Caciocavallo Podolico Stagionato 18 Mesi

Caciocavallo Podolico Stagionato 18 Mesi is a hard, aged cheese produced exclusively from the raw milk of the Podolica breed, a hardy, free‑grazing cattle indigenous to the Gargano peninsula and other parts of southern Italy. The cheese takes its name from the traditional practice of “cacio a cavallo” (cheese on horseback) – tying the curds in a cloth and hanging them to mature. With 18 months of stagionatura (aging), the wheel develops a dense, straw‑yellow paste, a crumbly yet creamy texture, and a pungent, nutty, slightly spicy flavour that intensifies over time. Only a few small dairies and mountain farms still produce this artisanal cheese, as the Podolica cow yields far less milk than modern breeds, giving the cheese a rare, concentrated character.

What distinguishes a great version is the balance between the animal’s wild‑herb diet, the slow aging, and the minimal intervention: no starter cultures are added, and the wheels are brine‑rubbed and turned by hand. Regional variations exist across Apulia, Basilicata, and Molise, but true Podolico is protected by Slow Food’s Presidio, ensuring the cows are pasture‑raised. An eighteen‑month wheel is considered “stravecchio” – ideal for grating over pasta, shaving onto salads, or eating alone with honey and dried fruit.

In Vico del Gargano, Italy, Braceria Antipasteria Giulio Cesare proudly serves this aged cheese, as highlighted by user Braciamiancora, who notes its deep, lingering finish – a testament to the cheese’s terroir and the skill of the local affineurs.