase it
away by using a riding whip. This can happen over
and over again, until the cattleman’s bucket is full.

9. The curdle
The milk gathered in buckets gets poured into cans.
From these cans, through a cotton filter, the milk gets
put in a tub and then, using another filter, in a big
copper kettle, hanging from a hook of a
turntable, making its move on the fire much easier.
When the temperature of the milk reaches about
38°C, it gets put in the tub again. Once in the tub, we
add a small quantity of buttermilk of the day before
and then kid rennet. After about half an hour, we
obtain the curdle.

11. The ricotta
The buttermilk gets put
on the fire again, until
its temperature reaches
about 80°C, in order to
obtain the ricotta.
The butter
In the meantime, the
ricotta making process
begins, in order to obtain
butter, that will be
contained in churns.

13. The final process
The solid mixture remains well-covered in the
tub, until it gets stringy. After that, we put it on the
table, so as to be cleaned and cut to big pieces.
Immersed in a tub of hot water (about 80°C), the
mixture can eventually be moulded by hand, in order
to obtain its typical shape.
The new born “caciocavallo” gets therefore solidified
in the cold water for a couple of hours and then
immersed in the brine, where it will remain for a
variable amount of time, according to its size and
shape.

15. TWO TYPES OF “CACIOCAVALLO”
Middle-aged “caciocavallo
podolico”
Weight: about1.8 kg
Aging: 4-12 months
Long-aged “caciocavallo
podolico”
Weight: about1.6 kg
Aging: 18-24 months

16. P.A.T. Denomination
Our “caciocavallo podolico” is a type of cheese
belonging to an ancient tradition and it is typical
among the hills and mountains, so much so that it has
been recognised as a Traditional Agricultural and Food
Product (P.A.T.) by the regional council of Campania
(G.U. n.149 del 30/06/2009).

17. Combinations
It is ideal when combined with white wines, such as
a bottle of Greco di Tufo or Fiano di Avellino, if this
type of cheese is sweet and middle-aged; or with red
wines, such as a bottle of Taurasi or Aglianico
Irpino, if this cheese is aromatic and spicy. It can
also be combined with honey, acacia and chestnut
honey in particular. Finally, the long-aged
“caciocavallo podolico” is flawless if served along
with mold wines, such as the “Sauternes”, or straw
wines, such as that one of Pantelleria.

18. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
KIND
ATTENTION.

19. Slides by Eugenio Molinario
Media management – E: eugenio.molinario@hotmail.com