Description
The Jihoceská Niva PGI is a marbled cheese from transformed caw's milk from Southern Bohemia, in particular from the Sumava hills.
Production Area
The production area of Jihoceská Niva PGI covers the region of southern Bohemia.
Production Method
the milk is put in devices, which are suitable to process cheese, with cultures which ensure a good acidification like Penicillium roqueforti that gives Jihoceská Niva PGI its peculiar taste. The cheese clusters, which are obtained after curdling, are put in moulds. Later, the whey is eliminated and the microfiber develops at a controlled temperature. Salting is made in two phases, the first in brine and the second with cooking salt which is rubbed directly on the mould. The ripening lasts at least four weeks in cellars equipped with control devices of temperature and humidity. At the end of ripening, the mould is washed and the rind is rubbed, and then it is packed in aluminium foils or in special oxygen-resistant foils. Packaging must take place directly at the production factory to allow easier product traceability.
Appearance and Flavour
Jihoceská Niva PGI has the shape of a wheel, with a diameter of 180-200 mm, a height of about10 cm and a weight of about 2.8 kg. The surface can be cream to light brown in colour and is marked externally by the rind's washing and rubbing. The dough colour spans from cream white to butter white, with a green-bluish marbling and visible crosswise signs. The cheese is sweet and friable, with a homogeneous seasoning. The taste is salty, spicy and aromatic with a sharp hint which is typical of Penicillium roqueforti.
History
The name of Jihoceská Niva PGI derives from the Sumava meadows and pastures, from which comes the milk. This cheese has been produced since 1951 in the dairy of Ceský Krumlov by using the same production method. The only change to the processing method was made in 2005 and consists of the construction of air conditioned, seasoning cellars which were necessary due to the growth in production. In the past, on the contrary, ripening took place only in natural caverns, excavated in calcareous rocks.
Gastronomy
The Jihoceská Niva PGI must be stored at a temperature between 4 and 8°C. It can be tasted with meat and bread or as an ingredient of tasteful recipes as, for example, pasta with chicken and cheese, stuffed vegetables, in particular potatoes, aubergine and tomato rolls or bean salad with yoghurt.
Marketing
The product is sold whole, in a semi-round mould weighing 1.2 kg, and in slices with a weight of 115-220 gr. It is packed in aluminium foils or in special oxygen-resistant paper sheets which cover the entire surface. The slices are packed in plastic trays covered with printed plastic sheets. The name and address of the producer are written on the packaging.
Distinctive Features
Jihoceská Niva PGI is produced from milk coming from caws farmed in pastures of the protected areas of Novohradské Hory, Blanský les and Sumava, located in one of the most unpolluted regions of the Czech Republic. The area flaunts a varied flora which includes short-stalk trees and lots of local varieties which give the milk a very characteristic taste.
