Pecorino Camomilla
- Producer
- Paolo Farabegoli / Mitica
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Emilia Romagna
- Weight
- 2/3 lb
- Website
- forevercheese.com
- Milk
- Sheep
- Treatment
- Pasteurised
- Classification
- Firm
- Rennet
- Animal
- Rind
- Flavor Added
Herbed
For over 25 years, affineur Paolo Farabegoli has developed cheeses that pay homage to the rustic creations his grandmother would make. Inspired by the flavors and aromas of Paolo’s family traditions, Pecorino Camomilla is a semi-firm sheep’s milk cheese that’s aged and coated in dried chamomile. The cheese—which is made in Italy and imported exclusively by New York’s Forever Cheese—is floral and light in flavor and has a striking appearance, dotted in little puffs of golden flowers.
Pecorino Camomilla is made in the summer, after sheep have grazed on the year’s most verdant grass and when the chamomile flowers are plentiful. After production, the newly-formed wheels mature in humid cells. They’re then put into beech crates, sealed, and coated. Though this particular Pecorino is covered in chamomile flowers, other options might be sprinkled with hemp or cornflower. This lends more than just a pretty look—the dried coating allows the cheese to retain a soft interior, while also giving it a delicate herbaceous aroma.
For another month, the wheels age in constantly changing levels of temperature and humidity to keep their internal moisture. When the cheese is removed from its crate, it’s cleaned and dried. In all, Pecorino Camomilla is aged for about 60 days. And as a final touch, just before shipment, the wheels receive another coat of aromatic chamomile. The resulting wheel is compact, with a smooth, ivory-colored paste enrobed in yellow flowers.
Tasting Notes
Like springtime in a wheel, Pecorino Camomilla tastes lush and creamy with a hint of herbal sweetness and notes of freshly cut apple. With its floral coating, it has a fragrant fruity aroma.
Pairings
Pair Pecorino Camomilla with ripe pears, orange blossom honey, and walnuts on a cheese plate. In a meal, shave onto bright fava beans or peas. To sip, we love to amp up those floral notes with a white that’s similarly fruity like a Sancerre.
