In the dialect of Emilia and Lombardy, the cheesemaker apprentice. Literally meaning ‘standing under the cauldron’, because before the advent of gas heating, the apprentice was responsible for lighting the fire under the cauldron.
italian pronunciation: /sòt-cal-de-ra//
Cristian Arati, cheesemaker at the Caseificio Agricolo Milanello, emphasises the importance of the role of the apprentices in the dairy. In the Caseificio Agricolo Milanello, the sotcaldera are involved in every stage of Parmigiano Reggiano processing, coordinated in their activities by the expert supervision of the cheesemaker.
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