Asiago

Asiago
For our last Claudio trip, we took off to Asiago. This surprisingly small village of 9000 produces quite a famous product! Our bus climbed a mountain, back and forth, for seemingly ever, until finally we arrived in what looked like the Sound of Music set. Green hills surrounded us! Upon arriving to our lodge, we realized that Asiago is, in fact, a ski town. We went to a ski town, in the spring. Take that as you will.
However, it was quite beautiful and relaxing. With little else to do, we had plenty of large, heavy meals, went horseback riding, and were offered yoga lessons and a hot sauna as well! It was nice to actually go on vacation for once: most of our trips are so jam packed with sights and walking that its difficult not to be exhausted. It’s safe to say there is nothing exhausting about Asiago!
We had one full day there, and we spent the morning at an Asiago cheese factory. Apparently there was a fire there a few years back, and much of the aged stock burned--10 million dollars lost in a few hours! Crazy. We watched the process, and let me assure you, it’s as smelly as the cheese. The milk sits in a hot room, which is ever so pleasant, and then sits in tubs with an enzyme, where it solidifies, is put in a cloth, drained, and put in a mold. The smell of fresh cheese setting is similar to rotting eggs. The cheese goes through salt water, and then ages, for up to 3 years!
We also watched the fresh stuff made. This is done in batches, about 7 a day. Surprisingly, the workers are mostly immigrants! Far from artisanship passed down through the family, this work is labor intensive, and thus not desirable as a job. it’s a similar process, but the cheese is much clumpier--they gave us a ball of it to taste (which they later put back in with the rest of the cheese…gross), and it was delicious! Like string cheese and eggs.
Overall, It was quite an educational and palate-clenching trip J