Pecorino Ginepro Cheese

Pecorino Ginepro made in San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy. Daniel Wanke / Pixabay.com / 2017 / CC0 1.0

Pecorino Ginepro is a specialty pecorino cheese lightly flavoured with juniper berries (“bacche di ginepro“).

It is aromatic, and is eaten in small amounts as part of an appetizer platter, shavings on top of dishes, etc.

The cheese is off-white, firm, and somewhat crumbly.

Some producers may use pecorino cheeses that have been made with pasteurized milk.

The size of the cheeses will vary.

Production

This is a finishing process applied to pecorino cheeses.

The cheese can be made using a pecorino cheese from any area in Italy: e.g. Romano, Sardo, etc.

The processing can be different depending on the region of Italy.

Emilia-Romagna Pecorino Ginepro

This is the version that most food writers will mention.

In Emilia-Romagna, the cheeses are aged a minimum of four months. During the first month of aging, they are washed with whey several times. After that period, they are then washed with oil and balsamic vinegar, which is a specialty of the region, rubbed with juniper wood ash, then aged with juniper berries sprinkled on top. The final wash is just oil and balsamic vinegar. ^[1]Fletcher, Janet. A juniper crown makes this pecorino a royal treat. San Francisco, California: San Francisco Chronicle. 15 April 2004. Accessed April 2022 at https://www.sfgate.com/food/cheesecourse/article/A-juniper-crown-makes-this-pecorino-a-royal-treat-2792979.php

After that, the cheeses are let stand 10 days, then sold on.

The balsamic vinegar taste comes through in just a hint of sweetness, and the juniper taste is very understated.

The rind is dark, mouldy, and sticky from the vinegar.

Pecorino Ginepro made elsewhere

In other parts of Italy, local pecorinos from those areas will be used. No balsamic vinegar is used in the aging; rather, the cheeses are just aged with juniper berries on them.

There is a suggestion that some producers at least wrap the cheese in paper first before aging with the berries. ^[2]”Maturation takes place right under the juniper berries, so the cheese is imbued with the juniper’s aromas without losing its character. In order to preserve the berries over the crust , the cheese is wrapped in yellow paper.” — Pecorino Ginepro (Toscana, Umbria). Brisbane, CA: Fresca Italia. Accessed April 2022 at https://www.frescaitalia.com/product/pecorino-ginepro

Language Notes

“Ginepro” means “juniper”.