pecorino cheese

The term Pecorino designates each of the six Italian cheeses (Romano, Toscano, Sardo, Filiano, Crotonese and Siciliano) that are thus designated as being produced entirely from sheep’s milk. Note that the names correspond to Italian regions or provinces. Also note that American cheeses that are also called Pecorino are derived from cow’s milk because the American dairy system and American tastes are based on cow’s milk.

As a member of the European Union, Italy acquired legal protection for the process of making Pecorino cheeses. Pecorino Romano, for example, a cheese developed as a key component of the diet of Roman soldiers, is still hand-salted as it ages, just as it was during the days of the Roman Empire. Variants of these cheeses exist, mainly due to village traditions of adding some kind of nut, truffle, or honey to the cheese. Some additives boldly intersect with the “What are you thinking?” category, such as the variant called Casu Marzu, in which the larvae of a fly (the cheese fly) embed themselves in the cheese to cause the cheese to ferment. Casu Marzu literally means “rotten cheese”.

Americans are most familiar with Pecorino Romano. It is usually labeled as shredded romano cheese. It is sprinkled on Italian dishes in the same way that Parmesan cheese is applied. Romano is saltier and sharper, and more of both the longer the cheese wheel is aged. Apparently, Roman soldiers appreciated those qualities that aging produced.

I found three references to cheese or curds (curdled goat’s milk) in the Christian Bible. Butter is mentioned more frequently, but cheese does not appear to have been a staple in the Hebrew or Arab diets. As mentioned, the Romans made and supplied cheese to their soldiers’ food rations. Roman government and soldiers were common in Judea during the time of Jesus’ ministry. So, the Hebrews knew him as a provision that came with his conqueror and supported him. However, a verse from the Old Testament of the Bible reveals a different conclusion about cheese.

Web search 1 Samuel 17:8. The Book of Samuel was written by Samuel, the Hebrew prophet who lived between 1070 and 1012 BC (the number of years before the birth of Jesus the Christ). Samuel’s time was during the first dynasty of the Hebrew kings (Saul) and over 500 years before the Romans had an empire. The Hebrew people had occupied the land of Canaan that God had promised them, colonizing the land to raise and herd livestock, mainly goats, and to cultivate crops. Perhaps cheese, a by-product of goat’s milk, was accepted and used by them.