Gorgonzola has always been one of my sweethearts. On a recent Cheese Journeys to Italy I visited Caseificio Arioli, a 6th generation gorgonzola maker. But let’s start from the beginning…
Here in the States, there are two types of Gorgonzola that are generally available – Dolce and Piccante. The former is sweet, milky, creamy with hints of spice. The latter is more aged – generally a year or more – and, as a result, is more piquant, firmer and crumblier.
The legend of the little mistake
Well, this is not the first time we hear about a mistake which leads to a successful innovation. And so is the story of gorgonzola’s creation. A cheese maker in training and very much in love left his place prematurely to be with his chosen one. To his great horror, he discovered the day after that his half-finished cheese had turned bluish. He tried to hide it by pouring freshly made curd on top. But alas! The final cheese also turned bluish. But when the cheese master tasted the wrong-colored cheese, he became happy and blessed because its taste was divine.
With roots in the Middle Ages
Gorgonzola was for the first time mentioned (in writing) in 879. Some believe that the cheese was made in the town of Gorgonzola, close to Milan. Others believe the cheese was made a little further north in the mountainous area of Valsassina. This was the center of milk production at the time, and the mountains were home to lots of natural caves, perfect for cheese storage.
In the fall, cows came down from the mountains to spend the winter in the valley. Their milk at this time was used to make a cheese called ‘stracchino di Gorgonzola’. The word ‘stracchino’ comes from ‘stracco’ or ‘stanco’, meaning tired in Italian. The tired cows gave a particularly tasty milk, and close to the town of Gorgonzola, large quantities of milk were converted into gorgonzola cheese. At that time, the blue mold would naturally have found its way into the cheese.
Gorgonzola Dolce vs Piccante
FAQ
What is Gorgonzola Dolce?
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What does Dolce mean in cheese?
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