Mauri Taleggio is a semi-soft washed rind cheese made by Mauri Formaggi in northern Italy. It is instantly recognisable due to its signature square shape. Read on to learn more about the history of this remarkable cheese, how it is made, what it tastes like and how best to serve it.
Where does Taleggio come from?
Taleggio is a soft washed rind cheese that dates back to the 10th century. Actually, local artisans named the cheese after its area of origin, Val Taleggio. This picturesque valley is found in the province of Bergamo in northern Italy.
A solution to excess milk
Because the local dairy farmers were producing excess milk, they needed a way to avoid wastage. Unsurprisingly, the solution they came up with was to preserve the milk by making cheese.
As the popularity of their local Taleggio grew, production spread throughout the Po Valley. And, over time, many small and medium-sized cheese dairies opened up.
Presently, the Taleggio name is protected by a DOP stamp. As a result of this, its production is restricted to the Lombardia, Veneto and Piemonte regions.
How Taleggio is made
To get the production of Taleggio under way, the cheesemaker heats the cow’s milk to a maximum temperature of 35 °C. Afterwards, they add rennet and starter culture to separate the curd from the whey.
Next, they proceed to break the curd over two steps. The reason for this is to craft a cheese with optimal textural consistency. Eventually, they extract the curd and transfer it to the iconic square moulds.
Steaming the cheese
Thereafter, the cheesemaker steams the bricks of cheese to eliminate all remaining whey and acidify the cheese. Overall, steaming lasts from 8 to 16 hours and takes place in temperature and humidity controlled cellars.
During this step, the cheesemaker turns the cheese regularly to maintain a uniform texture. Finally, they brand the cheese with a signature symbol (see image above).
Maturation of Taleggio
Wrapped in newspaper
After maturation is complete, the cheese maker wraps the blocks of cheese in a quirky newspaper-style wrap. Significantly, the wrap allows the cheese to breathe and mature further.
When it is ready for consumption, Taleggio has a thin, soft pinkish rind with patches of grey-green mould. Under the rind, its paste is uniform and compact. When ripe, the light yellow paste softens to become creamy and oozy, even at room temperature.
What Mauri Taleggio tastes like
Overall, Mauri Taleggio has a mild yeasty aroma and a rich flavour of cured meats and truffles. Surprisingly, it also has subtle sweet notes which become more earthy near the rind.
How to serve Mauri Taleggio
Without a doubt, Mauri Taleggio is great on a cheese board. Before serving, bring it to room temperature and pair with a local Pinot Grigio or Soave.
Moreover, Taleggio also excels as an addition to pasta, soups and crepes. Lastly, this cheese really comes into its own melted with mushrooms in a cheese toasted sandwich!
Substitutes to Taleggio
Some great alternatives to Taleggio for melting are Raclette, Vacherin Fribourgeois and Gruyère.
Thank you for reading
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