October, on our blog, is the month of autumn pairings: in every post, a cheese meets a typical seasonal product.

Today, the protagonist is one of October’s iconic fruits: the pomegranate, with its tough rind, ruby arils, vibrant juice, and an acidity that awakens the palate.

For this pairing, we have chosen as its companion a great Lombard classic: Taleggio PDO. by Arrigoni Battista.

Arrigoni's Taleggio

Arrigoni was founded in 1914 by Battista Arrigoni, originally from Val Taleggio. 

Today, the company, based in Pagazzano in the province of Bergamo, is in its fourth generation and is a market leader in Taleggio PDO.

Taleggio PDO has ancient origins and takes its name from the valley in the upper Bergamo area where it was born.

It is a soft-paste cheese, square-shaped and weighing about 2.2 kg, belonging to the "washed-rind" family: it is brushed every week with water and salt—a process still done by hand at Caseificio Arrigoni—which gives the rind its characteristic thin, soft, rosy appearance. 

The paste is melt-in-the-mouth beneath the rind, and firmer and more crumbly at the center.

The flavor is sweet and becomes intense with extended aging, starting from a minimum of 35 days.

Why the pomegranate

To enhance Taleggio PDO, we thought of a contrast, and pomegranate provides it in three ways:

• Acidity: the juice of the arils cuts through the creaminess and "cleanses" the palate between bites, so the cheese surprises you every time.
• Crunchiness: the subtle crunch of the arils bursting between your teeth adds a delightful interplay of textures with the soft cheese.
• Color: the ruby red against the pale straw color of the cheese makes the dish immediately beautiful to serve... and to photograph!

How to serve them raw

Serve Taleggio PDO at room temperature so that its aromas and softness can truly shine at their best.

Deseed the pomegranate at the last moment so that the arils remain plump and juicy.

Cut the cheese into pieces or slices, scatter the arils on top, and, if you like, add a drizzle of honey.

In the kitchen: an autumn risotto

In Arrigoni's Recipe Book, there is a dish that brings Taleggio PDO to the table with a nod to the grape harvest: risotto with Taleggio fondue and a Valpolicella Zýmē reduction, created by Mariarosa Quintarelli.

The Vialone Nano rice is creamed with a fondue of Taleggio melted with milk and vegetable broth, then served with a syrupy reduction of Valpolicella Zýmē.

To our taste, a handful of pomegranate arils on top completes the dish. The result is a warm dish featuring Taleggio PDO, the grape harvest, and October's signature fruit.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6):

FOR THE VEGETABLE BROTH:

1.5 L water

1 onion

1 carrot

1 bay leaf

Coarse salt, to taste

FOR THE FONDUE:

180 g Taleggio

90 ml whole milk

90 ml vegetable broth

FOR THE WINE REDUCTION:

1.5 dl Valpolicella Zýmē wine (Classico – Superiore)

25 g sugar

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

FOR THE RISOTTO:

1/2 onion, finely chopped

450 g Vialone Nano rice

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD:

Prepare the broth: Pour the water, onion, carrot, and bay leaf into a saucepan, add some coarse salt, and bring to a boil; cook for 30 minutes.

Make the fondue: Cut the Taleggio into small pieces and place it in a saucepan over a double boiler (bain-marie) together with the milk and vegetable broth. Stir until the cheese is completely melted.

Make the wine reduction: In a small saucepan, cook the sugar with a tablespoon of water and the apple cider vinegar. When it starts to caramelize, add the warm reduced wine. Continue cooking until you get a syrupy sauce.

Prepare the risotto: In a large saucepan, sauté the chopped onion with two tablespoons of olive oil, add the rice, and toast it for a few minutes. Add the hot broth a little at a time, cook the rice until done, and season to taste.

Assemble: Cream the risotto with the fondue and serve it by drizzling 2 tablespoons of the wine reduction on top.

A bite of October

A soft, melt-in-the-mouth Taleggio PDO, a few crunchy pomegranate arils bursting with acidity: you need little else to bring autumn to the table.

Try the pairing raw on a cheese board or in the warm risotto version, and let us know how it turned out!