A dairy treasure rediscovered: the cheese that made history
Only the most passionate cheese lovers and true experts know that this rare cheese, now virtually extinct, is considered by many sources to be the progenitor of all products belonging to its category. Each form weighs about 50 kg, is made exclusively with local, zero-mile milk, without preservatives, and undergoes a minimum maturation period of two years. A distinctive ingredient? The addition of saffron.
Bella Lodi wanted to bring this dairy excellence back to light, faithfully following the ancient recipe and respecting the original methods, ingredients and characteristics. This cheese is officially recognized as a Traditional Agri-food Product (PAT), registered in the regional and national list of Lombardy based on the Ministerial Decree of 8 September 1999. 350.
Its roots go back to the Middle Ages, when the Cistercian monks of the Cerreto Abbey produced it in the lower Lodi plain. Production is intentionally very limited and numbered, making each form an authentic object of desire for a lucky few. A symbol of excellence in the Italian food and wine tradition.
The territory and the origins
Near the Adda River, where the land drops sharply due to glaciations, is the Cerreto Abbey, an ancient medieval agricultural reclamation center. It is precisely here, between the two banks of the Adda in its middle and lower reaches (up to the confluence with the Po), that Bella Lodi is born. The production area also includes the basin of the Serio River, which flows into the Adda south of Crema.
The production process
Fresh milk is poured into large, low basins to allow the cream to rise naturally. Once partially skimmed, it is heated and enriched with whey starter, a culture of ferments similar to that of yogurt. The milk is then transferred to traditional copper boilers and coagulated with natural rennet.
The curd that forms is cut manually with a sprocket until it becomes granules as small as rice grains. The temperature is then raised to cook the mass, which is then left to rest and cool. After about an hour, the mixture is collected in linen cloths and hung to drain.
Afterwards, it is placed in cylindrical molds (the fascere) to give the final shape. After a few days, the forms are immersed in brine for a month, then dried and transferred to the maturing warehouses, where they remain for over 24 months, in the dark and at a constant temperature.
During the long maturation process, the master cheesemakers take great care of each form: they turn them, clean them, brush them and check their evolution also using the traditional hammer, an instrument that, by hitting the form, reveals its state of maturation through sound.
At the end of the process, only the forms that pass rigorous controls become Bella Lodi. These are covered with the characteristic black crust, according to the ancient custom of grana cheeses such as Lodigiano, Parmigiano and Grana Padano.
Quality guaranteed
Bella Lodi boasts a certified production chain, which guarantees complete control over each phase: from the origin of the raw materials to the finished product. The milk comes exclusively from selected farms within a radius of 50 km from the dairy.
Lactose free, naturally
Thanks to the selection of lactic ferments developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture of the Catholic University of Milan, the lactose present in the milk is completely transformed into lactic acid during fermentation and maturation. The analyses confirm that the residual lactose content is less than 0.01g/100g, a value below the minimum detectable threshold.
According to the European directive 2006/114/CE, a product can be defined as “lactose-free” if the content does not exceed 10 mg/100 kcal. Bella Lodi falls perfectly within this parameter and is therefore also suitable for those who suffer from lactose intolerance.
Highly digestible and genuine
Bella Lodi is not only a cheese with a unique taste, but it is also highly digestible and perfect for all ages, especially children and the elderly. Recognized for its purity and nutritional quality, it has obtained certification from SGS, a global leader in inspection and verification services. This certification attests to the origin of the milk, the control of the supply chain and the total absence of lactose.
