Muffone, Tuscan cheese with bloomy rind, Caseificio Nuovo, 600 g

Muffone is Tuscany’s bloomy-rind cheese, the Sienese answer to French Brie, but made with fresh pasteurized cow’s milk, natural rennet, and salt from the Volterra salt pans. Caseificio Nuovo makes it in Poggibonsi following the Tuscan cheesemaking tradition: a whole 600 g wheel with a velvety grayish-white rind, soft and creamy paste inside, and an aromatic profile reminiscent of moss, wet meadow, and fresh hay.

What is a bloomy rind, and why eat it?

The bloomy rind is a noble mold, Penicillium camemberti, that grows naturally on the surface of the cheese as it ripens. It is not contamination: it is a sought-after characteristic, just like that of Brie de Meaux or Camembert de Normandie, here applied to Tuscan cow’s milk. The rind is always eaten; it is the most aromatically complex part of the cheese, with noble bitter, earthy, and mushroom notes that contrast beautifully with the sweet, buttery paste inside.

Beneath the rind, natural proteolysis creates a nearly runny layer of paste—the Muffone at just the right stage of ripeness. If you prefer a firmer texture, eat it in the first few days after receiving it; if you enjoy fully ripened cheese, leave it in the refrigerator, wrapped in cheese paper, for 4-5 days after opening.

Technical specifications

FAQ: Muffone Bloomy-Rind Cheese

What is Muffone?
Muffone is a soft, bloomy-rind Tuscan cheese made by Caseificio Nuovo in Poggibonsi with fresh pasteurized cow’s milk, natural rennet, and salt from the Volterra salt pans. It is an artisanal bloomy-rind cheese from the Sienese cheesemaking tradition.

Can you eat the rind of Muffone?
Yes, absolutely. The bloomy rind is an edible noble mold and the most aromatic part of the cheese, with notes of moss, mushroom, and meadow. Removing it would mean losing much of the product’s complexity.

Is it similar to Brie or Camembert?
Yes, it belongs to the same family as soft-ripened, bloomy-rind cheeses with a velvety coating of noble mold. The difference is the raw ingredients: Tuscan cow’s milk, natural rennet, and salt from Volterra, made according to the Tuscan cheesemaking tradition rather than the Norman one.

How should it be stored after opening?
Wrap it in cheese paper (not plastic wrap) and store it in the refrigerator at +2/+4°C. Consume within 5-7 days of opening. The paste tends to soften further over time; if you enjoy fully ripened cheese, wait 3-4 days.