B E S T C H E E S E S 202 2 culturecheesemag.com 47
MONNALISA FOGLIE DI NOCE + TOASTED WALNUTS
Whenever a cheese is produced using another food or beverage on the rind—be that a wash in beer, a
rub with spices or seasonings, or a swaddling in leaves—one of the first pairings to try is that product in
some form. Taste alongside simple toasted walnuts to discover what complementary notes a summer
wrapped in walnut leaves have left in this unique pecorino.
CAÑAREJAL CREMOSO
Cañarejal S.L.
Valladolid, Spain
A combination of rich raw sheep's milk and thistle rennet—a
traditional hallmark of Iberian cheeses—helps Cañarejal
Cremoso live up to its name. After a few weeks of ripening,
the paste takes on the rich, dollop-able texture of lemon curd,
with notes ranging from floral to mushroom, encased within
a bloomy, basket-like rind. Let this WCA Super Gold–winning
beauty come to room temperature, pop the top with a paring
knife, and dip in with bread, crackers, or a spoon.
MONNALISA FOGLIE DI NOCE
SALCIS
Siena, Italy
In springtime, sheep's milk is abundant. To better preserve
their pecorino, the cheesemakers of Emilia-Romagna turn to
a time-honored technique: aging the small wheels in young,
tender leaves harvested from walnut trees. This protects and
preserves the cheese through the warm season, during which
the wheels develop a drier, flakier texture and earthy, tannic
notes—qualities that were deemed worthy of a sofi Gold.
