There is not a single country in the world which does not have traditional cheeses, but the Italian tradition is unparalleled: in Italy there are more than 400 different types of cheese, all of them excellent, healthy and natural, ranging from fresh, mild creation like Mozzarella to age, hard cheeses with a very mature flavour, such as Parmigiano Reggiano. In this vast range, which offers something to satisfy every palate, the Italian DOP has a very special place. These are very strictly related to traditional methods of production and to a very specific production areas. All these aspects of production are covered in a book of regulations officially recognised throughout Europe.

DOP is the acronym for Protected Designation of Origin ( Denominazione di Origine Protetta). This means that the name of the specific product - its designation - also specifies its provenance and that its characteristics are strictly dependent upon its area of production. The name of these products are protected by law, preventing other products from benefiting from their high reputation.

Italian cheeses can be divided into four categories: hard (Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano), semi-hard (Provolone and Fontina), soft (Gorgonzola and Stracchino) and fresh (Mozzarella and Mascarpone). According to the kind of milk used: there are cheeses made from the milk of cows, sheep, goats, buffalo and also of mixed types.