Pecorino with Chestnut Pollen

Pecorino with Chestnut Pollen has a delicate, creamy texture with the richness and slightly acidic flavor of sheep's milk cheese. The pollen adds a distinctive, forest-like aroma with nuances of wood and dark honey, as well as a crunchy texture.

• Base: Aged Pecorino (sheep’s milk), often firm and savory, with grassy and nutty tones.
• Chestnut Influence: Sometimes aged wrapped in chestnut leaves, or paired with chestnut honey, adding earthy, woody sweetness.
• Pollen Accent: Bee pollen adds floral, resinous, and lightly bitter notes—layering fragrance and complexity.

The cheese is delicate on the palate and when cut, the pollen becomes visible, a delightful visual element that enhances the extraordinary gastronomic experience of this delicious cheese.

• Fruits: Fresh figs, roasted pears, or persimmons.
• Nuts: Chestnuts (roasted or candied), walnuts, or hazelnuts.
• Accents: Chestnut honey drizzle, pollen-sprinkled crostini, or a smear of fig jam.
• Breads: Dark rye, walnut bread, or olive focaccia.

This cheese works beautifully in a seasonal fall cheese course—especially if you highlight the chestnut element with roasted chestnuts and drizzle a bit of honey.

Pecorino with chestnut pollen is a fresh sheep's milk cheese from Tuscany, Italy, that incorporates chestnut pollen into its paste, creating a unique cheese with a vibrant yellow interior, a slightly crunchy texture from the pollen grains, and a flavor profile that blends the cheese's delicate, creamy, and acidic notes with the sweet, woody, and dark honey-like nuances of the chestnut pollen.

The cheese is the result of an innovative union between a sheep dairy, Caseificio Busti, and a professional beekeeper, Miele Fabbri, from Lajatico, Tuscany. The pollen is harvested from the flowers of centenary chestnut trees in the region.