it needs to be wrapped in aluminum foil with the logo of the Consortium, otherwise it’s not DOP!
Origin
Gorgonzola takes his name from the namesake town in the Milan area. Its date of birth is not certain, but it seems that it was discovered during the Middle Ages, around the year 979, more than 11 centuries ago. At the beginning it was called “stracchino di gorgonzola” in reference to the ‘stracche’ (tired) cows coming after the transhumance in the alpine area between Valsassina and Gorgonzola. During the centuries it hasn’t been much considered but from the XX century it was one of the most exported cheeses, especially in England, France and Germany. It has been recognized by the EU with the DOP mark in 1996, only the one made with milk that comes from certain areas of Lombardy and Piedmont.
Cook it
It can be sweet or spicy: the first one ages for a couple of months, the other for at least a trimester. Due to its sensational creamy consistency, it is particularly well suited to prepare sauces and mousses and also, is perfect to be added to main dishes and as a filling for pies, pizzas and focaccias. Its intense taste makes this cheese is to combine it with fruit, like the Mantua Melon IGP, walnuts and passito wine or with sour veggies like endive or radicchio.
Did you Know that
If you want to preserve Gorgonzola DOP, anciently called “green stracchino”, you should wrap up the cheese with aluminum foil and then place it in the less cold area of the fridge. Besides, before eating it, it should be kept out of the fridge for 30 minutes to rest, especially if we are talking about sweet gorgonzola.
