"Beautiful country." A disc of semihard cheese made with cow's milk, it has a creamy yellow paste and a washed rind, usually wrapped in foil in small round individual portions. It is been made industrially in Lombardy by the Galbani family since 1906. This cheese is eaten all year round and is made with pasteurised milk, containing 45% fat. The curds are uncooked and pressed. It may be found at 20 cm (8") diameter. Affinage is from 6-8 weeks. This mild cheese was named from Dante's description of Italy as the 'beautiful land." It can also be used for cheese tarts and on toast. A similar cheese is Italico, manufactured by Galbani's competitors. The version made in Italy has a map of Italy as part of the illustration on the packaging, while that in the United States has a map of the western hemisphere.
