Gorgonzola

Lore & Background

Gorgonzola has been produced for centuries in Gorgonzola, Milan, acquiring its greenish-blue marbling in the 11th century. The town's claim of geographical origin is disputed by other nearby localities, such as Pasturo nella Valsassina, due to natural caves with ideal temperatures for cheese making. A Lombardy legend tells of a cheese maker who left fresh curds open all night while rushing to meet his lover; he later added more curds, and months later discovered a bluish mold that created the cheese's unique taste, marking the first discovery of the erborinatura process.

Reader's Guide

Gorgonzola is significant as a historic Italian blue cheese with a protected designation of origin (PDO) since 1996, ensuring that within the EU and recognizing countries, only cheese from specific provinces in Piedmont and Lombardy may bear the name. Its two dominant variations—dolce, with a delicate flavor and buttery consistency, and piccante, with a pungent flavor and firm, crumbly texture—offer distinct culinary uses. The cheese is an ingredient in pizza quattro formaggi, used as a topping for steak, melted into risotto, added to gnocchi or pasta, or served with polenta. Outside the EU, the name Gorgonzola may legally be used for imitations, such as those from Wisconsin and Vermont in the United States. Literary references include James Joyce's Ulysses, where the hero Bloom eats a Gorgonzola sandwich, and Richard Ellmann's interpretation linking it to Dante's Gorgon.

Did You Know?

• Gorgonzola was referred to as stracchino verde until the early 20th century.
• The cheese celebrates an annual festival each September called the Sagra Nazionale del Gorgonzola DOP.
• Metal rods are inserted and removed during aging to create air channels for mold growth.
• One ounce of Gorgonzola contains 100 calories, 9 g of fat, and 375 mg of sodium.