Piora Alp, with a total area of 3,500 hectares, of which 1,000 are laid to pasture, is the largest alpine pasture of Canton Ticino. The grass found in the pastures is primarily composed of aromatic plants, such as plantago alpina, golden hawk’s-beard, alpine lovage and different types of alpine clover. During the summer months, from July to September, the alpine pastures welcome about 500 head of cattle, including calves, heifer-calves, heifers and dairy cows.
The new alpine dairies have been in use from June 2005, with a new generation 4,000 litre boiler and a new cellar for the ageing of 3,500 wheels of prestigious Piora Alp cheese. The boiler is steam-heated and uses the precious milk collected from about 260 cows in the summer, producing 64 cheese wheels daily. Annual production is about 3,000 wheels (23,000 kg).
In recent years, Piora Alp also starting housing a refining cellar for Rapelli's Piora Alp Prosciutto. The Piora Alp Prosciutto is an uncooked ham which owes its flavour to curing at an altitude of over 2000 metres. Hand-massaged and cured with marine salt by master butchers of Ticino, the prosciutto crudo is enhanced in the Piora Alp cellars, where the aroma of the pure high mountain air imparts its natural and exquisite flavour. The Piora Alp Prosciutto is served at Canvetto Cadagno.
Features
- TYPICAL PRODUCTS Cheese , Cold cuts
