Azienda Agricola Stagnoli Francesco

The Agricultural Company Stagnoli Francesco: a story captured within its territory

Francesco is a true master in the art of producing Bagòss. It is a very territorial product; in fact, the place of production is confined to the municipality of Bagolino, a small town in Brescia in the upper Val Sabbia. Francesco has managed to keep this tradition alive by passing it down from generation to generation. His cheese tells the story and the ancient experience of cheesemakers of the past through its taste, to the point of becoming a Slow Food presidium.
Francesco passionately dedicates himself to the production of Bagòss, taking care of every detail of the processing and aging process.
The peculiarity of Bagòss is that it certainly uses raw milk, specifically that from the brown-alpine cow, but during the curd breaking phase, the cheesemakers add a teaspoon of saffron which gives it a typical brown-ochre coloring and makes it unique for its aroma and flavor.

3 curiosities: why add saffron to cheese?

One of the reasons saffron was added to the cheese may be traced back to the historical period or a cultural factor of its area of origin. The introduction of saffron probably dates back to the 16th century, during the period when Bagolino had close commercial ties with the Republic of Venice, a city known at the time for its spice trade. The addition of saffron, although not a local spice, was easily available thanks to Venetian trade and was used to enhance both the color and the perceived value of the cheese.

The brilliant yellow color conferred by the saffron made Bagòss visually distinctive and made it appear more precious, increasing its commercial value. This trick was important in an era when the appearance of the product had a significant weight on its perceived qualities and market price.

Furthermore, the use of saffron was not just for aesthetic purposes, but it also imparted a characteristic flavor that helped differentiate Bagòss from other cheeses. This practice made Bagòss unique and continues to be a distinctive feature of the cheese even today.