Bel Paese

A semi-soft, Lombardy, cow's milk Italian cheese invented in 1906 by Egidio Galbani. His goal was to product a mild, delicate cheese to sell in Italy. The name is from the title of a children's book meaning "Beautiful Country". It matures for 6 to 8 weeks. The color is a pale, creamy yellow and it has a light milky aroma with a mild buttery flavor. It is paired with fruity dry wines, red and white. Also used as a dessert and snack cheese and paired with melty dishes like pizza and casserole. It is produced in small round discs. Real bel paese can be caught by the wrapping, which should have a picture of Antonion Stoppani, an Italian geologist and paleontologist. In the U.S. the image is accompanied by a map of the Americas, and in Italy it is a map of Italy.