Castelmagno

One of the most popular Piedmontese cheeses, this blue cheese is made in the area around the town of Castelmagno in the province of Cuneo. A semi-hard cheese with only 34% fat content, it is made from cows’ milk and a little partially skimmed ewes’ milk. The initial curd is hung for 24 hours in cloth to allow the whey to drain out. It is then placed in a large wooden container for 4 to 5 days before being divided into moulds to mature. Each cheese weighs between 3 and 7 kg (6½ and 15¼ lb) and has a diameter of 15-25 cm (6-10 inches) and a height of 12-20 cm (4¾-8 inches). It is kept in stone cases at a constant temperature of 10-12°C (50-54°F) for between 4 and 6 months, during which time it develops its unique nutty flavour. It is an excellent white cheese, dotted with green mould, that is mostly eaten as a table cheese.