Description
The Jihoceská Zlatá Niva PGI is a marbled cheese from transformed caw's milk from South Bohemia, in particular from the Sumava hills.
Production Area
The production area of Jihoceská Zlatá Niva PGI covers the region of southern Bohemia.
Production Method
A milk with a fat percentage of 5.35% is used for the production and is put in suitable cheese-processing machines with addition of Penicillium roqueforti cultures which ensure a good acidification and give the Jihoceská Zlatá Niva its characteristic taste. The cheese clusters, which are obtained after curdling, are put in moulds. Later, the whey is eliminated and the microfibre develops at a controlled temperature. Salting is made in two phases, the first in brine and the second with cooking salt which is rubbed directly on the mould. Ripening lasts at least four weeks in cellars equipped with machines for the control of temperature and humidity. At the end of ripening, the mould is washed and the rind is rubbed, and then it is packed in aluminium foils or in special oxygen-resistant foils. Packaging must take place directly at the production factory to allow the product traceability.
Appearance and Flavour
Jihoceská Zlatá Niva PGI has the shape of a wheel, with a diameter of 180-200 mm, a height of about 10 cm and a weight of about 2.8 kg. The outer part of the rind is marked either by washing or by rubbing and the surface can be cream to light brown in colour. The pulp colour spans from cream white to butter, with a green-bluish marbling with visible cross signs. It is sweeter than Jihoceská Niva PGI, with a higher percentage of fat in the dry substance up to 60%. The cheese is friable, with a homogeneous seasoning and the taste is salty, spicy and aromatic with a sharp hint which is typical of Penicillium roqueforti.
History
The name of Jihoceská Zlatá Niva PGI derives from the Sumava meadows and pastures, where the milk originates. This cheese has been produced since 1951 in the dairy of Ceský Krumlov by using the same production method. The only change to the processing method was made in 2005 and consists of the construction of air conditioned seasoning cellars which were necessary due to the growth in production. In the past, on the contrary, ripening took place only in natural caverns excavated in calcareous rocks.
Gastronomy
The Jihoceská Zlatá Niva PGI must be stored at a temperature between 4 and 8°C. It can be tasted with meat and bread or as an ingredient of tasteful recipes as, for example, pasta with chicken and cheese, stuffed vegetables, in particular potatoes, aubergine and tomato rolls or bean salad with yoghurt.
Marketing
The product is sold as Jihoceská Zlatá Niva PGI. It is sold only whole, with its wheel shape weighing 2.8 kg, in a packaging covering its entire surface and reporting the information that regards the name and address of the producer.
Distinctive Features
Jihoceská Zlatá Niva PGI is produced from milk coming from caws farmed in pastures in the protected areas of Novohradské Hory, Blanský les and Sumava, located in one of the most unpolluted regions of the Czech Republic. The area flaunts a varied flora which includes short stalk trees and lots of local varieties which give the milk a very characteristic taste.