The “Fontina” cheese comes from the Aosta Valley, the smallest region in Italy, situated in the heart of the Alps, between the highest mountains of western Europe: the Mont Blanc, the Monte Cervino, the Monte Rosa and the Gran Paradiso. It benefits from a dry climate, given by the particular geographical position of the region, which favours the development of a mountain flora rich in botanic essences, guaranteeing a great quality of the bovine fodder.

The history of this cheese dates back in time, in fact the term “Fontina” appears for the first time in June 1717, in  the records of the Gran San Bernardo Hospice in the accounts of expenses and earnings.
Although the origin of this term is not very clear (some people trace it back to the name of a geographical area, whilst other relate it to the name of a cheese producer’s family) everyone agrees that Fontina is the Val d’Aosta cheese par excellence.

Fontina is produced by using the milk of the local bovines, the “pezzata nera” and the “pezzata rossa” (name of the local bovine breed) . This milk is strictly raw as coming from a single milking, and its processing as quick as possible, in order to avoid any kind of reaction or bad fermentation .
It is then brought to a temperature not higher than 36C° and added of rennet, a series of enzymes, bacteria and milk enzymes, which favour a rapid coagulation.
The coagulated mass is moved and left at rest until it becomes as small as a wheat grain. It is then half-cooked and brought to 47/48 C° for about half an hour. Once it has rested, the caseous mass is gathered into a cloth and placed in some moulds.

The cheeses are pressed for 12 hours, and when they are well soft and white they are placed into cold and wet environments. After that they are turned over every day, salted and washed with salted water on alternate days until the formation of  a brownish rind.
The maturing of Fontina cheese lasts on average for three months, and usually takes place in natural environments, such as rock caves, underground passages or abandoned mines.
At the end of maturing, the Fontina appears in round shapes of about 7/10 cm. thick  and their weight varies from 8 to 18kg.
After a series of rigorous quality controls, the famous cheese is branded with the registered trademark, which represents the shape of Monte Cervino.

Useful Advices: once you have purchased a Fontina, if cut in slices it can be kept in the fridge, in the less cool part for about 8/10 days, preserved in oiled paper or in aluminium sheets, inside the specially provided container that prevents from the evaporation of the natural wetness of the cheese. The whole form is preserved on some wooden boards, in a cool place, keeping the rind wet with a brush or a cloth moist with salted water.

It is however necessary to leave the cheese at room temperature for about an hour before eating it.

The Fontina cheese has a wide use in the kitchen, thanks to the consistency of its paste that already melts at 60C°
It can be appreciated at table as a semi-soft cheese or with some tasty dishes, for instance it is delicious with pasta or gnocchi, as well as with meats and vegetables.

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