Cheeses

Its name and history go back to the mountains between Lecco and Bergamo where the Val Taleggio lies. Like Gorgonzola, a close relation (until a few decades ago they were both generically called ‘stracchino’), Taleggio is an uncooked paste which is subsequently “baked” in special rooms at between 200 and 300 C to eliminate the excess serum. Ripening takes place in natural caves such as those in the Valsassina that have been famous since the eighteenth century for their natural suitability for refining cheeses.

Torta di Peghera, a close cousin to the Taleggio, hails from Peghera, a town in the Val Taleggio region. Formed in a drum instead of a square, the Torta di Peghera differs only from Taleggio in shape, as the cheese makers use a traditional Taleggio recipe to make this cheese. Washed rind, the Torta di Peghera has dense, yet creamy paste, a pungent aroma and a flavors of earth and mushroom.