The origin of PDO taleggio cheese is very old, probably predating the 10th century.
It was produced along the route of the cows that in late spring were brought to the mountains by shepherds and in the fall brought back to the plains.
Did you know that this movement is so deep-rooted and important that it has, in the Bergamo dialect, a special expression to indicate it?
It is called “cargà” or “descargà ‘l mut,” literally “loading” or “unloading the mountain” (with the herds).
Since it was also produced while traveling, it was transported on the back of a donkey or mule in special rectangular wooden boxes divided into three to four square compartments.
Even today, the shape of Taleggio DOP is a parallelepiped with a square base and is produced exclusively along the original transhumance route in the East Lombardy provinces of Bergamo, Brescia and Cremona.