Caseificio F.lli Del Mastro
Family dairy founded 1956 at Sant'Eufemia a Maiella, specialising in pasta-filata cow's-milk cheeses: caciocavallo, scamorza and provoloncino, plus giuncata, ricotta and yogurt.
About Scamorza abruzzese
Pasta-filata cow's-milk cheese on the Abruzzo list of traditional food products, made across the region and especially in the parts of Chieti and L'Aquila provinces that border Molise. The Del Mastro dairy at Sant'Eufemia a Maiella hand-pulls scamorze from pasteurised local mountain cow's milk and sells them fresh or appassita (briefly matured); its history page calls it one of the best-known dairies of the Pescara valley and says it made the Scamorza di Sant'Eufemia famous.
Made in: Whole region, especially the parts of Chieti and L'Aquila provinces bordering Molise
On the plate
Del Mastro describes its fresh scamorza as compact with a delicate taste, and its appassita (briefly matured) scamorza as compact with a more decided taste and better keeping.
Wine and cheese
What to pour with Scamorza abruzzese
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Abruzzo
Our pickFresh scamorza is compact and delicate, and the briefly matured appassita is more decided. A dry Cerasuolo with high acidity refreshes the stretched cow's-milk paste and has the weight to hold up to the appassita.
The grapes behind these winesMontepulciano
From the source
Where to buy and taste it
Casera Consortile del Pecorino di Farindola
The producers' consortium shop, opened 2001 in a basement of the renovated town hall. It sells Pecorino di Farindola from the member farms and also selects and ages the cheeses it sells.
Cheese experiences nearby
Park itinerary no. 2: Su e giù per la Baronia
A 69 km driving loop from Barisciano, published by the Gran Sasso park, through Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Castel del Monte and Calascio. The park suggests buying Canestrato at a farm shop in Castel del Monte and stopping at the Campo Imperatore cooperative's dairy on the way back.
Scamorza abruzzese: questions
Where in Abruzzo is it made?
The Abruzzo list of traditional food products says across the region, particularly in the areas of the provinces of Chieti and L'Aquila bordering Molise.
What is appassita scamorza?
The Del Mastro dairy sells a fresh scamorza and an appassita one, a briefly matured version it describes as more decided in taste and better for keeping.
Same cheeseboard
More cheeses from Abruzzo
Plan the trip
Visit Scamorza abruzzese country
Tastings and tours where it is made, and somewhere to stay.
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Sources: www.storieeluoghidabruzzo.it, www.caseificiodelmastro.it. The drawing is made from the cheese's recorded shape, rind and paste, not a photograph.