What is Mascarpone?

What is Mascarpone?
by Tony van Roon

Mascarpone is a triple-cream cheese made from low-fat fresh cream. It is a thick, light murky colour. It is often used instead of butter to enrich and thick rissoti and other popular Italian dishes. Mascarpone is made from the milk of cows that have been fed special grasses filled with fresh herbs and flowers which creates a unique taste often described as 'fresh and delicious'.

This cream cheese originated in Italian Lodi/Abbiategrasso area, south-west of Milan in early 17th century. The name Mascarpone came likely from the local Ricotta dialect "mascarpia", was mainly produced in the Fall and must be consumed immediately because of fast spoilage.

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