Valle Aurina hosts ninth edition of Graukäse festival

The ninth edition of the “Giornate del Graukäse” will take place in Valle Aurina, Italy, from September 5 to 20. The event celebrates the traditional “grey cheese,” a historic Alpine specialty born from a zero-waste peasant economy where skimmed milk was used to create a lean cheese after butter production.

The festival includes a variety of activities such as local markets, tastings, themed menus, and visits to dairies and mountain farms. The celebration begins on September 5 in Lutago with a festival featuring traditional South Tyrolean dishes and folk music. Scheduled events include excursions to the Tauernalm mountain hut and demonstrations at the Moarhof farm in Acereto, as well as visits to the Goasroscht dairy in Campo Tures.

Graukäse is characterized by its lack of a rind and its marbled texture, with colors ranging from white to yellowish or grey-green due to natural molds during maturation. Recognized by the Slow Food Foundation, the cheese has historical roots in the region dating back to at least 1325.