Its name and history go back to the mountains between Lecco and Bergamo where the Val Taleggio lies. Like Gorgonzola, a close relation (until a few decades ago there were both generically called ‘stracchino’), Taleggio DOP is an uncooked paste which is subsequently baked in special rooms at between 20° and 30° C to eliminate the excess serum. Ripening takes place in natural caves such as those in the Valsassina that have been famous since the eighteenth century for their natural suitablity for refining cheeses.
