Slicing onions makes us cry hot burning tears of pain (which is why we now cut them while wearing goggles), but this photo reminded us yet again that, where onions are concerned, "no pain, no gain." This is particularly true when the results are these gorgeous white onion and pecorino tarts.

Baked by Madalene, the mastermind behind The British Larder, the tarts contrast the lush sweetness of caramelized onions with the sharp bite of pecorino, providing delectable proof that opposites do indeed attract. They are stunning in their simplicity: Rather than (ahem) tart them up, Madalene opts to showcase the onion's whorled, earthy beauty. These look less like tarts than some sort of exotic blossoms, and right now we're plotting ways to make them bloom in our own kitchen.

[Via The British Larder]

The image above shows wheels of pecorino being aged on the island of Sardinia in Italy. No time to catch a flight to Italy to purchase a pecorino-style cheese? Try a delicious handmade pecorino from Dancing Ewe Farm in Granville, NY. While at the Union Square greenmarket last Friday, I stopped by their booth and was surprised at how similar these cheeses were to their European counterparts. It's uncanny! Their younger pecorino tasted just like a pecorino that comes from Casa Madaio in the Campania region of Italy.

Of course, these local pecorinos from NY stand out in their own right! Nevertheless, due to Jody and Luisa Somers' mastered techniques, it's practically impossible not to compare their cheeses to their Italian cousins. As someone who worked in the cheese industry, I am perfectly aware that many European cheeses are in transport (trucks, boats, and more trucks) for a period that could take up to two months. Then, the cheese could sit at a warehouse for another several months. This drastically affects the flavor of the cheese; and, may answer your question as to why Italian cheeses taste so different in Italy.

Visit Dancing Ewe Farm!
You can count on Dancing Ewe Farm for it's fresh, creamy, and slightly cirtus flavored pecorinos. Their aged pecorino tasted like bright pastures and exuded a deeply nutty aroma. This husband and wife team is committed to preserving traditional techniques in producing Italian style cheeses. They also produce a sheep's milk ricotta and a rich buttery cow's milk Prima Caciotta. In between purchasing the farm in 2000 and starting his cheese operation in 2003, Jody spent time in Tuscany learning how to make cheeses. When he returend, he transformed one of the crumbling buildings into a state of the art "caseificio", or cheese house. Suggestions on where to purchase their cheeses can be found after the jump.

When I first started my career in the cheese biz, I had no idea how many pecorinos there were. The category includes essentially all Italian sheep's milk cheeses. Pecora in Italian means "sheep." Most of them are produced in Tuscany and Sardinia. Calcagno is a pecorino that's hand crafted in Sardinia, and then, it's aged in southern Italy in the Campania region.

I find that most pecorinos are nutty and tend to dry out rather quickly. Calcagno is an exception. Cutting into a fresh wheel of Calcagno is like diving into a feathery bright green meadow with vibrant flowers and the smell of blossoms. The first characteristic I noticed about Calcagno was its exquisite floral aroma. Then, I was struck by its creamy texture and its crunchy protein crystals, the white dots in the cheese. Although it's a hard cheese, it seems to melt like butter on the palate. Finally, I was swept away by its complex finish ranging from flowers and cashew nuts to lemons and apricots.

We can trace Calcagno's brilliant flavor to its production. It's produced from the milk of sheep that are grazing on natural pasture and are sotto cielo, under the sky. Sotto Cielo has become a movement by farmers who want to preserve the tradtional ways of farming and taking care of their animals. Currently, there is a problem in Italy with many animals living on concrete indoors and rarely seeing the light of day. The sheep that produce the milk that creates Calcagno are living happily sotto cielo. Calcagno is aged for four to six months in natural caves
in Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park by one of Italy's best affineurs -- Casa Madaio. Suggestions on the best way to enjoy Calcagno can be found after the jump.