Chef Lippe's Taleggio AOC. Val Taleggio and Lombardy Italy

Hand cut. Approximate weight 7 oz. Weight may vary.

Taleggio is a semisoft, washed-rind, smear-ripened Italian cheese that is named after the Taleggio valley. The cheese has a thin crust and a strong aroma, but its flavor is comparatively mild with an unusual fruity tang.

Deliciously gooey, it melts beautifully into risottos, pasta, panini, it can be grated, sliced, and spread. A sure star in your cheese board, pairs well with both, full-bodied reds and bright fruity whites.

Taleggio has been around since Roman times, with Cicero, Cato the Elder, and Pliny the Elder all mentioning it in their writings. The cheese was solely produced in the Val Taleggio region until the late 1800s when some production moved to the Lombardy plain to the south.

The production takes place every autumn and winter. First, acidified milk is mixed with rennet taken from calves. The cheese is set on wood shelves in chambers, sometimes in caves as per tradition, and matures within six to ten weeks. It is washed once a week with a seawater sponge to prevent mold growth and to form an orange or rose crust.