"Mascalzone" (Rascal) Pecorino Reserve - 500/1000/2000 g

Winner of the award for Italy’s best aged pecorino cheese in 2014  in the national contest “Trofeo San Lucio” and of the silver medal at the World Cheese Awards 2017-2018 in London, this aged pecorino cheese is a real scene stealer. Its name "Mascalzone" (the rascal) means a cheeky and lively boy in Tuscan dialect and refers to its slightly rebellious character: for instance, its shape is irregular and not perfectly cylindrical, since it is formed in old-fashioned cheese moulds and not in modern plastic baskets.

"Mascalzone" is considered a reserve cheese, because it is refined for at least 12 months on wooden planks in the caves of the refiner Andrea De' Magi. Andrea De' Magi has built two caves on its premises, because their temperature and humidity rate make them an ideal place to age cheese. The “Mascalzone”’s rind is treated with oil and vinegar and the pecorino is turned over every week, until it reaches its peak maturation. This shows the meticulous care and attention that Andrea De' Magi devotes to his cheeses, which is reflected in the excellent quality of his products. 

The "Mascalzone" cheese has a brown rind - because it is treated with oil and vinegar - and a hard paste which is compact but crumbly. Its smell is characterised by notes of butter and toasted dried fruit, as well as a pronounced animal odour. Its flavour is very sapid and gets more intense as maturation progresses, although it remains pleasant and harmonious, as well as very persistent. It is a very versatile cheese, perfect as a starter, shaved on a meat carpaccio or grated on pasta.