Mascarpone
Cheese
What It Is, How It's Made, How
You Can Make It
Substitutions, Where To Get It, Area Sources Wanted!
Mascarpone is a triple-creme cheese, made from a generally
low-fat (25%) content fresh cream. It's made from the
milk of cows that have been fed special grasses filled
with fresh herbs and flowers -- a special diet that
creates a unique taste often described as "fresh
and delicious." Mascarpone
is used as a specialty. It generally is used alone
(sometimes a bit of sugar is added) or in zabaglione.
Milky-white in color, it is a thick cream that is
easily spread. When fresh, it smells like milk and
cream, and often is used in place of butter to thicken
and enrich rissoti.
The cheese apparently originated
in the area between Lodi and Abbiategrasso, west and
south of Milan, probably in the late-16th or early-17th
century. Some say the name came from "mas que
bueno" (Spanish for "better than good"),
although this may only have been a judgement made
by a Spanish official when Lombardy was dominated
by Spain. It also may have come from "mascarpa,"
a milk produce made from the whey of stracchino or
aged cheese.
Or, it may have come from "mascarpia,"
the local dialect for ricotta, since both cheeses
are made by a virtually identical process. The thought
then, is that mascarpone originated as a by-product
from other cheeses.
Originally, it was produced in autumn
and winter for immediate consumption. Generally, the
cheese is sold right after processing and should be
used immediately. If refrigerated, it will last about
a week.
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Papa
Lena's owners, Danny & Marie Lena
are living examples of the entrepreneurial spirit!
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Marie comes from a family of great "cooks"
(as we remember
it Italian families did not have have "chefs")
many with formal training and many with
"famiglia" training.
Danny has cooked and worked in Italian Restaurants
since he was 13yrs old. He has been preparing
Italian meals since being taught at the age
of 10.
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Their
motto is:
Live, Love
and Laugh! |
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Married
for 22 years and working together for 26 years,
this energetic couple spent twenty years empowering
young people and adults through their national
organization PEP, Personal Empowerment Programs.
They continued to spread their message through
their books, six in all and printed in four languages.
Their latest, "Being
Better Than My Best" (at Amazon.com) personifies
all they believe in about setting and achieving
goals, living with integrity and persisting until
you succeed. |
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