pressa delle Giudicarie is a low-fat, naturally fermented cheese made with skim cow's milk. It comes in 1.4-2 lbs cylindrical forms, 10-12" in diameter and 3-5" thick. Its crust is brownish gray or dark ocher. The compact, yet elastic, interior is dotted with small- to medium-sized holes and is white or light straw in color.
The Spressa delle Giudicarie is one of the most ancient types of cheese from the Alpine region. It belongs to the local tradition of homemade cheeses that were once upon a time prepared in the farmhouses in the valleys. It has always been considered a low-fat cheese. The peasants, in fact, used to skim the milk as much as possible in order to obtain the greatest quantity of butter, which was once a more precious product than the cheese itself, and prepared the cheese for their own use with the remaining milk.
The Spressa today has a higher fat content than its predecessors; however, it still remains a low-fat cheese ideal for healthy diets.
Its organoleptic qualities derive from the centuries-old methods used in its preparation, the pasture on which the cows are fed, the species of the cows whose milk is used to produce the Spressa, and the characteristics of the Alpine environment in which the entire production cycle takes place.
The Spressa must be consumed "young." It is an ideal match for the culinary specialties of Trentino, like polenta.
