All about creamy Robiola Bosina cheese from Italy
The name ”Robiola” is given to a whole heap of cheeses that are made in the Piemonte and Lombardia regions of Northern Italy. You can take my word for it that if you see the name “Robiola” on a cheese, it’s going to taste good! This creamy square-shaped cheese is a very specific Robiola called “Robiola Bosina”. It is made in the Southern part of the Langhe, called the “Alta Langa”. The Langhe is a beautiful wine growing area below the city of Turin, relatively unknown outside of Italy. You may have heard of the wines that come from the region even if you haven’t heard of the region itself, such as Barolo, Nebbiolo and Barbera. They have the well-deserved reputation for being some of the best wines in Italy. And, what better to go with good red wines that great cheeses? In my opinion, this seems a necessity. In fact, I think all vineyards should also make cheese that complements their wines: kind of a one-stop shop.
What is Robiola Bosina made of?
Robiola cheeses are made of a mixture of sheep, cow and/or goat’s milk, depending on the type of Robiola. Robiola Bosina uses a mix of pasturized sheep and cow’s milk, which is why it is also called “due latte” (two milk) cheese (rather unimaginative, but what can you do?). You can find this Robiola in different parts of the world since the milk is pasturized. I had a look at the website of Caseificio dell’Alta Langa, the factory that makes it and saw that they distribute this cheese to Australia and Japan, as well as other countries around the world. Robiola Bosina has a very thin, white, edible crust. The cheese is very soft, like Brie. As it ages, it becomes creamier and runnier, and of course, stronger tasting. It is aged for a very short time: just a couple of weeks, before being sold. It keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks if it is well-wrapped.
How does Robiola Bosina smell, and what does it taste like?
When I was taking the photos of the Robiola, the smell coming from the cheese was intoxicating. It is relatively pungent (though not so much that it’s one of those cheeses that you need to eat outdoors so the smell doesn’t overwhelm people!), but the taste is, surprisingly, not strong. It has very difficult taste to describe. It’s slightly buttery, and a little like mushrooms (in a good way, not a mouldy way!), and has a sweetish after-taste. It is best eaten at room temperature with some crusty fresh bread.
By Lisa Watson