What does Taleggio taste like?

The cheese has a really long history. It was named after the valley in which it was invented: Val Taleggio near Bergamo. There is evidence that it was already being produced before the 10th century.

The inhabitants of the valley invented soft cheese to preserve cow’s milk for longer. They initially stored the cheese – similar to Gorgonzola – in the cool, damp caves of the Alps and it was in this climate that the characteristic red mold developed.

As the cheese matures, it is washed weekly with salt water and red smear cultures until the typical orange-red cheese rind with its characteristic green-grey moldy spots appears.

Taleggio recipes from Lombardy

The taste of the red smear cheese is intensely strong, very tangy and goes perfectly with crispy ciabatta. In short: If you like long-ripened Camembert, you should definitely try Taleggio D.O.P. as an alternative. The fat content is roughly the same as that of Camembert.

In Italy, the cheese with the red rind is often served with sweet ingredients such as pears or truffle honey. The combination with bitter salads, such as radicchio or rocket, is one of the traditional classics of vegetarian cuisine. And melted Taleggio is also simply delicious in risottos or polenta.

Because the soft Taleggio melts very well, it can even be used for pizza. You can find a great recipe for pizza with coppa and porcini mushrooms here on the blog.

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