Brös
Encyclopedia
Brös is a Piedmont
ese preparation of cheese
and grappa
which, in former centuries, was typical of the peasant cuisine of the Upper Langa
. Its pungent flavour gave rise to the proverb “Only love is stronger than Brös”. It has been conjectured that its name derives from Bresse
in the Dauphiné
.
The antiquity of this speciality is unknown, although it was probably well-established before the beginning of the nineteenth century when Vittorio di Sant’Albino described it in his Piedmontese
-Italian dictionary. The original motivation was the avoidance of waste: pieces of stale, hard and/or mouldy cheese were mixed with homemade grappa (the distillate of the pomace
remaining from winemaking) plus, perhaps, butter and spices, and left to ferment in an earthenware container until the mixture acquired a creamy texture. At this point it was covered and could be treated as a preserve.
Brös has acquired a certain cachet in recent years, and may often be found in the restaurants of the Langhe. However the robust traditional formulation has been largely replaced by one based on fresh cheeses such as Robiola
and white wine.
Brus da ricotta is a version without wine or grappa which is made in various parts of Piedmont by fermenting sheep’s milk ricotta
cheese for a month or more, and aromatizing with chilli
or black pepper
. It has been recognized as a “traditional Piedmontese product” by the regional government.
Bruzzu is similar non-alcoholic product based this time on ewes’ milk ricotta and produced in the communes of Triora
, Molini di Triora
and Cosio di Arroscia
in the Province of Imperia
, western Liguria
. The cheese is referred to by the government enquiry into agriculture chaired by Stefano Jacini
in 1877–1882 and remained very popular until the 1990s. In the first decade of the twenty-first century it enjoyed something of a revival and was included in the Ark of Taste
catalogue of heritage foods. The ricotta is placed in moulds to drain and then transferred to wooden vats to ferment, usually with the addition of salt. The cheeses are ready to eat after being aged for about a week in the cellar. They come in various sizes, are creamy in texture, and are ivory or brownish-white in colour.
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
ese preparation of cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
and grappa
Grappa
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume...
which, in former centuries, was typical of the peasant cuisine of the Upper Langa
Langhe
The Langhe is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy....
. Its pungent flavour gave rise to the proverb “Only love is stronger than Brös”. It has been conjectured that its name derives from Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
in the Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
.
The antiquity of this speciality is unknown, although it was probably well-established before the beginning of the nineteenth century when Vittorio di Sant’Albino described it in his Piedmontese
Piedmontese language
Piedmontese is a Romance language spoken by over 2 million people in Piedmont, northwest Italy. It is geographically and linguistically included in the Northern Italian group . It is part of the wider western group of Romance languages, including French, Occitan, and Catalan.Many European and...
-Italian dictionary. The original motivation was the avoidance of waste: pieces of stale, hard and/or mouldy cheese were mixed with homemade grappa (the distillate of the pomace
Pomace
Pomace , or marc , is the solid remains of grapes, olives, or other fruit after pressing for juice or oil. It contains the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems of the fruit....
remaining from winemaking) plus, perhaps, butter and spices, and left to ferment in an earthenware container until the mixture acquired a creamy texture. At this point it was covered and could be treated as a preserve.
Brös has acquired a certain cachet in recent years, and may often be found in the restaurants of the Langhe. However the robust traditional formulation has been largely replaced by one based on fresh cheeses such as Robiola
Robiola
Robiola is an Italian soft-ripened cheese of the Stracchino family, made with varying proportions of cow’s, goat’s milk and sheep milk. One theory is that the cheese gets its name from the town of Robbio in the province of Pavia; another that the name comes from the word rubeole because of the...
and white wine.
Brus da ricotta is a version without wine or grappa which is made in various parts of Piedmont by fermenting sheep’s milk ricotta
Ricotta
Ricotta is an Italian dairy product made from sheep milk whey left over from the production of cheese. Although typically referred to as ricotta cheese, ricotta is not properly a cheese because it is not produced by coagulation of casein...
cheese for a month or more, and aromatizing with chilli
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
or black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
. It has been recognized as a “traditional Piedmontese product” by the regional government.
Bruzzu is similar non-alcoholic product based this time on ewes’ milk ricotta and produced in the communes of Triora
Triora
Triora is an elite member of I Borghi Piú Belli d'Italia, a list of the top 100 most beautiful medieval citadels in Italy. It is also a member of Touring Club Italia Bandiere Arancioni, a similarly prestigious club which lists the best places for tourists to enjoy...
, Molini di Triora
Molini di Triora
Molini di Triora is a comune in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about 100 km southwest of Genoa and about 25 km northwest of Imperia...
and Cosio di Arroscia
Cosio di Arroscia
Cosio di Arroscia is a comune in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about 100 km southwest of Genoa and about 25 km northwest of Imperia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 283 and an area of 40.6 km²...
in the Province of Imperia
Province of Imperia
The Province of Imperia is a mountainous and hilly province, in the Liguria region of Italy, situated between the Maritime Alps to the north and the Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea to the south...
, western Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
. The cheese is referred to by the government enquiry into agriculture chaired by Stefano Jacini
Stefano Jacini
Count Stefano Jacini was an Italian statesman and economist.Born at Casalbuttano, he was descended from an old and wealthy Lombard family. He studied in Switzerland, at Milan, and in German universities. During the period of the Austrian restoration in Lombardy he devoted himself to literary and...
in 1877–1882 and remained very popular until the 1990s. In the first decade of the twenty-first century it enjoyed something of a revival and was included in the Ark of Taste
Ark of Taste
The Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of heritage foods in danger of extinction which is maintained by the global Slow Food movement. The Ark is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distinct ecoregion...
catalogue of heritage foods. The ricotta is placed in moulds to drain and then transferred to wooden vats to ferment, usually with the addition of salt. The cheeses are ready to eat after being aged for about a week in the cellar. They come in various sizes, are creamy in texture, and are ivory or brownish-white in colour.
External links
- Er me linguàge, a poem in the Langhese dialect of Piedmontese which briefly contrasts the strength of Brös to the tenderness of ricotta.
- www.agraria.org, Bruss delle Langhe