In the crotto at San Giovanni in Chiavenna, Eleonora and Sofia reveal the fine arts of cheese maturation which has made their business a local flag-bearer.
Maturation represents an essential step in the highly complex and structured process of cheese production. It’s a delicate phase which fundamentally determines the quality of the seasoned product. And this crucial importance is clearly not lost on Eleonora and Sofia Del Curto. The business was created in 1969 by parents Antonio and Luigia and from the outset specialised in the maturation of cheeses selected personally from the very highest quality sources. “The secret is the crotto in which the maturation takes place,” explains Sofia succinctly. Crotti are the natural cavities in rocks within which a light cool breeze (the sorèl) flows throughout the year and thus maintains a constant temperature. A vast natural refrigerator, perfect for conservation of a range of products. And just like people, a crotto with its particular “sorèl” has its own peculiar character. Temperature, humidity, location are all factors which combine to determine its uniqueness. Some are ideal for the storage and ageing of wines. Others for the production of bresaola and cured meats. And some designated for cheese. Like that of Del Curto in the San Giovanni neighbourhood at the foot of the slopes up to Pianazzola and considered an outstanding example. Here the full
cheeses mature for up to ten months. Just enough to allow the perfect fermentation of the sugars and the decomposition of proteins and fats which naturally make up the cheese. Cheeses are aged for either weeks or months depending on the type of maturation required. Within this protected environment it’s a labour of love: expert hands “pamper” the cheese, cleaning, turning and caressing each and every. “It’s a veritable passion” Eleonora confides, “inherited from our father, and it’s inextricably tied to the crotto here at San Giovanni, where nature herself provides all the magic”. How can you argue with that? Today
the Del Curto brand of cheeses are among the most sought-after dairy products both locally and way beyond. Find out for yourself the fruits of this particular magic either at the markets in Chiavenna or surrounds - just look for the famous red trademark
