Ricotta cannot be considered a cheese, because it is obtained from whey, a by-product of the curd of the milk rather than the curd itself. It is a fresh product, white in colour, with a soft consistency and a sweet taste. It is placed on sale immediately after production and keeps for 3 days at a temperature of 4 °C. If it is not eaten fresh, after salting the ricotta can be smoked with green conifer wood, by placing it for a few days on wooden racks on the chimney of the hearth. Smoked ricotta has a cylindrical or truncated cone shape and a dark rind. It is close-textured, with a more or less pronounced smoky taste depending on the intensity of the smoking process.