An intense, strong, enduring and all-embracing flavor: creamy and irresistible, when it comes to the traditions of Italian dairy production, gorgonzola is one of the most characteristic cheeses around. There are two main types: spicy and sweet. The former is matured for 80 days, is compact and crumbly and has a distinct flavor. The sweet version, on the other hand, is soft and velvety, is matured for 50 days and has a muskier aroma and a more rounded flavor. The latter of the two is the most popular among Italians and makes up for more than 90% of total production. With its hat-box shape, soft and luxurious consistency and white-ivory color with lines of green mold, the sweet version is the star of delicatessens and one of the most-eaten blue cheeses in the whole of Italy.Its origins date back to the Middle Ages, though the cheese has only enjoyed DOP protected status since 1996. Its production zone is situated in a small zone at the extreme north of Italy, wedged between Piedmont and Lombardy, though the actual place of origin is the town of Gorgonzola, near Milan, where the cows were brought after migrating from the alpine zones of Valsassina, in the province of Lecco.
