Toma piemontese

Characteristics

Production zone

Provinces of Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Torino and Vercelli, and some communes in the provinces of Alessandria and Asti.

Characteristics

Half-cooked cheese made of cow’s milk, fat or half-fat, with half-hard dough.

Shape and dimensions

Cylindric shape, with a diameter of 15 to 35 cm; 6 to 12 cm high. A mould weighs 1,8 to 8 kilos. Elastic and smooth rind, pale yellow or dark red, depending on the kind and the seasoning.

Looks of the dough

It’s pale yellow, soft if the cheese is made of full-fat milk, half-hard if the milk was only half-fat.

History

According to someone, the name Toma comes from the french “Tom “Tomme”, that indicate similar cheeses made in the Savoie.

According to others, it comes from the piemontese “tuma”, that means “fall” (the fall of the caseine in the making of the cheese).

In the “Summa Lacticiniorum” (477) Pantaleone da Confienza wrote a whole chapter about the “Formaggío delle Valli di Lanzo e delle Valli circonvicine”.

Production technique

It’s made of cow’s milk. For the half fat Toma the milk is skimmed. Then it is put in a boiler and warmed up to 32-35°C with veal rennet. After 30-40 minutes it is broken and often warmed up again at 45-48°C. Then it is pressed.

It seasons at least 25 days,

Taste and smell

Delicate milk and cream floavours if the milk was ful fat, intense and fragrant if the milk was half fat. The taste is sweet if the milk was fat, intense and aromatic if the milk was half fat.

How to eat it

Alone.

Recommended wines

Dolcetto d’Alba, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Roero.

Classification

Official classification: Decree 10/05/1993.

Denominazione di Origine Protetta: Reg. (CE) n. 1263 del 01/07/1996.