Our Italian pin-up is cave-aged Taleggio, which melts beautifully through so many heart-warming dishes, including polenta, pizza and risotto – all perfect for this time of year.

taleggio 

The best examples of Taleggio are matured in the Italian Alps and ripened in granite caves cooled by melting snow. The caves provide the ideal maturing environment, with cool temperatures (5°C) and high humidity (95 per cent) enabling the cheese to develop a rich, creamy texture.

An enigmatic cheese, Taleggio makes its presence known with a pungent, meaty aroma but it actually has a pleasantly mild, buttery and elegant flavour.

SELECTING & SERVING: Hunting for a cave-aged Taleggio is well worth your time. Our favourite is made by the Mauri family in Lombardy, who mature the cheese in pine boxes high in the Alps. A good-quality Taleggio rind should not be cracked and, if it’s a good cheese, the rind should also be eaten and enjoyed!

PAIR WITH: pinot noir, Soave

SERVE WITH: mushrooms, polenta, pizza and risotto, or scattered over roasted vegetables