Gorgonzola cheese

Allow about 20–30 g per person alongside other cheeses, or around 40 g if it is the main cheese. Take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving so its aroma and creamy texture can develop.

Crumble Gorgonzola into gently warmed cream and stir over a low heat until melted; avoid boiling, which can make the sauce split. Toss it with freshly cooked pasta, adding a splash of pasta water to help it coat.

Pair its salty, tangy flavour with pears, apples, walnuts, honey or celery. It is also a classic topping for pizza and polenta, and melts well into risotto.

You can freeze it, preferably in small airtight portions, for up to about two months. Thaw it slowly in the fridge and use it in a cooked sauce or other hot dish, as freezing can make its texture crumbly.

Wrap it in cheese paper or baking paper, then keep it in a sealed container in the fridge so its strong aroma does not spread. Use a clean knife each time, and follow the use-by date on the pack.

The rind is edible, but many people leave it because it can taste stronger and feel firmer than the cheese. Trim it off if you prefer a milder flavour or a smoother sauce.

Dolce is softer, creamier and milder, while piccante is firmer, more crumbly and more sharply flavoured. Choose dolce for spreading or a mellow sauce, and piccante when you want a stronger finish on a cheeseboard or polenta.

Yes. Its blue-green veins form when cultures of Penicillium are introduced during cheesemaking; piercing the cheese lets air in and encourages the veining to develop.