Asiago DOP FrescoMaso: the fresh Asiago by Fior di Maso
Asiago DOP FrescoMaso is the fresh Asiago of the Fior di Maso line, produced by Ca.Form in Thiene (Vicenza), at the foot of the Asiago Plateau in Veneto. A whole wheel of approximately 14 kg, matured for a minimum of 20 days: soft semi-cooked paste, marked and irregular eyes, white to slightly straw-coloured, with the sweet flavour of freshly drawn mountain milk. A reference cheese for delicatessen counters, restaurants and hotels that want an authentic Italian DOP at the counter.
What is fresh Asiago DOP
Asiago is a cow's milk cheese from the Venetian Prealps, made in two versions: Asiago Fresco (also called pressato), matured for at least 20 days, and Asiago d'Allevo, matured for months up to Stravecchio. FrescoMaso is the fresh version: whole milk, soft and springy paste, a clean dairy sweetness with a faintly tangy finish. It is the everyday Asiago of Venetian delicatessens, suited both to the cheese board and to hot dishes thanks to its even melting.
Origins and history
The cheese takes its name from the Asiago Plateau, where dairying has been documented since the Middle Ages: originally made with sheep's milk, it switched to cow's milk from the sixteenth century as cattle replaced flocks on the alpine pastures. Asiago has held European DOP status since 1996 (Reg. EC 1107/96).
A Protected Designation of Origin
The production area is strictly delimited: the provinces of Vicenza and Trento and part of the provinces of Padua and Treviso. Milk, processing and maturation must all take place within this area, under the supervision of the Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago. Every wheel carries the DOP marking on the rind as a guarantee of origin.
The producer: Ca.Form — Fior di Maso, Thiene
Ca.Form has its roots in the dairy opened in Thiene in 1888 by the Chiomento family; in 2012, with the new cheese plant, the group Latterie Venete 1887 was born. Today it is the leading private Italian company for the production and distribution of Asiago DOP and Montasio DOP, with around 260,000 wheels of Asiago DOP and 120,000 wheels of Montasio DOP per year, 170,000 litres of milk processed daily and exports to 54 countries. The plants are certified BRC, IFS and ISO 9001.
Sensory profile
The paste is white to slightly straw-coloured, soft and elastic, with marked and irregular eyes. The aroma recalls fresh milk and yogurt; the taste is sweet and delicate, with a pleasant milky finish and no bitterness. Thin, elastic rind (not edible, treated with preservative E202). Serve at 16-18 °C, taking the cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before service to release its full aroma.
Professional uses
- Delicatessen counter: sell by the cut in wedges; the 14 kg wheel guarantees an attractive cut surface and low waste.
- Cheese boards: pair with grissini, apricot jam, honey and a glass of white wine from the Veneto hills.
- Hot kitchen: melts evenly on toast, croque-style sandwiches, gourmet burgers, vegetable gratins and polenta.
- Pizza and focaccia: diced fresh Asiago added halfway through baking gives creamy, stringy pockets without excess fat.
- Salads and antipasti: cubes with pears, walnuts or speck for quick bar and bistro plates.
Mistakes to avoid
- Serving it fridge-cold: at refrigerator temperature the aroma stays muted; temper the cheese at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Cutting the whole wheel too far in advance: the cut surface oxidises and dries; cut to order and film-wrap the exposed face.
- Using it as a grating cheese: for grating choose a long-aged Asiago d'Allevo; the fresh version is made for melting and table use.
Storage
Store refrigerated at 0 to +6 °C. Keep the wheel in its protective-atmosphere packaging until use and do not pierce it; once cut, wrap the exposed surface in food film and keep the cold chain unbroken. Average nutritional values per 100 g: energy 1580 kJ / 381 kcal, fat 32 g of which saturates 23 g, carbohydrates 1.3 g of which sugars 0 g, protein 22 g, salt 1.8 g.
Delivery and logistics
Refrigerated B2B and B2C delivery in Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Cold chain at 2-4 °C guaranteed by the LAPA refrigerated fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Kloten, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Bern and Basel. For Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux) and mountain regions (Chur, Davos) delivery within 24-48 hours via certified food-grade partners such as Swiss Post Frigo-Express, Planzer and Galliker.
Who is it for
Designed for restaurants, pizzerias, delicatessens, hotels, catering services and Italian grocery stores looking for a fresh DOP cheese with reliable rotation, as well as private customers who love authentic Italian cheese. One wheel covers both the counter and the kitchen, with a single product and a single stock item.
