Cheeses

The significance of this cheese’s name is much debated. According to some, ‘Piacintinu’ means ‘cheese that pleases (piace)’, while others claim it means ‘cheese that weeps (piange)’ due to the fact that drops of serum are sometimes present in the fresh forms. It could also mean a cheese ‘to be ripened’ like the northern Italian Grana cheeses, since ‘Piacentino’ was the traditional name given to Grana. In fact, although the current trend is to eat it fresh, Piacintinu is well adapted to a lengthy ripening process. Its most obvious characteristic is the abundant addition of wild saffron and peppercorns to the curd, giving it a unique color and flavor. The sheep used for its production feed mainly on vetch, a leguminous plant, which confers its own distinctive flavor to the milk.