Raw-milk Pecorino Cheese "Gioia del Pastore" (Sheperd's joy) - 400/800/1600g

This pecorino cheese by Andrea De’ Magi is called “gioia del pastore”, the shepherd’s joy, because it embodies the love and devotion that the shepherd and affineur put into their work and into the care for their flocks. This pecorino cheese comes from an artisan dairy where young people are devoted to this hard but gratifying job. This cheese is completely handmade and the end product quality also depends on the well-being of sheep providing the raw material: the flocks live in optimal hygiene conditions and are continuously tended. “La gioia del pastore” is a raw-milk pecorino cheese, but the secret behind its success lies in the washing process which is carried out in a particular way, giving the cheese a truly unique flavour.

The care and excellent work of the shepherd are complemented by the skills of Andrea De’ Magi, a very successful cheese refiner. Andrea always make sure that his cheeses age in the best ripening conditions and combines traditional natural techniques, such as using caves to let cheeses age in, with modern technologies, in order to always guarantee the best quality and the respect of hygiene standards.

The raw-milk pecorino “Gioia del pastore”, which has a rind with a different consistency and is hence called “bucciato”, has won many awards: in 2012 it was awarded best raw-milk farm cheese in the national contest ALMA CASEUS and in 2016 it came third in the farm cheese category during the same contest. “La gioia del pastore” is characterised by a cream and fresh butter smell with grass notes, as well as a slightly salty flavour. It is ideal as part of a cheese platter, together with a pasteurised-milk cheese which can best enhance its excellent sensory properties.