Quadrello Di Buffala

Lombardy, the lakes region of Italy. 

I seem to be into Italian cheeses lately. Actually, I forced myself to try a few, because I noticed I needed more variety in my reviews. It was nice to discover that not all Italian cheeses are designed to sit on top of a pasta meal. There are quite a few that stand on their own as snacking cheeses or can be served on sandwiches or mixed into other main dishes.

Quadrello Di Buffala is made in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Milan is the capitol city of this region. In the northern part sit the alpine foothills. The glaciers in the area provide water to the many lakes in this zone. To the south of the mountains are rolling hills and lovely pastures. Unlike most areas of Italy where pasta rules, rice is popular here. The regional cheeses include Taleggio, Robiola, Gorgonzola, Bernado, Branzi, Grana Padano and Quadrello Di Buffala, to name a few. Many of the cheeses in area are made with a wash rind but fall short of true stinky cheeses.

In most reviews, Quadrello Di Buffala is compared to Taleggio. OK, FINE! It is reminiscent of Taleggio and other cheeses from the Lombardy region, but Taleggio isn't the first cheese that popped into my head when I tasted this. I'm not sure why I feel the need to say it's different, but I want to put it in an entirely separate category, even though it really does have a lot of similarities, not just the same recipe. The main difference is that the Quadrello Di Buffala is made with water buffalo milk, not cow milk, but the flavor and aroma are also more refined and sophisticated. Taleggio is a bolder, stinkier cheese, while Quadrello Di Buffala is far more delicate. It's a little bit like a rustic young brie that's more firm than soft crossed with a low-moisture mozzarella, only this cheese is more flavorful. Unlike Brie, the rind is a wash rind, not a bloomy rind, and the flavor of the buffalo milk cheese is grassier.

Water buffalo doing their thing in a pasture. 

The cheese has a rustic look with a rind that's far from smooth. Because the cheese is aged on straw mats, flecks of white mold speckle the uneven surface. From the rind alone, the smell of earth, mushrooms, must and very, very faint ammonia rises to the nostrils. Never fear if you're not into bold cheeses, because what's inside is ultra mild in comparison. The not so refined rind that's chewy and has a bite to it is hiding something beautiful inside.

Quadrello Di Buffala's rind is uneven with flecks of mold.

With the first bite, I detected some very mild sour notes that were pleasant and made the cheese more interesting, less one dimensional. There are also hints of a brie-like flavor, earthy and mushroomy.  Mostly, though, the cheese is wonderfully mild and nutty. I had this image of chewing a mouthful of blanched almonds on a spring day when I swallowed my first bite of this fromaggio. To a sensitive palate, there are elements of a goat cheese but without the strong tang. This isn't a pungent cheese. It's even and balanced, very smooth and mellow.

The interior is mild and nutty.

The slightly sticky and elastic texture seem contrary to the creaminess of the cheese once it's in your mouth. It's smooth without being overly soft. The water buffalo milk makes this cheese high in protein, and the fat carries the flavor well. Overall, it's just a wonderful, mild but intriguing little cheese.

Try Quadrello Di Buffala with a Rosso Cellatica Superiore Old Attico - Milesi, a Malbec or any other lively, fruity wine, either white or red.