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Tuscany is famous worldwide for its wine and olive oil, however, the people of Tuscany have lots of other food products to be proud of. One of the best things that are made Tuscany is the Pecorino cheese. The Pecorino is made of ewe's milk (pecora in Italian means sheep), and is also typical of more southern regions of Italy.

The Pecorino used to be considered a simple peasant's food, and was eaten as a snack with some bread and wine. Now it has become part of the best kitchens in Italy.

Pecorino types vary by the area of production, degree of ripeness and the way they were treated. The new Pecorino ripens for about 2-4 weeks. It is mild, and not very hard. The center of it can be creamy. The medium is sold after two months of ripening. As it ripens the taste gets sharper and the cheese is harder. Very ripe Pecorino that has matured for six months is usually used for grating over dishes, the same way Parmesan is used.

The different colors of the cheese depend on the way the crust was treated while the cheese was ripening. Some producers use tomato concentrate, so the color becomes red. This is usually a sign of cheese from the area of Siena. Others use edible charcoal to give the cheese grey - black color. If the cheese was placed in walnut leaves while ripening, it is brown.

Other areas of Italy have more ways of treating the cheese, such as burying it in trenches filled with special ashes.

The Tuscany Pecorino is protected by DOP council - something like DOC for wine. It makes sure that only cheese that comes from the right area and the right process is sold as Pecorino Toscano.

The taste of the Pecorino is strongly influenced by the diet of the sheep, so the herds are allowed to feed in large areas full of herbs that give the cheese a special flavor depending on the area.

The Pecorino cheese is produced in Tuscany from December to August. The best areas in Tuscany for Pecorino are near Siena, in the Maremma, and in Chianti near Cortona and Casentino.

So - Which Pecorino is the best? All the experts agree that the best pecorino does not come from Tuscany, but from Lazio (the area of Rome) it is called Pecorino Romano. The Pecorino Romano is a cooked cheese that matures for at least 8 months, and contains 36% fat. It has a strong salty flavor, and it is a hard cheese.

This article will not be complete without a recipe:

Leek with Pecorino and olive oil
Ingredients:
8 leeks, olive oil, 5 tbsp. grated Pecorino
Preparation:
Clean the leeks and leave only the white part. In a pan, cover the leeks with olive oil and cook on a very low heat, not allowing to boil. After about an hour remove the leeks from the pot and cool. Cut each leek lengthwise into 4 sticks. Separate the leaves, put on a plate and sprinkle with the cheese.