Description
The Gailtaler Almkäse PDO is a cheese made exclusively from cow's and goat's milk from the pastures of Gailtal. The goat's milk does not exceed 10% of total milk.
Production Area
The Gailtaler Almkäse PDO production area extends along the slopes of the mountains to the north and south of the Gail Valley in the federal state of Carinthia in an area defined by the towns of Kötschach Mauthen, Dellach, Kirchbach, Hermagor, Gitschtal, Weissensee, St. Stefan im Gail, Feistritz an der Gail and Hohenthurn.
Production Method
Cow's and goat's milk from two daily milkings is used for the production of Gailtaler Almkäse PDO. During the night the milk rests and is cooled in round wooden containers at a temperature varying between 12°C and 17°C. The processing starts with the addition of the milk from the morning milking and the heating to 32°C, the temperature at which the natural rennet is added. The curd produced is then cut into cubes and then crushed into lumps. The mixture obtained is then cooked at 50-52°C, mixed for about 45 minutes and placed into moulds, where it is pressed and turned many times during the day. After a couple of days it is immersed in brine for further two or three days, until the rind forms. The maturing period lasts a minimum of seven weeks.
Appearance and Flavour
Gailtaler Almkäse PDO has a wheel shape and a dry, hard and yellow rind. The paste has a smooth texture, with sparse evenly spaced holes, a colour tending to a straw yellow and a fresh and very pleasant taste reminiscent of mountain herbs.
History
The origins of Gailtaler Almkäse PDO are closely linked to the traditional production of cheese in the Alpine region of the Gail Valley, dating back to the 14th century. A document dated 1876 gives a detailed description of the mountain agricultural situation in the Gail valley in the middle of the 19thn century. Valuable information about the reasons why the production of cheese thrived in the Gail Valley can be ascertained from this testimony, which shows the analysis of specific geographical and geological areas of the Alps, weather data and the botanical species present in the area.
Gastronomy
Gailtaler Almkäse PDO is preserved best in its original wrapper, making sure it is stored in a cool and dry place. It is consumed fresh, either alone or as an ingredient in appetizers and main courses, often accompanied with sliced meats. It is also used in the preparation of Gaitaler Käsetorte: the typical Gailtaler Almkäse PDO based cake that is served hot or warm.
Marketing
The product is sold as Gailtaler Almkäse PDO. It is marketed in a whole form or in slices that are vacuum packed or packed in a protected atmosphere.
Distinctive Features
The unspoiled nature and the climate, that characterize the pastures of the beautiful Gailtal valley, allow the development of a particular vegetation that affect the characteristics of the milk that is produced and that gives the Gailtaler Almkäse PDO its distinctiveness.
