Gran Capra—"big goat cheese”—is certainly that. You rarely see goat cheeses in large formats, nothing close to an 80-pound Parmigiano Reggiano or Gruyère. But “rarely” doesn’t mean never, and here’s proof that hefty goat cheeses are technically possible. Weighing in at about 50 pounds, this one may well be in a league of its own and, flavorwise, I can’t think of another cheese quite like it. Some shoppers may look at Gran Capra and see a grating cheese—an alternative to Parmigiano for people with cow’s milk allergy or intolerance—but I view it as a compelling table cheese, especially with a few drops of fine balsamic vinegar.
I asked Jennifer Bice, the goat cheese pioneer behind California’s Redwood Hill Farm, why large goat cheeses are uncommon. She had no definitive answer but three theories:
• Butterfat globules are much smaller in goat’s milk, a characteristic that affects the texture of the cheese. “Smaller-format cheeses really show off this incredible texture,” says Bice.
• Historically, goat farmers have kept relatively small herds and goats give much less milk than cows. In pre-refrigeration days, a goat farmer had to make cheese daily and wouldn’t have had enough milk to make a large cheese.
• Third, from Bice’s own experience making goat Cheddar, goat’s milk yields less cheese than cow’s milk. The lower yield makes it hard to be price-competitive.
Gran Capra is a new arrival in the U.S. from Italy. I’m told that it’s made in Lombardy in the foothills of the Alps. I’m told that it’s aged for 18 to 24 months on wooden boards. But that’s all I know. Sometimes getting information on European cheeses seems like a task for Bob Woodward. Importers don’t want to reveal details—like, who makes this cheese?—for fear that their competitors will track down the producer and offer more money. Sources are often hidden, and the surest way to hit a wall is to ask too many questions.
So, no questions asked, we have here a firm, dryish, golden cheese that looks a lot like Parmigiano Reggiano. It wants to be cut into chunky nuggets with a Parm knife, not sliced. It’s sweet and nutty, not too salty, concentrated yet gentle in flavor. It’s not peppery or gamy like pecorino romano nor as intense as Parmigiano Reggiano. Put a handsome chunk on your charcuterie board or serve it at the end of a meal with balsamic vinegar and a good red wine.
Of course you can grate this beauty on pasta. It’s more expensive than Parmigiano Reggiano, but if you tolerate goat’s milk cheeses better than cow’s milk cheeses, Gran Capra could be your new go-to for pasta, vegetable gratins and other recipes that call for grated Parmigiano.
Gran Capra only recently landed in the U.S. so distribution is limited. The importer, Fresca Italia, is hoping you will ask for it at your favorite cheese store. For now, it is available at Tasting House in Los Gatos and Woodlands Market in Kentfield—both in California. Several high-end San Francisco restaurants, such as Quince, Del Popolo and Perbacco, are using it, which is a powerful endorsement. Now it’s up to us, the consumers, to ask for it so retailers are motivated to place an order. With enough consumer demand, new imports like Gran Capra become cheese counter staples.