We have added rustic cheeses from the La Porta dei Parchi cheese dairy to our range
The La Porta dei Parchi cheese dairy is located in the protected mountain area of Anversa degli Abruzzi in the Abruzzo region. It was founded in the 1980s by Nunzio and Manuela. They originally started with a herd of sheep and cows, but soon realized that the rugged, hilly terrain was more suitable for sheep and goats, so they focused solely on breeding them and producing cheese. They leave their herds on outdoor pastures for most of the year and maintain the tradition of transumanza (moving to summer pastures).
The area where their farm is located is renowned for its clean nature and abundance of aromatic herbs, including saffron, which influence the taste of milk and cheese. An incredible 120 species of herbs grow on 1 m2 of their pastures, making this area one of the most biodiverse places in Europe!
When making cheese, they work exclusively with freshly milked unpasteurized milk to preserve all the flavors, aromas, and healthy microorganisms. Their cheeses are therefore very distinctive and rustic in taste, with a wide range of unusual aromas that industrially produced cheeses can only dream of.
Nunzio and Manuela produce cheese using traditional local cheese-making techniques, but they are not afraid to use methods from other cultures. For example, after one of Nunzio's trips to Afghanistan, their unique pecorino muffato with noble mold was born, combining the cheese-making art of Abruzzo and Afghanistan.