Which cheeses are native to Italy?

Italy is a nation with a long and proud culinary tradition: in pasta, in meats, and also in cheeses. From Gorgonzola, Provalone, Mozzerella and Parmesan to more exotic concoctions such as Marscapone, the cheeses of Italy have found welcome in the palates of many nations.

Many cheeses are named after the region in Italy from which they originated. For example, Parmesan, a hard white cheese, which gains its distinctive flavor by being soaked in a brine, is named after the city of Parma, where it originated.

Provalone is a mild white cheese used in everything from sandwiches to deserts. Ricotta is a whey cheese with a high water content used primarily in lasagna and occasionally in deserts. Mozzerella, which is one of the cheeses most associated with Italy, originated in India and was made of Water Buffalo's milk. Now most Mozzerella is made of cows milk. Gorgonzola is a blue cheese related to blue cheese and Roquefort. Fontina Val d'Aosta, one of the oldest Italian cheeses, has a flavor similar to mushrooms when melted and is used primarily in fondue.

Marscapone cheese is in fact not a cheese at all, as it contains no milk. Marscapone is made when the cultures that form on the surface of milk for Parmesan are mixed with tamaric acid. The resulting mixture is fine and spreadable, used mostly in deserts.

In conclusion, the cheeses of Italy are impressive not only in their taste, but also in the their wide range, from strong, hard savory cheeses to creamy desert cheeses.