Cheese Database

Castelrosso vs Toma

Castelrosso

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Natural rind
Country
Italy
Place
Piedmont

Castelrosso is a semi-hard cheese from Piedmont, in northwestern Italy, made from pasteurised cow's milk. It is also called Toma Brusca, a local name that points to acidity. The milk is left to acidify before the curd is made, and that step gives the cheese its bright, tangy side. The paste is pale, dry, and crumbly, under a thick natural rind. It can look a little like Castelmagno at a glance, and it is still its own cheese.

Toma

Facts

Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Natural rind
Country
Italy

Toma is a family of Italian pressed cheeses, not one wheel with a single fixed recipe. The name covers rustic rounds with a natural rind, a pale interior, and a mild to nutty flavor that depends on age and the maker. Most are firm enough to slice, and some grow harder and more savory as they mature. Italy is the home of the style, and dairies use the word for this kind of cheese. It is a table cheese and a cooking cheese, not a fresh spread.