Panda with truffle

When you see something beautiful, something that captures your attention, you stop to ask yourself: what is that?

A cheese inspired by a business trip to China by Master Affinatore Andrea Magi, who, passing through the region where pandas live, decided to create this cheese to commemorate his memorable experience.

This small, cube-shaped cheese, weighing about 140 grams, is made with cow’s milk and cream to make it silkier on the palate, with black truffle added to the mix. It has a bloomy rind that is then treated with fragrant red cocoa, imprinting the image of a panda on the top. It’s so beautiful that sometimes it’s a shame to even cut it.

When it’s presented to customers, it sometimes leaves many perplexed because the first question that comes to mind is: what does cocoa have to do with cheese and truffle? It’s a risky idea, but to get an answer, you need to taste it.

We don’t expect everyone to like it; in fact, our Master Affine’s overriding philosophy is to create cheeses that first gratify the creator, allowing him to sense the pleasure of the memory and then be thrilled with every bite. Well, if those who taste it have the same sensations, then it means the alchemy is spot on.

This cheese is suitable for vegetarians, as the rennet used in cheesemaking is not traditional animal rennet, but a microbial coagulant.

The rind is edible.

But be careful, this cheese is very delicate and should be consumed quickly, because since it has a bloomy rind, with cocoa on top, the mold tends to bloom again on the cocoa. This is not a defect, but a natural process of cheese evolution. So even if the expiration date is still valid, because microbiologically it may be perfect, don’t wait to eat it, because with each passing day it could lose its characteristics or change its appearance with mold growing on the cocoa.

At the World Cheese Awards 2025-2026 Competition it obtained the Silver Medal.