Fontina

Fontina: Nutrition, History and Cooking Guide

Fontina Val d'Aosta is an Italian semi-hard, washed-rind cheese made from the raw whole milk of Valdostana Pezzata Rossa or Castana cows, produced exclusively in the Aosta Valley — the narrow, steep-sided Alpine valley bordering France and Switzerland in the extreme northwest of Italy. It holds PDO status. Fontina has been produced in the Aosta Valley since at least the twelfth century, and images of cheese production from the region have been found in fifteenth-century frescoes. The cheese is made in alpine dairies during summer when the cows graze on mountain meadows at altitude, and in valley dairies during winter from stabled cows — the summer mountain cheeses are considered superior and command premium prices. Authentic Fontina Val d'Aosta is distinguished by its distinctive flavour — a complex, earthy-nutty, slightly mushroomy, buttery character — and by its extraordinary melting properties, which make it the traditional cheese for fonduta, the Italian cousin of Swiss fondue made with eggs, butter, and shaved truffle. The many "fontina" cheeses made outside the Val d'Aosta (in Scandinavia, North America, and elsewhere) are quite different products, often blander and less complex than the authentic Italian original.

Nutritional Value of Fontina

Fontina provides 389 kcal and 25.6 g of protein per 100 g, with 31.1 g of fat. Calcium at approximately 550 mg per 100 g is very good. It provides vitamin A, B12, phosphorus, and zinc. The washed rind (periodically treated with brine during ageing) contributes additional flavour complexity through the bacteria that develop on the surface.

How to Use Fontina

Fontina's outstanding melting quality makes it one of the finest cooking cheeses available. Use in fonduta (Italian fondue with egg yolks, butter, and truffle), in gratin dishes, in panini and toasties, in pasta bakes, and in any preparation where a rich, complex, well-melting cheese is desired. On a cheese board, serve with cured meats, pickled vegetables, and good bread. Authentic Val d'Aosta Fontina is available from Italian delicatessens and specialist cheese shops — the difference from generic "fontina" is substantial and worth seeking out.