Andy Montoya
Fontina is a type of cheese made from cow's milk. It is known for its creamy and nutty flavour and semi-hard texture. Fontina is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk in the Aosta Valley, an Alpine region in northwest Italy. It is also produced in several other countries, including Sweden, Denmark, and the United States. The cheese is aged in caves, which give it its distinct aroma and texture. While Fontina is not a blue-veined cheese, it does have small holes, known as eyes. Blue cheese, on the other hand, is characterised by blue or blue-grey veins of mold throughout, created by the addition of Penicillium cultures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cheese | Semi-soft to hard, semi-hard |
| Texture | Semi-hard outer layers, smooth and soft insides |
| Rind | Natural, tan to orange-brown |
| Colour | Pale cream |
| Fat Content | 45% |
| Flavour | Creamy, nutty, buttery, sweet and pungent, earthy, mushroomy, woody |
| Smell | Distinct |
| Melting | Melts well |
| Blue-Veined | No |
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What You'll Learn
Fontina cheese is made from cow's milk
Fontina cheese is a cow's milk cheese, first produced in Italy. It is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk from cows in the Aosta Valley, an Alpine region in northwest Italy. The cows that provide the milk for Fontina graze on lush meadows at the foot of the Alps. The milk is delivered directly from the pasture to the creamery, where it is heated to 97 °F in stainless steel or copper vats. Once the milk has reached the desired temperature, live cultures and calf's rennet are added to form curds. The mixture is then cooked to a higher temperature of about 116 to 118 °F.
After the curds have formed and firmed, they are strained and transferred to round molds to be drained and salted. The cheese is then aged for 60 days in a cool environment, followed by another 30 to 90 days in aging caves, where it is regularly washed with brine to form the rind. The aging process gives Fontina its distinctive earthy, mushroomy, and woody taste, with hints of butter and roasted nuts.
Fontina cheese has a creamy light yellow color with numerous small holes, known as "eyes." Its flavor is mild and nutty, although its intensity will depend on its age. Younger Fontina has a softer texture and is often used in fondue or as a table cheese, while older Fontina is harder and can be grated over soups, pasta dishes, rice, and vegetables. The best way to store Fontina cheese is to wrap it tightly in parchment, waxed paper, butcher paper, or cheese paper and place it in a plastic container with holes poked in it.
Fontina cheese has become popular worldwide, and production has spread to countries such as the United States, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, France, and Argentina. Each region may have its own variations of Fontina, with slight differences in texture, flavor, and hole structure compared to the traditional Italian Fontina. For example, Swedish-style Fontina is known for its red wax coating and milder, milkier flavor.
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It is a semi-soft to hard cheese
Fontina cheese is a semi-soft to hard cheese, depending on its age. The cheese is made by heating cow's milk to 97 °F in stainless steel or copper vats, and then adding live cultures and calf's rennet to form curds. After resting, the mixture is cooked to a higher temperature of about 116 to 118 °F. The curds are then strained and transferred into round molds, where they are drained and salted. This process is followed by 60 days of aging in a cool environment, and then another 30 to 90 days in aging caves, where the cheese is washed with brine regularly to form the rind.
The texture of Fontina is semi-hard and smooth, with a creamy, light yellow color and numerous small holes, known as "eyes." Its flavor is mild and nutty, with tones of butter and roasted nuts, and its intensity depends on how long it has been aged. Young Fontina has a softer texture and is often used in fondue, while mature Fontina is harder and can be grated over soups, pasta dishes, rice, and risotto. The cheese is known for its unique melting properties, making it a popular choice for baked dishes, casseroles, and gratins.
Fontina cheese originated in the Aosta Valley in Italy and is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk from cows in this Alpine region. The milk used for Fontina production is of high quality, as the cows are moved to higher ground where the grass is richer and healthier, resulting in milk with a higher nutritional value. The vast mountains and caves surrounding the Aosta Valley provide the ideal low temperatures for aging the cheese, contributing to its distinct texture and flavor.
Today, Fontina cheese is also produced in other countries, including Denmark, Sweden, the United States, Canada, and Argentina. While the traditional Italian Fontina has a thin, pale orange rind, Swedish-style Fontinas are packaged in a coating of red wax. The flavor of Fontina can vary across these regions, with Swedish, Danish, and American Fontinas having a milder flavor, softer texture, and more holes than their Italian counterpart.
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Fontina has a creamy, nutty flavour
Fontina cheese is a semi-hard, Italian-style cow's milk cheese with a creamy, nutty flavour. It is traditionally made from unpasteurised milk from cows in the Aosta Valley, an Alpine region in northwest Italy. The cheese has a creamy light yellow colour with numerous small holes, known as "eyes". Its flavour is mild and nutty, although its intensity will depend on how long it's been aged. The longer it's aged, the nuttier it gets.
Fontina cheese is made by heating cow's milk to 97°F in stainless steel or copper vats, then adding live cultures and calf's rennet to form curds. After resting, the mixture is cooked to a higher temperature (about 116 to 118°F). The resulting curds are strained and transferred into round moulds, where they are drained and salted. This process is followed by 60 days of ageing in a cool environment, and then another 30 to 90 days in ageing caves, where it is washed with brine regularly to form the rind.
