#18 - Lou Bergier Pichin

This cheese surprised me. For having a fairly bloomy rind, the cheese itself had a very mild flavor. The texture was pleasant - smooth but not creamy. I tasted this cheese with my friend Sophie (who was kind enough to share two of her cheeses with me - keep an eye out for them coming up at #19 and #20), and fortuitously she had some crackers and red wine. The wine was definitely a good match - the cheese's mild flavors were supported by the acidity of the wine.

I looked this cheese up in the Cowgirl Creamery's Library of Cheese, and found this description:

"Fattorie Fiandino traces its history to the year 1700, when Stefano Fiandino began herding sheep and making cheese in a small town near the Italian Alps. Early in the 20th century, Magno Fiandino bought a farmhouse in the Piedmont village of Villafalletto, where Fattorie Fiandino is still located today. The cheesemaking operation is now run by Magno's grandsons, Egidio and Mario.

Lou Bergier Pichin is a toma-style cheese made from raw cow's milk. Following ancient cheesemaking traditions, it is produced using vegetable rennet from alpine flowers (referred to as the kinara method) that grow wild on the mountainsides. The name Lou Bergier Pichin -- literally "man of the hut" -- pays tribute to Nonno Magno. The cheese's natural rind is dappled with green and gray mold and, depending on age, the paste has a smooth semi-soft or semi-firm texture with notes of acidity that balance its earthy undertones."