Gorgonzola, one of the best Italian cheeses

Italy is famous for its production of high quality cheeses, and many of them are considered among the best in the world. Italian cheeses are famous all over the world for their quality and especially for the very ancient artisanal production that has always characterized Italian cuisine. In particular, gorgonzola is one of the most distinctive cheeses, loved by many, but not by everyone because of its pungent taste and rich herbiness. In fact, gorgonzola is a blue cheese native to the region of Lombardy, from the town of Gorgonzola.

The culture of artisanal cheeses in Italy is deep-rooted and dates back centuries of dairy tradition, a true art that is passed down from generation to generation and has led today to the distinction of a few general categories of Italian cheeses, including:

• Fresh cheeses: such as ricotta, robiola and stracchino
• Soft cheeses: such as fontina and asiago
• Hard cheeses: such as pecorino romano and parmigiano reggiano

Most Italian cheeses are made from fresh, whole different types of milk, often from cows, sheep or goats that graze freely. This milk is then processed into cheese using artisanal techniques, including the addition of natural ferments and molds, hand salting, and maturation in controlled cellars.

How did gorgonzola originate?

The history of gorgonzola goes back more than a thousand years, and it is said that gorgonzola was created by accident by a farmer who left a milk container open and then still decided to use the cheese he had ripened in an unusual way. Over time, gorgonzola became very popular and is now one of the world's best-known cheeses. It is also a protected designation of origin cheese, which means that to be called gorgonzola PDO, it must meet strict production standards.

Generally, gorgonzola is made from cow's milk and is left to mature for several months, during which time it is inoculated with specific molds that give it its characteristic flavor and soft, velvety texture. Among the most popular recipes with gorgonzola cheese are undoubtedly risotto alla zucca e gorgonzola, a tasty, enveloping pasta dish with an unforgettable aroma.

There are two types of gorgonzola: Gorgonzola Dolce, which is a mild and creamy cheese with a slightly salty flavor, a soft and fluffy texture with small blue veins, and Gorgonzola Piccante, that is, a cheese with a more intense and strong flavor, a firmer texture and more blue veins.

Our Luigi Guffanti Gorgonzola has a very interesting history: Luigi Guffanti in 1876 began aging Gorgonzola, a practice never used until then for this type of blue cheese. But his intuition was genius, thus beginning cheese aging in an abandoned silver mine in Valganna, in the province of Varese. Controlled temperatures and constant humidity allowed the cheese to ripen so well that the company was not slow to conquer international markets. The experience accumulated on Gorgonzola was thus transferred to all cheese production, from Tome from the Ossola mountain pastures, to Parmigiano Reggiano, to all the Italian and French, English, Spanish, Swiss and Portuguese cheeses that Guffanti ripens today.

Four most beloved types of Italian cheeses

Italians' love for cheese is boundless; in fact, most traditional Italian recipes include cheese for recipes such as cacio e pepe pasta, as a topping for pizza, or as an ingredient in a tasty cheese fondue to enrich a delicious fassona tartare.

So here are our top 4 most loved Italian cheeses:

1. Parmigiano Reggiano: the king of cheese, produced in Emilia-Romagna, between the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna. Parmesan cheese was first produced in the 11th century and has since become one of the world's best known and most popular type of cheeses. This cheese is made with milk from cows fed only natural fodder. The milk is coagulated, curdled and processed by hand, and the cheese is left to mature for at least 12 months, but often for 24 months or more. Parmigiano Reggiano's flavor is umami, slightly salty; in cooking it is often used grated over pasta and risotto, or reduced to flakes for salads; it can be roughly cut and served as an appetizer on a cheese board, even at the end of a meal.
2. Pecorino Romano: this is a hard cheese made from sheep's milk, with an intense flavor and grainy texture. This cheese is produced in Lazio, specifically in the area between Rome and the province of Grosseto, and was first produced more than 2,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest cheeses in the world. During aging, PDO Pecorino cheese develops a strong, salty flavor, perfect for pairing with the taste of guanciale just like in the famous carbonara pasta recipe.
3. Taleggio: Taleggio is a cheese with a mild flavor and creamy texture, and it is produced in northern Italy, in Lombardy, particularly in the Bergamo and Brescia areas. It was first produced in the 9th century and soon became one of the most popular cheeses in Italy. It is often served in combination with a delicious pumpkin risotto, or as an ingredient in fondue.
4. Fontina: Fontina cheese is a soft cheese originating in the Aosta Valley, it is made from cow's milk and aged for at least 2 months. During this time, the cheese develops a creamy texture with a soft rind and an intense aroma. It is a very versatile cheese, perfect in all recipes, from the simplest sandwiches to 4-cheese pasta, a surprising and very tasty recipe.