Tomino

Tomino is an adorable little cow’s milk cheese from the Piedmont region of Italy. It looks and feels like a young brie or camembert, but that is as far as similarities go-Tomino is a cheese of its own! It has the most interesting smell, almost like cabbage or sauerkraut even. Although it would be perfectly alright to dive into a little piece of uncooked Tomino, it is actually best warm and is meant to be grilled. Once melted, Tomino has a nutty, forest flavor with a slight bitter finish, much like L’edel de Cleron or Vacherin Mont D’or. Tomino is meant for light meals and pairs well with dark leafy greens, roasted eggplant, and various nuts. Sometimes honey is drizzled on top to turn this little gem into a dessert.

Want to prepare Tomino at home?  On a hot skillet add a splash of olive oil. Grill each side of the Tomino for about a minute or until the cheese feels soft but not falling apart.

It is also very common to wrap Tomino in Pancetta or Speck before grilling it. Michelle at Dussa’s recommends their European bacon. Wrap the Tomino in about 6-8 extra thin slices of European bacon. Fry the cheese until the bacon is golden and crisp. Serve with a leafy green salad, crusty bread, and your favourite dry white or Prosecco.