Mascarpone

Coffee mascarpone cream

Mascarpone (/ˌmæskɑrˈpoʊniː/, or /ˈmɑːskərpoʊn/; Italian: [maskarˈpoːne])[1] is an Italian cheese made from cream, coagulated by the addition of certain acidic substances, such as lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or acetic acid.[2][3][4] It is recognized as a Prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (traditional regional food product).[5]

Production process

After denaturation, the whey is removed without pressing or aging. Mascarpone may also be made using cream and the residual tartaric acid from the the bottom or sides of barreled wine.[6]

Mascarpone is milky-white in color and is easy to spread. It is used in various Lombardy dishes, and is considered a speciality in the region. It is one of the main ingredients in the modern Italian dessert known as Tiramisu, and is sometimes used instead of butter or Parmesan cheese to thicken and enrich risottos.

Origins

Mascarpone originated in the area between Lodi and Abbiategrasso, Italy, southwest of Milan, probably in the late 16th or early 17th century. The name is popularly held to derive from mascarpa, an unrelated milk product made from the whey of stracchino (a young, barely aged cheese), or from mascarpia, a word in the local dialect for ricotta. Ricotta, unlike mascarpone, is made from whey and in cooking can be a healthy alternative in texture and taste because of the fat content.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Voluptuous mascarpone enhances sweet or savory". Retrieved 1 March 2010.
  2. ↑ "Mascarpone Artigianale" (in Italian). Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  3. ↑ Turismo Provincia di Lodi (2004). "Mascarpone" (in Italian). Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  4. ↑ Tessa Buratto (2010). "Mastering Mascarpone: What it takes to make a perfect batch of Mascarpone Cheese". San Luis Obispo,CA. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Regione Lombardia. "Elenco dei prodotti agroalimentari tradizionali della Regione Lombardia – Quinta revisione" (PDF) (in Italian). p. 6. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  6. ↑ David B. Fankhauser. "Making Mascarpone at Home". U.C. Clermont College-Batavia,OH.
  7. ↑ Alberto J. Medina. "Healthy Substitute for Mascarpone Cheese". Retrieved 8 April 2015.

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