Texture: creamy
Milk type: cow, sheep
Flavor notes: buttery, yeast, cooked milk, slight fungal
Place of origin: Italy
Wow, it has been way too long since I've written about cheese. I don't have a full explanation for my hiatus — first I was just kind of lazy, then my fridge broke, then I was completely off my writing routine. But I'm back, and I hope you're craving something savory.
This week I tried Langherino from Caseficio dell'Alta Langa in Italy, which I chose for two reasons: (1) it's from the same cheesemakers who produce my favorite cheese, the beautiful Robiola Bosina, and (2) it comes in a very cute personal-size wheel — mine was just over 2.6 ounces. (Typically when you're putting together a cheese plate, you estimate about 2-4 ounces of cheese per person, depending on how much of a focal point the cheese plate will be in the grand scheme of the meal.)
Made from pasteurized cow and sheep milk, Langherino is a type of Robiola, but mini, and named for the Langhe region where it originates. It has a thin bloomy rind with a super creamy, very slight hay-colored center. At room temperature, the rind lends a savory note to the buttery flavor. It's not quite as mushroomy as a stronger-willed rind, but still vaguely fungal (in a good way; it's not at all funky or stinky). It would be a perfect soft option on a cheese plate for two alongside a harder, saltier cheese.
But if you want to make it an occasion, let the Langherino wheel sit stovetop in a pan for a few minutes on each side, until the rind develops a golden hue. The flavors intensify as the insides melt, giving a nice yeast + cooked milk kick to the initial fungal undertones. It becomes very gooey, as expected of melted cheese, and more yellow in color. Best of all, it looks and tastes like a lot of effort went into the prep, even though it was, in fact, minimal, making this a good cheese for at-home date nights or those days when you want to low-key treat yourself right.
How to eat Langherino
Once cooked, spread Langherino onto warmed baguette slices and pair with a salty meat. (I had black peppered salami, which I highly recommend.) Serve with a mild olive, like Castelvetranos, and to complete the meal, add roasted or grilled vegetables. This is a truly decadent and impressive plate as is, but if you dare to take things a step further, wrap the wheel in speck or prosciutto before heating it up. The cheese will receive some of that flavoring while the meat crisps.
Seriously: Yuuummmmmm.