Pianoforte

Soft-Ripened Cheese

This cheese is made and aged in the style of St. Marcellin, a French cheese from the Rhone-Alpes. Lyonnaise Affineurs traditionally age St. Marcellin to produce a soft, runny pate with strong flavor. Pianoforte is a musical term meaning 'soft and loud.' Pianoforte is also a cheese with a soft texture and a loud flavor.

General Characteristics: Firm when very young, When aged, outer pate becomes creamy and molten. As it ages, the entire pate liquifies.

Sizes and Shapes: Round: 2.5" diameter, 0.75" thick. Affinage takes up to three weeks. At a week old, it has very pleasant acidity. As it ages, it develops nutty and mushroomy flavors and melts in the mouth.