Alpine cheese from Passo di San Marco
The journey over the pass.
Crossing from Bergamo, Italy to Switzerland by car, we travelled over the Passo di San Marco after a great recommendation from a friend. Passo San Marco is a Lombard pass that connects Val Brembana, in the province of Bergamo, with Valtellina since the times of the Republic of Venice, during which the pass was an important trade route towards the Swiss valleys.
The pass is high and it takes quite some time to drive.
The top of the pass has an altitude of 1,992 meters above sea level, which means that crossing is impossible during the winter and the opening of the road for the summer is sometimes delayed until May.
The top of the pass has a beautiful view and you can see buildings of the farmers dotted around on the alp. On the southern side, there is the Cà San Marco refuge, one of the oldest refuges in the Alps, whose construction dates back to 1593.
Draining and pressing of cheese made this day. Using wood moulds for draining is rare.
In the small stone building the air is noticeably much cooler, the light is dimmed, and the wooden shelves are filled with the hard cheeses made this summer - each with the name of the person who has reserved the cheese, plus the official mark of the cheese.
From the gate
Being next to the pass road means a lot of potential for direct sales to the public - and for the public, an access to dealing personally with a food producer. This is becoming unusual for people who only see food in supermarkets or shops and is often a rewarding experience. The traveller can get an understanding from seeing the people, animals, and the special environment, in the moment when they stop to buy cheese. This experience is invaluable in helping convey how unique alpine cheese production is.
Contributor
Rachael Sills
Thanks to the team on the pass for letting us visit.