Juni

Producer

Rosso Family

Country

Italy

Region

Piedmont

Size

4 ins diameter, 6 ins high

Weight

1 lb

Website

Milk

Cow

Classification

Firm

Rennet

Animal

Rind

Natural

The Rosso family, makers of Juni, have been producing cheese near Biella in Piedmont, Italy, since the 19th century. Juni is made from raw cow's milk and with the addition of juniper berries to the curd. Juniper grows wild in the region and has long been utilized in Piedmontese cooking. The berries used for the production of Juni are harvested locally from the mountains. The cheese is made in in the Toma Brusca style, meaning that for production, fresh milk is left to rest for several hours to acidify slowly and naturally. This forms the curd to which the berries are added just prior to the mix being ladled into molds. After unmolding, the cheeses are transferred to a maturing room where they remain for at least two months before release. The format of Juni is that of a small cylinder, weighing approximately 2lbs. The interior texture is dark ivory in color, crumbly and dotted with the juniper berries. Flavors are idiosyncratic, all at once spicy, rich and tangy with a mineral quality.