I was renamed as "the grain of the poor", but in reality it is one of the most noble and typical products of the province of Brescia. Come and discover the scents and history that are inside “Bagòss”, the typical cheese of Val di Caffaro, which is made only in the small town of Bagolino, a few kilometers from Lake Idro and reachable from the Brescia Est junction of the A4 motorway and from here climbing north for about 60 kilometers.

In the 28 dairies where Bagòss is produced, you will discover a centuries-old tradition, where the production of mountain cheese, made with cow's milk, meets the history of the Republic of Venice. When you taste a piece of it, you will in fact wonder why a product from the Alps can have a saffron flavor. The answer lies precisely in history: Bagolino was the last bulwark of the Serenissima and the Venetians brought here two diferent traditions: the carnival and the use of saffron. This is why this cheese here is so unique: the yellow color is due to the use of this spice whose flavor is added to the intense one of the aged milk. You will feel a very intense flavor, tending to spicy, if the product has matured for a long time.

Bagòss also represents the name by which the inhabitants of Bagolino are called. The recipe has been carried out for centuries strictly following a document. Only raw milk of brown-alpine cow is used and it is in the moment the curd is broken the cheesemaker inserts a teaspoon of saffron, then leaving the large wheels to rest for a period of at least twelve months. During this time the crust takes its classic ocher brown color also thanks to a treatment with pasteurized linseed oil.

Once tasted individually, feel the Bagòss also in its traditional recipes starting with the “mereconde”, typical Bagolino mountain gnocchi made with bread and grated cheese, eggs and parsley, cooked in chicken soup. Or the egg pasta ravioli with a filling of risotto alla parmigiana, ricotta, mascarpone and Bagòss inside. And also in this case the typical flavor and the hint of saffron will be surely felt! Get ready to organize a trip to discover the beauty of Lake Idro and taste its specialties: you will not be disappointed!

 

A land to discover:

Food and wine: Hot ravioli with Bagòss with herb butter or the typical Mereconde

History: The last mountain bulwark of the Republic of Venice

Territory: Bagolino and the Caffaro Valley, a few kilometers from Lake Idro.

 

Credits:  bagossbagolino.it