Mascarpone is a soft fresh cheese from cow's milk, of extremely milky white colour and silky creamy structure, like the finest pudding.
According to some people, mascarpone does not belong to the
cheese family at all because its production is similar to the
process of curd or yoghurt production. Mascarpone has a high fat
content, around 75%, and the consistency varies from manufacturer
to manufacturer. So, sometimes it is as soft as cream, and
sometimes as hard as butter.
It is most commonly used in the preparation of many top quality
Italian desserts, such as tiramisu, zabaglione and different
creams, various sweet dishes, creamy cakes and cheese cakes. It is
also delicious when served as standalone with strawberries or wild
berries, and by adding some fine liquor, cocoa or coffee, it turns
into a real decadent dessert. In Italy it is often used in savoury
spreads, with the addition of anchovies or salted sardines, mustard
and herbs, and sometimes it replaces butter or Parmesan to thicken
the risotto.
Galbani Mascarpone is available in convenient plastic 250 g and
500 g tubs.
The story of origin
Mascarpone originated in the Italian province of Lombardy, the
area southeast of Milan. Data indicate that it appeared already in
the late 16th century. As for the name itself, there are several
theories about its origin. One says that the name comes from the
original product mascarpa, which is obtained from the whey of ripe
stacchino cheese, or from mascarpia, a dialectal name for ricotta.
Since it is sometimes also called mascherpone, there are
speculations that the name could derive from the family name
Mascherpa who had an estate called Cascina Macherpa halfway between
Milan and Pavia.