Randy Chandler
Gorgonzola is a famously pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is believed to have originated in the Lombardian town of Gorgonzola, Milan, in the 9th century. The cheese is known for its greenish-blue marbling and is available in two primary variations: Dolce, which has a more delicate flavour and buttery consistency, and Piccante, which has a more pungent flavour and a firm, crumbly texture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | Greenish-blue |
| Texture | Firm and crumbly |
| Flavour | Salty, tangy, sharp, sweet, pungent |
| Aroma | Mild |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Ageing time | Minimum of 50 days, typically 3-4 months |
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What You'll Learn
Gorgonzola is a pungent Italian blue cheese
Gorgonzola is available in two primary variations: Dolce, which has a more delicate flavour and buttery consistency, and Piccante, which has a stronger flavour and a firm, crumbly texture. The Dolce variety is less salty and can have a slightly sweet finish, while the Piccante variety is saltier and has a more pungent finish. Gorgonzola is also available in a layered block, alternating with Mascarpone, a sweet Italian cream cheese.
The cheese is aged for a minimum of 50 days, with the length of the ageing process determining the consistency of the cheese. Younger Gorgonzola is softer and creamier, while mature versions are firmer and deliver a stronger, piquant flavour. Gorgonzola is typically aged for three to four months. During the ageing process, the rind is pierced with steel needles to promote the marbling effect.
Gorgonzola is a popular choice for pizzas, risottos, pasta dishes, and salads. It is known for being creamier than other blue cheeses, with a milder aroma, making it a good choice for those who are new to stronger cheeses. It can be melted or crumbled over food to add a punch of flavour.
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It's made from unskimmed cow's milk
Gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is believed to have originated in Italy in the 9th century in the town of Gorgonzola, Milan, where it gets its name from. The town's claim of geographical origin is disputed by other nearby localities, such as the well-known cheese-making area of Pasturo nella Valsassina. This is because of the presence of natural caves that maintain the perfect temperature (between 6 and 12 degrees Celsius) for making Gorgonzola and other cheeses.
Today, Gorgonzola is mainly produced in the northern Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. The cheese-making process involves removing the whey during curdling, and the result is aged at low temperatures. The length of the ageing process determines the consistency of the cheese, which gets firmer as it ripens. Gorgonzola is typically aged for three to four months, and the minimum maturation time for it to be labelled as Gorgonzola is 50 days.
There are two primary variations of Gorgonzola: Dolce and Piccante. Dolce has a more delicate flavour and buttery consistency, while Piccante has a more pungent flavour and a firm, crumbly texture. Both varieties can be quite salty, with a "bite" from their blue veining. Dolce, also called Sweet Gorgonzola, has a less salty taste and a slightly sweet finish, while Piccante, also known as Gorgonzola Naturale or Mountain Gorgonzola, has a stronger flavour.
Gorgonzola is a popular choice for pizzas, risottos, and pasta dishes, as well as cheese boards. It has a salty, savoury flavour and is known for being creamier than other blue cheeses, with fewer veins of blue colouring and a milder aroma. This makes it a good choice for those who are new to stronger cheeses. Gorgonzola can be melted or crumbled over food to add a punch of flavour.
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It has greenish-blue marbling
Gorgonzola is a pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is believed to have originated in the Lombardian town of Gorgonzola, Milan, in the 9th century. The town celebrates an annual September Gorgonzola festival, called the Sagra Nazionale del Gorgonzola. The cheese acquired its greenish-blue marbling in the 11th century.
The greenish-blue marbling of Gorgonzola is a result of the cheese's ageing process. During this process, metal rods are quickly inserted and removed, creating air channels that allow mould spores to grow into hyphae and cause the characteristic veining. The cheese is typically aged for three to four months, and the length of the ageing process determines the consistency of the cheese, which gets firmer as it ripens.
Gorgonzola is available in two primary variations: Dolce, with a more delicate flavour and buttery consistency, and Piccante, with a more pungent flavour and firm, crumbly texture. Either can be quite salty, with a "bite" from their blue veining. A newer variation features a layered block alternating the more assertive Gorgonzola with the more delicate Mascarpone, marketed as Gorgonzola e Mascarpone.
