Castelmagno is a cheese which has been made for centuries. The earliest known mention of it dates back to 1277. In our lifetime, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the cheese re-emerged in popularity culminating in 1996 with a DOP (Denomination of Protected Origin) which restricts the production to three communes of the Upper Valle Grana, the south west of the Province of Cuneo. These communes are Castelmagno, Monterosso Grana and Pradleves, where there are only 12 producers that make about 6,000-7,000 wheels annually.

In 2002, the jury of the World Championship Cheese Contest that took place at Madison, Wisconsin, named it the #1 cheese among the category “Open Class Hard Cheeses”.

Castelmagno is a semi-hard, half-fat cheese produced from whole cows milk, obtained from cattle of the Piedmontese breed fed on fresh forage or hay from mixed meadows or pasture. On occasion some milk from sheep or goats may be added to the cows’ milk.

The taste is often described as similar to that of a young, semi-hard Parmesan with a similar texture, though flakier in consistency and can sometimes be crumbly. It has a tart, mild nutty taste and is a good cheese to use for grating or adding small pieces to appetizers as a topping.

My personal experience with this unique and delicious cheese is when I used it for the mantecatura in my Barolo risotto. This suggestion I got from Giorgio Locatelli (though not personally!) as normally Parmesan is used in making risotto. I think it is the combination of the robust, earthly flavor of the Barolo wine combined with this cheese from the same area that makes for a wonderful taste sensation. The cheese is also great eaten with just a drizzle of honey and some fortified wine.

It is a hard to find Castelmagno outside of Italy, more specifically Piemonte, but if you have a cheese specialty shop, ask them if they can get you some. And if you stay with us at TorreBarolo you can try it in any restaurant nearby. You won’t be disappointed with its unique flavor. A great selection of Castelmagno’s pictures and recipes can be found on our Fan Page on Facebook.

If you are holidaying in the Langhe Valley for a week, you might want to include some sites a bit further afield. I thought it might be helpful to do a series of blogs posts on day trip destinations. I chose Saluzzo as my first destination as the view driving towards Saluzzo with Monviso (3,800 meters/12K feet) in the background is stunning in the winter.  As you drive towards Saluzzo, the rolling terraced hills of the Langhe ebb away and the landscape becomes flat and is covered in fruit orchards of an extensive variety (apples, pears, kiwi, and peaches). 

Local fruit produce is the pride of Saluzzo and dominate the “el mercà d’le fômne” (the women’s market) which is held every Saturday in the quaint setting of Via Volta. Other noteworthy products are the white Saluzzo Hen, which is high acclaimed and promoted by the Slow Food organization, as well as many excellent local cheeses from the nearby valley such as Castelmagno D.O.P and Toma d’Elva.
With a population of 17K, Saluzzo is half the size of Alba, but the many large piazzas and shopping arcades (under the canopy of arches), makes it feel bigger than Alba.

A very pleasant afternoon could be spent walking through the many shopping arcades and streets of this beautiful walled medieval city and when you need a break, the city has many cafes that are perfect for people watching. If you are hungry for some culture, the Saluzzo tourist site (which is also in English) has three excellent walking tours with maps showing the route. For example, the tour titled “Door to Door” walks you past all the noteworthy architectural and historic buildings. The other two tours are “The 19th Century” and “The Walk of the Marquis”.

A day trip wouldn’t be complete without a wonderful lunch and I have just the place. A few years back on my very first visit to Saluzzo, I lunched at La Gargotta del Pellico and I can still remember the meal – Silvio Pellico was a patriot and writer was born in Saluzzo in 1789. The restaurant is hard to find as it is tucked away in the ancient city streets, but don’t let that put you off. When we finally found it, it was 2pm on the dot and I was worried they wouldn’t seat me and my sister for lunch, as typically 2pm is the cut off for any orders to the kitchen.

Thankfully the combination of my attempt to explain in Italian how I was lost, our mini-skirts (it was 85 degrees) and both being blonde may have helped and we were seated in an elegant dining room (with air-conditioning ).

One thing you will realize after staying a few days in the Langhe is that the menus at the restaurants are all very similar, however, just an hour away in Saluzzo you will find a refreshing new selection of Italian delicacies to enjoy. I remember for a starter my sister had a lovely lightly fried stuffed zucchini flower whereas I remember my main was fresh egg pasta with the most delicious duck (or was it boar) ragu I had ever had. For dessert we had fresh peach gelato that actually came stuffed in a frozen peach.

There is much to explore and writing this blog makes me want to be sure to get back on my next visit down to TorreBarolo.

Sites:

• The Cathedral, built in the years 1491-1501 and dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and San Chiaffredo;
• The church of San Giovanni, hosting the finely sculpted sepulchre of marquis Ludwig II;
• Villa Belvedere, once the hunting residence of the Saluzzo Marquisses;
• Casa Cavassa, a symbol of the Renaissance with its 15 magnificent rooms, hosting the Civic Museum.

Saluzzo is 49km from Barolo and should take a bit under an hour by car. To reach Saluzzo, head back towards the A6 Autostrada and take the exit Bra/Marene.  Head towards Savigliano and the SP662.