Three Cheers for Cheese: It’s National Italian Cheese Month

Did you know that September is National Italian Cheese Month? At Grico’s, we love cheese – especially Italian cheese – and we’re here to celebrate by sharing some of our favorites and how we like to incorporate them into our dishes!

Soft Cheese

Cheese can be broken down into three categories: soft, semi-soft, and hard. One of the most popular Italian soft cheeses of all time is mozzarella. This cheese is traditionally made with buffalo’s milk, but nowadays, is most commonly made from cow’s milk.

Mozzarella can be served fresh or aged; when it is aged, much of the moisture is removed, making it perfect for topping a pizza. When the mozzarella is fresh, it can be used in a number of different dishes. At Grico’s, we like to use it in our Eggplant Fritti. Our eggplant is encrusted in crispy panko crumbs, giving it a nice crunch, and served with slices of fresh mozzarella and fresh tomatoes. We also like to incorporate it into our chicken or veal saltimbocca or melanzone.

A classic Italian dish that is easy for you to make at home and that utilizes the creaminess of mozzarella is a fresh Caprese salad. To make this dish, you slice up fresh mozzarella and tomatoes before drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Top with some fresh basil leaves, and you have a delicious afternoon snack.

Semi-Soft Cheese

Gorgonzola is one of the most popular varieties of blue cheese. It’s made from whole milk and has a distinctive maze of blue veins throughout it once the aging process is complete. One way that the chefs at Grico’s utilize blue cheese is in our creamy blue cheese sauce that can top our Filet Mignon or our 16 oz. or 24 oz. Delmonico steaks.

Our apple walnut salad contains blue cheese to give the salad a hint of creaminess amongst the mixed greens and apple slices. Any of our other salads can have blue cheese crumbles added to them as well.

Hard Cheese

Lastly, we have hard cheeses. One of the most iconic hard cheeses in the world is parmesan. This cheese is made from whole and skimmed cow’s milk and must be aged at least 1-2 years. The longer it ages, the stronger its flavor becomes.

Some of the most popular dishes that include parmesan cheese are eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan, and classic spaghetti. The cheese has a distinct flavor but a smooth and creamy texture. While many kinds of cheese are used during the creation of a meal, parmesan is often used afterward, as a topping. There’s nothing better than a salad topped in shavings of parmesan cheese or a big bowl of pasta coated in grated parmesan.

Get to Grico’s to Celebrate National Italian Cheese Month

At Grico’s, we take pride in creating authentic, delicious Italian dishes. Make your reservation to enjoy a night out, trying the different types of cheeses that Italy has to offer by calling (570)-654-9120. We look forward to serving you!