Bitto ( lmo, Bit) is an Italian DOP (''

Denominazione di Origine Protetta The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union and the United Kingdom aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main ...

'') cheese produced in the

Valtelline Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. To ...

valley in Lombardy. It owes its name to the Bitto river. Bitto is produced only in the summer months when the cows feed on the high alpine meadows. The cheese received the DOP (Protected Denomination of Origin) recognition in 1996, with a less restrictive product specification than the traditional one. Since then, another version of Bitto, called ''Bitto Storico'' (Historical Bitto), has been produced by means of traditional methods and promoted by

Slow Food Slow Food is an organization that promotes local food and traditional cooking. It was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986 and has since spread worldwide. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and re ...

( Slow movement). In September 2016 Bitto Storico changed its name to ''Bitto ribelle''.

Production areas

The production area includes province of Sondrio (from the Spluga valley to

Livigno Livigno (; local lmo, Livígn ; german: Luwin) is a town, ''comune'' and a special-administered territory in the province of Sondrio, in the region of Lombardy, Italy, located in the Italian Alps, near the Swiss border. History Livigno's firs ...

, some

comuni The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

from the

Val Brembana Val Brembana is a valley in Lombardy, northern Italy. It takes its name from the river crossing it, the Brembo. Geography The Bergamo Alps form the valley's northern limits, notably the Tre Signori and Diavolo di Tenda Peaks, while at south ...

and the

Gerola Alta Gerola Alta (''Geröla'' in lombard) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital o ...

and

Albaredo per San Marco Albaredo per San Marco ( Lombard: ''Albarii'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Sondrio. Albaredo is crossed by the road of San M ...

vallies.

Production

Bitto Storico is made from whole cow's milk produced in the summer months around the Valtellina valley, to which must be added 10% to 20% goat's milk. Adding a higher percentage of goat's milk allows long aging of 10 years or more. However, due many uncontrollable factors, it is the dairyman's job to determine how long to age each Bitto wheel. Bitto DOP can be added with goat's milk (it is not mandatory) and can use arbitrary feed for the cows the use enzyme can be used in powder.

References

External links

*
Formaggio Bitto Storico Presidio Slow Food

Consorzio Tutela Valtellina Casera e Bitto
{{Italian cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses Italian products with protected designation of origin Cheeses with designation of origin protected in the European Union Lombard cheeses