Gorgonzola

Thousands of years old, this blue (erborinato) cows’-milk cheese originates from the town of Gorgonzola in Lombardy, although today it can also be made in Novara, Vercelli, Pavia, Cuneo Mortara, Milano, Brescia, Como, Cremona and Bergano. It is a full-fat cheese (48%) and comes in a drum 25-30 cm (10-12 inches) in diameter, 16-20 cm (6¼-8 inches) in height and 6-13 kg (13-28 lb) in weight. The milk used to make it comes from herds that graze the nearby Alps.

It was once produced by locals using unpasteurized milk, but today it is commercially made using pasteurized milk with fermentation aids and a selection of moulds called Pénicillium glaucum, which give the typical blue marbling and unique flavour. It is aged in temperature-controlled caves at 4-5°C (39-41°F) over 2-4 months.