Provisions & Sundries

the finest quality provviste

A Slice of History & a Taste of Origin
January 30, 2012
Featured this week Aged Pecorino Toscano

Here at Panzano, we love outstanding wine and food. One way to ensure the highest quality of wine, for example, is through appellation. The concept of appellations derives from the wine world, where it serves to guarantee the quality of what’s in the bottle: A wine with DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata– translating to “controlled designation of origin”) on the label must be made in a specific area and following specific procedures. This keeps producers from outside a particular wine-producing region from calling their wine something that sells, for example, Chianti or Brunello.

However, the idea of appellation has spread throughout the world beyond wine to food as well. In Italy, DOP is parallel to their DOC classification for wine, but applies to various cheeses, meats, breads and pastas from throughout the various regions of Italy. This week we are featuring one of our favorite DOP items: Pecorino Toscano! This delicious firm-textured sheep’s milk cheese is produced in Tuscany and has enjoyed protected designation of origin since 1996.

Pecorino Toscano is made throughout Tuscany, though production is concentrated in the hills of the Maremma, the beautiful area that extends from Siena on down to the coast. Made from Tuscan grazing sheep’s milk, Pecorino Toscano has at least a two- thousand-year history. Pliny the Elder, an ancient Roman author, philosopher, and army commander of the early Roman Empire, describes several stages in the production of Pecorino Toscano in one of his famous works. In his writings he names it Lunense, after the territory of Lunigiana, which today is western Tuscany.

Aside from its rich and extensive history, Pecorino Toscano is a wonderful table cheese that pairs well with big Tuscan red wines. It is also excellent shaved on salads just as we do on our Insalata Verde. With 12 months of aging, Pecorino Toscano becomes firm and slightly sharp, though it never approaches the sharpness or the saltiness of Pecorino Romano. It’s slightly creamy and distinctive walnutty overtones balance its sweetness and give added complexity to the flavor of the cheese. Aged Pecorino Toscano can be grated, but it also works quite nicely in thin slices with fruit or honey.

Come to Panzano this week to taste the amazing Aged Pecorino Toscano. One bite and you are guaranteed to understand how excellent this certified Tuscan cheese truly is!

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About Our Provisions

Our shelves are stocked with the finest provisions (provviste), many organic and produced in limited quantity on small, centuries old, family operated establishments throughout Italy and the world.

We also carry beautiful goods like cookware, linens and utensils to name only a few; and support New England food artisans including cheesemakers, chocolatieurs, bakers, wine makers, dairies, and more.

Our inventory is always changing with new products arriving daily.