Young Fontina has a softer texture and is suitable for fondue, as it melts well. It can also be used in recipes that call for a smooth, melty cheese, such as cheese dips, casseroles, pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, frittatas, and baked stratas. A traditional dish called Fonduta alla valdostana (or Fondue à la valdôtaine in French) is made of Fontina whipped with milk, eggs, and truffles.
Mature Fontina is harder and can be grated over soups, pasta dishes, rice and risotto, vegetables and salads. It still melts well, making it a good choice for baked dishes, casseroles and gratins. When served as a table cheese, it should be allowed to come to room temperature for an hour before eating.
Fontina cheese is now also made in Denmark, Sweden, the United States, Canada, and Argentina. The Swedish and Danish versions are characterised by their waxed rinds and sweet, savoury flavour. They are also milder, softer, and have more holes than the Italian Fontina.
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It is a good melting cheese
Fontina is a semi-soft, semi-hard, or hard Italian-style cow's milk cheese with a rich, creamy texture and a nutty, buttery flavour. It is not a blue-veined cheese.
Fontina is a good melting cheese. In fact, it is considered one of the best melting cheeses. Its ability to melt smoothly and nicely makes it a popular choice for baked dishes, casseroles, and gratins. Its gooey meltiness is perfect for fondue, cheese dips, and sauces. It is also used in hot dishes like gooey baked pastas, cheesy mashed potatoes, breakfast casseroles, and paninis.
Young Fontina, with its softer texture, is particularly well-suited for melting. It is often used in recipes that call for a smooth, melty cheese, such as fondue, cheese dip, or sauces. Its melting properties make it ideal for dishes like mac and cheese, pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, frittatas, and baked stratas.
The maturity of Fontina cheese influences its melting properties. Younger Fontina is softer and melts more easily, making it a versatile ingredient for various melted cheese applications. On the other hand, mature Fontina is harder and can be grated over soups, pasta dishes, rice, risotto, vegetables, and salads. While mature Fontina has a harder texture, it still melts well, adding a gooey, creamy element to dishes.
The melting quality of Fontina is attributed to its production process and origin. Fontina is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk, which contributes to its unique melting properties. It is crafted in the Aosta Valley, an Alpine region in northwest Italy, where the milk from Valdostana cows imparts a distinct flavour and texture to the cheese. The cheese is then aged in the natural caverns of the region, absorbing the naturally filtered moisture, which further refines its melting characteristics.
In summary, Fontina is renowned for its exceptional melting abilities, making it a highly versatile cheese in the kitchen. Its smooth, creamy texture when melted enhances the flavour and consistency of various dishes, from grilled cheese sandwiches to baked casseroles.
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It is made in Italy and several other countries
Fontina is a semi-hard, Italian-style cow's milk cheese that originated in the Aosta Valley, a region in the Alps in northwest Italy. It is characterised by its creamy and nutty flavour, with subtle tones of butter and roasted nuts. The cheese is also known for its distinctive semi-hard outer layers and smooth and soft insides.
Fontina cheese is made by heating cow's milk to 97°F in stainless steel or copper vats, and then adding live cultures and calf's rennet to form curds. After resting, the mixture is cooked to a higher temperature (about 116 to 118°F). The resulting curds are strained and then transferred into round moulds where they are drained and salted. This process is followed by 60 days of aging in a cool environment, and then another 30 to 90 days in aging caves, where it is regularly washed with brine to form the rind.
While Fontina originated in Italy, it is now also made in several other countries, including Denmark, Sweden, the United States, Canada, France, and Argentina. The production of Fontina has spread worldwide, and the cheese has become a popular ingredient used by chefs and home cooks alike.
Fontina produced in different countries can vary in flavour and texture. For example, Fontina from Sweden, Denmark, and the United States tends to have a milder flavour, softer texture, and more holes than those produced in Italy. The Swedish and Danish versions of Fontina are known for their waxed rinds and sweet and savoury flavour. In the United States, where raw milk cheeses must be aged for at least 60 days, some Fontina is made with pasteurized milk, resulting in a milder taste and the loss of some of the cheese's more subtle flavours.
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Frequently asked questions
No, fontina is not a blue-veined cheese. Blue cheese is a general classification of cheeses that have had cultures of the mold Penicillium added so that the final product is spotted or veined throughout with blue, or blue-grey mold. Fontina is a semi-hard, Italian-style cow's milk cheese that has a rich and creamy texture and a nutty, buttery flavor.
Fontina is a cow's milk cheese, first produced in Italy. It is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk from cows in the Aosta Valley, an Alpine region in northwest Italy. Fontina cheese is also made in Denmark, Sweden, the United States, Canada, France, and Argentina.
To produce fontina cheese, milk is delivered directly from the pasture to the creamery, where large copper cauldrons are filled and heated to 97 F. Enzymes and calf rennet are added to promote coagulation of the milk, resulting in the formation of curds. The curds are then separated and drained through a cheesecloth, then transferred into round molds where they are drained and salted. After it has brined for two months, the wheel is ready for aging in the caverns of Valle d'Aosta.
Fontina cheese has a creamy and nutty flavor with subtle tones of butter and roasted nuts. Its flavor is mild and nutty, although its intensity will depend on how long it's been aged. The longer it's aged, the nuttier it becomes.
Fontina cheese is a popular ingredient in many dishes due to its melting properties. It can be used in fondue, cheese dip, grilled cheese sandwiches, casseroles, baked pastas, cheesy mashed potatoes, and paninis. It can also be baked with olive oil and herbs and served as a hot dip for bread.
