Cheese Festival Val di Sole,
ode to Casolét
A hymn to quality
and to tradition
From August 31st to September 23rd the dairy festival that celebrates the symbolic product of the Solandra valley and the precious activity of the breeders, enriched by the market-fairs, returns. The grand finale with the Castel Caldes auction in which, like every year, chefs, restaurateurs and enthusiasts will challenge each other – shovels in hand – to secure the prized mountain cheeses
Small in shape, big in taste. And in the values it contains. The Casolét it is not only a gastronomic excellence of the Sun Valleybut rather the symbol of its millenary tradition, built and handed down with patience by those who know well that good things take time: respecting nature and its rhythms, to obtain the best and to make it discovered and appreciated even by those who do not live in the mountain territories on a daily basis. It is the culture of the mountain pasture, which finds its sublimation in the “Cheese Festival Val di Sole”, dairy exhibition scheduled from August 31st to September 23rd, dedicated to the flavors (and knowledge) of the Solandra valley.
Above all, Casolét: a mountain cheese of limited size (between 10 and 22 centimeters in diameter and no more than half a kilo in weight), once produced only in autumn (when the herds had already come down from the mountain pastures and milking was scarce), which will be the common element of the various events of an event capable of attracting an ever-increasing number of visitors every year, curious to learn more about the most authentic aspects of the farmers’ lives and grasp their precious activity, in perfect symbiosis with the mountain: a gastronomic journey that will consist of insights, demonstrations, shows, tastings and guided visits to mountain huts, stables and dairies. In addition to farmers’ markets, fairs and agricultural festivals, which represent the truest and most genuine soul of mountain workers. Three weeks of events in a joyful and convivial context, during which Casolét will also be the main element of the menus of the restaurants in the area, used by talented chefs to create real culinary delicacies that will enhance its unmistakable taste.
The Cheese Festival Val di Sole will be inaugurated by special gourmet meetings with Casolet: from August 31st to September 22nd, in the participating local restaurants, the excellence of Val di Sole’s dairy production will meet the masters of cuisine, for a combination of exquisite aromas and flavours.
It will then be the turn of the three traditional livestock exhibition-markets: the “Fera dei Sèt”, which will take place in Fucine di Ossana on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September; the “Festa dell’Agricoltura”, a two-day event (14th and 15th September) in Val di Peio dedicated to traditions and good taste (with excursions, tastings, the cow parade and the characteristic (Palio delle Frazioni) and the “Fera de San Maté”a historic livestock fair that celebrates the rural roots of an entire valley (scheduled in Malè on September 19). On September 21st and 22nd, in Val di Rabbi, “Latte in festa” will take place, an event to discover a natural and tasty peasant world, with the highlight represented by the colourful Desmalgada: the festive return of the herds from the mountain pastures.
The Cheese FestiVal di Sole will end with one of the most anticipated events: the auction of mountain cheeses. On Monday 23 September (at 6 pm), in Castel Caldes (a charming village included in the club of the “most beautiful in Italy”), dozens of restaurateurs, starred chefs and enthusiasts will challenge each other with raising blows, shovels in hand, to win these prized pieces with variable maturation (from one to 10 years of preparation) produced at zero kilometers from the dairy huts of Val di Sole (and not only). And which are the result of the expert work of the affineur, the special professional figure who follows the product during maturation, in which he manages to maximize the quality of the raw material. An art, this, that requires experience, sensitivity and an accurate knowledge of the cheese and all its characteristics. Limited places, event by reservation (0463.901280 is the number to call).
The program and all the details related to the Cheese FestiVal di Sole can be found here: https://www.visitvaldisole.it/it/eventi/cheese-festival-di-sole