Caciocavallo

An Italian sheeps' or cows' milk cheese, traditionally made in Sicily. Though now it is produced in other areas of Italy and in the Balkans. It has the European Union designation of origin status. The cheese is produced in a tear drop shape, not unlike a water balloon. It's taste is reminicisent of aged Provolone cheese from Southern Italy. It also is known to have a hard edible rind. The name "caciocavallo" means "cheese on horseback". It's told that the cheese used to be made of mare's milk, though not historically proven. The name could more likely be derived from when the curd is left to dry by putting it "a cavallo", which is basically straddling a horizontal stick. It is also produced in another version, the caciocavallo silano which has a DOP status.(Denominazione di Origine Protetta, or Protected Designation of Origin). It is made of cows' milk in Southern Italy around the Basilicata, PUglia, Molise, Campania, and Calabria regions.