The “Crucolo” is a “green cheese” produced in Trentino Alto Adige, in particular in the eastern part of the Valsugana and Tesino in the Lagorai mountains.
This cheese is named after the mountain shelter where for the first time it has been produced: the Crucolo shelter, builted in the early 1800’s on the south side of the Lagorai in Val Campelle. During the First World War, the retreat became a military camp: at that time it was burned down and then rebuilt.
Today it is a restraunt that accomodates tourists and bikers.
The Crucolo cheese is produced in four different versions:
-the ” sweet” and fresher, it has a thin crust since it is aged for just one month;
-the ” tasty ” with semi-hard texture due to 2 months cheese maturation;
-with “Teroldego” a typical wine of the province of Trento, used in the processing of Crucolo cheese;
-the “giant” large forms of Crucolo (200-250 kg) subjected to a maturation period of 3 months.
The Crucolo, like other italian cheese, is an excellent source of calcium in a highly bio-available way. The cheese contribution – as part of an healthy and balanced diet – is therefore useful to assure the right amount of calcium: eating healthy with taste with the Mediterranean diet for sure means also eating cheese, in the right amount.
Thanks to Francesca Antonucci
