“Renato Brancaleoni learned the craft of aging cheese from his father, who started in Italy in 1937, but he has taken the techniques in new directions. Mr. Brancaleoni is from Roncofreddo, in the Emilia-Romagna region. He buys young cheeses, often pecorino, and carefully ages them in caves or in huge terra cotta containers. But instead of sticking only to cheeses made nearby, as tradition dictates, he brings them in from elsewhere, often the high Dolomites. They may be coated with olive oil and ashes or wrapped in walnut leaves. Or he might enclose them in hay, chestnut leaves or even crushed blackberries or beeswax. Each of his cheeses has a different aroma, flavor and texture but offers a balance of richness and acidity.”
Florence Fabricant, New York Times