Physical Description
Usually firm and crumbly, gorgonzola can also have a creamy texture. Made with cow's or goat's milk, this cheese is mottled with veins of the penicillium glaucum mold. Typically aged three to four months.
Colors: Creamy white with greenish-blue veins.
Tasting Notes
Flavors: Softer and sweeter blue cheese flavor.
Mouthfeel: Tangy, Creamy, Firm, Salty, Pungent.
Food complements: Grapes, Pears, Apples, Greens, Prosciutto, Honey, Pine nuts.
Wine complements: Sparkling wine.
Beverage complements: Classic manhattan cocktail when the cheese is not too salty
Substitutes: Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola dolce, Dolcelatte, Cambozola, Saga
Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Peak: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: Gorgonzola is at its best when you find a variety imported from Italy, the country of its origin. Always check the maturity of your cheese and choose according to your preference or recipe requirements. If it's aged three to four months, it will be a creamier, sweeter gorgonzola, but a gorgonzola aged six months or more will be tangier, much bolder in flavor and strongly pungent in aroma.
Buying: Due to gorgonzola's popularity, it can be found in most markets in their dairy or cheese sections, where you will likely have the option of buying domestic or imported. Gourmet markets will often carry several varieties and varying ages of cheese, while your local farmers' market may provide locally-produced gorgonzola.
Preparation and Use
Gorgonzola typically comes already sectioned and wrapped. Simply peel away its covering and crumble the cheese with a fork or your fingers. While popular sprinkled over salads or pizzas, gorgonzola has been a staple in traditional Italian pasta dishes, usually tossed through the pasta just before serving. Gorgonzola may also be crumbled over slices of fruit, especially pears, for a sophisticated appetizer.
Cleaning: No cleaning required.
Conserving and Storing
Wrap gorgonzola in tinfoil to preserve its moisture. Kept in the refrigerator, a well-wrapped gorgonzola can keep for several weeks.
Social/Political
Gorgonzola is considered an artisinal cheese from Italy and is by law only permitted to be produced in very specific regions, primarily the province of Novara. Only gorgonzola produced in the approved Italian regions may legally hold the name 'gorgonzola', while any produced elsewhere may only be described as gorgonzola-style.
History: Produced since the Middle Ages in Italy, this cheese derives its name from the town of Gorgonzola, just outside of Milan, which is its supposed region of origin. Many nearby towns in Italy dispute this claim, but the tradition and name continue.
