mascarpone

The cows that make the milk that make the cheese are fed special grasses filled with fresh herbs and flowers.

This special diet creates a cheese with a unique taste, often described as "fresh and delicious!"

This cheese originated in the area to the west and south of Milan, probably in the late 16th to early 17th century. Some say the name came from "mas que bueno" (Spanish for "better than good"), although this may be a big fat lie. Or the name may have come from "mascarpa," a milk produce made from the whey of aged cheese. Or it might come from "mascarpia," the local dialect for ricotta, since both cheeses are made by pretty much the same process

Originally this was made in autumn and winter, intended for immediate consumption. It's sold right after processing and should be used immediately. If refrigerated, it will last about a week.

I could tell you how it's made, but it's icky.

http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/2490/mascarpo.htm

A soft, white, fresh, vegetarian, cream cheese from the Lombardy region of northern Italy. In fact, it is not cheese at all, but rather the result of a culture being added to the cream skimmed off the milk, used in the production of Parmesan. It is, however, described as a curd cheese, although it is made in much the same way as yogurt. To make Mascarporne cheese tartaric acid (natural vegetable acid derived from the seed of the tamarind tree) is needed. After the culture has been added, the cream is gently heated, then allowed to mature and thicken. This whitish to straw-yellow, creamy, mild fresh cheese is compact, but supple and spreadable and it is added to famous Italian desserts, sometimes accompanied by cognac. Frequently it is used for the preparation of certain dishes and sauces. It takes only a few days to ripen and has a fat content of 75 per cent.