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Unlike my write-ups about Comté and Manchego, Pecorino - and most certainly Pecorino Romano - is not even close to being the largest-production DOP (Denominazione Origine Protetta) cheese in Italy. Right off the bat, Parmigiano-Reggiano comes to mind, and you also have cheeses (some DOP, some not) such as Mozzarella and Provolone, most of which are bastardized and mass-produced for export, or even made in America, but if you had the real thing, locally, it would be a mind-blowing experience. This reminds me of when I had dinner at Marc Veyrat in Annecy. At the end of the greatest meal I've ever had, a gentleman came by, pushing a cheese cart the size of an upright piano, asking us which cheeses we'd like. Eager to show my love of Haute-Savoie, I chirped, 'We'd like to try an assortment of local cheeses - except for Reblochon, because we can get that in America.' I was met with a moment of silence, accompanied by a look that only the French are capable of producing: The look is a mixture of sympathy, concern, and condescension, all at once, and somehow not conveyed as the least bit condescending. The gentleman looked me dead in the eye, and said, without any hint of expression on his face: "Get the Reblochon." Needless to say, we did, and it was one the happiest moments of my life (I mean that seriously). Never before had I truly eaten Reblochon, and I would have never known had it not been for that gentleman. It was like nothing of this earth - a revelation that ... what the hell am I talking about? Genuine Pecorino Romano must (*must*) be made from the milk of sheep raised in Lazio or Sardinia (yes, Sardinia) - there's also a Pecorino Sardo, but Pecorino Romano can be made in both places). It must be made with the rennet of lambs raised in the same area, and is therefore not vegetarian-friendly. Let me also stress, from personal experience, that real Pecorino Romano is salty as *hell*. Remember this, and don't say you weren't warned! Fulvi is a producer of cheese owned by the Sini family (this webpage has been translated for readability). It is easily recognizable by the ship's anchor used as a logo, indicating sea transportation of their product: Given its saltiness and firm texture - not to mention its proximity to Rome - it's easy to see why this is often used as a grating cheese (hell, you wouldn't need to salt your pasta). Pecorino Romano is saltier, and less rich, than other Pecorino cheeses - it has been made since the days of the Ancient Roman Empire - in fact, it was fed to their soldiers as a means of quick, inexpensive protein. Here's a good, concise history of the cheese that is well-worth the two minutes it will take you to read - that website also has a few links in case you want to dig deeper. How many other cheeses of the world has *Homer* written about? And I'm not talking about this guy:
