The Bagòss

It's a typical cheese producted in ¤Bagolino's and Ponte Caffaro's (BS) area. It's a cooked or half-cooked cheese, obtain skimmed cow's milk. It appears under a cylindrical shape with smooth surface, 40 cm diameter, 12-15 cm in thichness and its average weight is between 12 and 15 kilos. The cheese-rind becomes, after a ripening period, dark brownish naturally colured; the paste is compact and dark yellow coloured. Its seasoning could last from a minimum of two months period to a maximun of two years; if it's well-seasoned it should be served in flakes, as Parmesan cheese.

The Carnival

Only recently (1972), the folk scholars discovered Bagolino's Carnival that, for the extraordinary complex of music and dancing, has been classified as one of the most important discoveries of the last 200 years.
Unique wonder in italy and with few aquivalents in the whole Europe, the ancient origins traditions, is deeply rooted in Bagolino's and Ponte Caffaro's in habitants.
Bagolino's Carnival origins, atleast for what deals with music and dancing, can be placed around the XVI century, whereas more ancient should be the fency dress origin. From the archieves documentation examinated up till now, many injunctions or prohibitions relating to masking go back to the years between 1530 1553. in this documentation, we also read about "ringing and dancing", but we do not read anything about instruments and music but a 1551 document that quoted "li suonadori de li violini", that means "violinists". That was the period when modern violin started opening the way to the first big violin-makers in Brescia (Gasparo da Sal˜ 1542 - 1609) and in Cremona (D. Amati 1505- 1579).
The most spectacular aspect of Bagolino's Carnival is represented bye the dancers both for the fency dress and for music and dance.