Today, the production of Taleggio DOP is largely industrial and its maturing takes place in modern humidity and temperature-controlled facilities. But there are still some artisan dairies that take the cheeses to mature in the caves of Valsassina and Valtaleggio, in the places where it was born.
Here, air currents still blow through the cracks in the rock, keeping the microclimate constant throughout the year. It is these natural conditions that give the soft cheese its characteristic aromatic and penetrating fragrance and its sweet, buttery flavour, which tends towards the savoury and piquant in the more mature cheeses.
Taleggio PDO cheeses are recognisable by the mark of four circles containing three T's and the number indicating the production plant. It has been recognised as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese since 12 June 1996.
To taste it, cut it into wedges, as for round cheeses, accompanying them with honey or jam and a glass of sweet, sparkling red wine such as Bonarda or Lambrusco.
Gorgonzola PDO is the most famous blue cheese in the world. It is the green and bluish mould veins that uniquely distinguish its appearance, giving it that pleasant mixture of sweet and piquant flavour accompanied by a slight acidity. It has been recognised as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese since 12 June 1996.
The legend that tells of its birth is famous, when a young cheesemaker in his haste to reach his fiancée forgot to process the evening curd. After adding a new curd the next morning, he realised that thanks to this mistake he had created a delicious cheese.
We don't know if the story is true, but it is certain that already at the beginning of the last century, gorgonzola was appreciated on tables all over the world, as evidenced by the fact that it was the only Italian cheese on the plateau de fromages of the Titanic's first-class menu.
There are two versions of gorgonzola. The mild one, particularly delicate and creamy, suitable for spreading, and the piquant one, with a firmer texture and stronger flavour.
Brie is a French cheese with more than a thousand years of tradition. In fact, its origins date back to the 8th century. Among the many legends that have arisen around it, it is said that it was Emperor Charlemagne who gave it the title of le roi du fromage (the king of cheese).
The best way to enjoy Brie is to cut it into thin slices complete with the perfectly edible rind, accompanied by toasted bread and a fresh, sparkling white wine.
Bleu d'Aoste is a Valle d'Aosta cheese born in 2005. Despite its young age, in just a few years it has managed to conquer the palate of gourmets and enter kitchens as an ingredient in tasty and refined recipes.
It is produced with milk from Valle d'Aosta cows bred at an altitude of no less than 600 metres and matured for between 90 and 120 days.
It has a soft and compact paste, with a white colour marked by the characteristic marbling that gives it a pronounced flavour.
Fontina is the most famous cheese of Valle d'Aosta and one of the gastronomic symbols of this region. In fact, the milk must come from cows of the Aosta Valley breed and must belong to the same milking.
Its official origin dates back to the early 18th century, when its name first appeared in the expense register of the Gran San Bernardo Hospice. It was granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status on 12 June 1996.
Goat cheese was once a typical product of the mayen, the mid-mountain huts that were the summer residence of the shepherds. It was in the surrounding meadows that the goats grazed those grasses that then gave the milk a distinct wild aroma.
Toma di Gressoney is an alpine cheese produced during the summer months. It is a cheese with a semi-hard paste that offers an intense alpine aroma and gives the palate a sensation of sweetness accompanied by nuances of hazelnut, musk and mushrooms.