Gorgonzola is a popular choice for pizzas, risottos, pasta dishes, and cheese boards. It is known for being creamier than other blue cheeses, with fewer veins of blue colouring throughout and a slightly milder aroma, making it a good choice for those new to stronger cheeses. It can be melted down or crumbled over food to add a punch of flavour.
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It's available in two primary variations: Dolce and Piccante
Gorgonzola is a pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is believed to have originated in the Lombardian town of Gorgonzola, Milan, in the 9th century. The town celebrates an annual September Gorgonzola festival, called the Sagra Nazionale del Gorgonzola.
Gorgonzola is available in two primary variations: Dolce and Piccante. Gorgonzola Dolce is the younger version that was developed just after World War II. It is less aged, with a more delicate flavour and a softer, buttery consistency. It has a slightly sweet finish and a darker cream colour with greenish-blue veining. Its rind is tender and fits the paste like a fragile eggshell. Gorgonzola Dolce is good for cooking, especially in cream sauces and pastries.
Gorgonzola Piccante, on the other hand, is the more aged version, with a pungent flavour and a firm, crumbly texture. It is also known as Gorgonzola Naturale, di monte, or stagionato. It has a whiter paste with darker blue veins. This variety is better for crumbling into salads and has a stronger smell and flavour than Dolce.
Both varieties of Gorgonzola are encased in a natural rind that is brined during the ageing process. The length of the ageing process determines the consistency of the cheese, with Gorgonzola becoming firmer as it ripens. Gorgonzola is typically aged for three to four months.
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It's named after the Lombardian town of Gorgonzola, Milan
Gorgonzola cheese is named after the Lombardian town of Gorgonzola, Milan, where it originated. The town celebrates an annual September Gorgonzola festival, called the Sagra Nazionale del Gorgonzola. The cheese is believed to have been created in the 9th century and has been produced for centuries in Gorgonzola, Milan, acquiring its greenish-blue marbling in the 11th century. However, the town's claim of geographical origin is disputed by other nearby localities, such as the well-known cheese-making area of Pasturo nella Valsassina, due to the presence of natural caves that maintain the perfect temperature for making Gorgonzola and other cheeses.
Today, Gorgonzola is mainly produced in the northern Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, with cows feeding on natural forage on pastures spread across these regions, delivering full-bodied milk to the creameries. The cheese is made using unskimmed cow's milk, with fresh milk delivered daily from nearby pastures. It is a type of blue cheese, with greenish-blue or blue-green veining, and is known for being creamier than other blue cheeses, with a milder aroma. It is available in two primary variations: Dolce, with a more delicate flavour and buttery consistency, and Piccante, with a more pungent flavour and firm, crumbly texture. Gorgonzola Dolce is also called Sweet Gorgonzola, as it can have a slightly sweet finish, while Gorgonzola Piccante is also referred to as Gorgonzola Naturale or Mountain Gorgonzola.
The ageing process determines the consistency of Gorgonzola, with the cheese getting firmer as it ripens. Gorgonzola is typically aged for three to four months, and the minimum maturation period for it to be labelled as Gorgonzola is 50 days. During the ageing process, metal rods are quickly inserted and removed, creating air channels that allow mould spores to grow and cause the cheese's characteristic veining. The length of the ageing process also influences the taste of the cheese, with older versions being stronger and more piquant.
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Frequently asked questions
Gorgonzola is a blue cheese with greenish-blue marbling or veining. It is said to resemble archaic porcelain.
Gorgonzola is a famously pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is believed to have originated in the Lombardian town of Gorgonzola, Milan, in the 9th century.
Gorgonzola is made by adding carefully selected yeasts and rennet to pasteurized milk. The milk is then transferred to large tanks to coagulate and curdle. The curd is cut and separated, releasing the whey. The curd is then placed in moulds and brined with sea salt. During the ageing process, the rind is pierced with steel needles to promote the marbling effect. Gorgonzola is typically aged for three to four months.
Gorgonzola has a salty, sharp, tangy, and pungent flavour. It is known for being creamier than other blue cheeses, with a milder aroma.
