MonnaLisa Fiorita

Producer: SALCIS Origin: Tuscany, Italy

A soft Pecorino cheese made with sheep milk, MonnaLisa Fiorita (meaning “flourish” or “flower”) is named for the edible flourishing rind of this type of cheese. This is part of a Piedmont tradition that makes a milder version of the Tuscan sheep’s milk white mold rind. For Fiorita, the rennet is added to the milk, after pasteurization. The resulting curd is cut into large pieces to help retain moisture and is transferred into forms, which are then hand-turned multiple times to induce the whey to exit. The forms are sprayed with an aqueous suspension of Penicillium camemberti which, during the short curing, contributes to the formation of a foamy layer of white. Under this white surface of silky white edible mold, there is a delicate sweet taste, balanced with the cheese’s soft texture.

• Monnalisa Fiorita Sell Sheet