Toma del Bot
- Producer
- Affineur: Guffanti
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Piedmont
- Size
- 4.5 ins wide, 1.5-2 ins high
- Weight
- 14-16oz
- Website
- www.guffantiformaggi.com/en/
- Milk
- Cow
- Classification
- Semi Soft
- Rennet
- Animal
- Rind
- Mold Ripened
Founded by Luigi Guffanti in 1876, Guffanti Formaggi originally produced Gorganzola. In order to cave-age his cheese, Mr. Guffanti purchased an abandoned silver mine in the Varese province of Italy. When his sons, Carlo and Mario took over the business in the early 20th century, they began exporting their cheese to Argentina, California and other regions where large numbers of Lombards and Peidmontese had emigrated. Today, while Guffanti is still famous for its Gorgonzola, it also produces and ages a wide range of cheeses from throughout Italy for sale both domestically and abroad. Made using ancient techniques, Toma del Bot translates to “Cheese of Time”. At the beginning of the cheese making process, the milk is skimmed, and then rennet is added to coagulate the milk. The curd is cooked and pressed into molds and after unmolding, is then aged for a minimum of 30 days.
Tasting Notes
As a result of the use of skimmed milk, the texture of the final cheese is dry and slightly flaky with small eyes. It has a thin white rind that covers the white-colored paste. Toma del Bot’s flavor is clean and milky with a hint of grassiness.
Pairings
Because the flavor is so clean, it is best paired with a light dry white wine or a light fruity red. Serving tart fruit such as cherries balances out the cheese.
