With over 2,500 cheese varieties in Italy, 300 of which are classified as DOP (‘protected designation of origin’ – i.e. they must come from the area bearing the product name, like Gorgonzola) by the European Union food and farming agency, Italian supermarkets, and especially its specialist shops, truly spoil the buyer for choice. Add to this list cheeses from other European countries like French Brie or Dutch Edam then the selection is seemingly unending.

However, in this supremely cheesy country, British cheeses are notoriously absent. What would I give to taste some mature Cheddar or Wensleydale in my shopping sorties! I can’t understand this lack of UK cheeses on the Italian store shelves. Fourteen varieties of English cheeses have received their DOP certificate from the EU and there were others on course to be awarded this way. Agreed, most Cheddar does not come from the caves of the ononimous Somerset gorge but at least one variety has received the certification as ‘West Country Farmhouse Cheddar’. Are we then, exiled brits, expected to spend the rest of our lives bereft of the taste of Red Leicester or Blue Stilton?

Sadly the situation will get worse now with Brexit. The UK has cut itself off from the EU classification of specialist foodstuffs and its proposed alternative scheme has still not kicked off on DEFRA’s web site.

Fortunately, all is not lost. A neighbour in our village suggested that an Italian alternative to Cheddar could be found. It’s called Fontal and is a combination of two kinds of cheese, FONtina and emmenTAL. Fontal was first manufactured in 1955 as an answer to the competition wrought upon Italian cheese manufacture by imports. It is made from alpine cows’ milk and is seasoned for between 30 and 60 days. Versions of it are now also made in other EU countries like Germany and Denmark.

I tried some Fontal the other day, both as a separate item and toasted on a slice of brown bread. I have to agree my neighbours were quite correct. Fontal has the moderately tangy taste of medium-mature cheddar with its chubby chewy texture and its yellow-straw colour. In short, Fontal is an excellent substitute and if supplies of Cheddar were completely halted to the Italian peninsula I think, as an inveterate cheese lover, I could manage to survive.

Some people say that having a toasted cheese sandwich in the evening can give one an exciting dream. I have to admit I did have a dream after my little feast. It was about arriving at Pisa airport, having obtained a ticket with the greatest of difficulties, and finding that I had left my passport behind with boarding starting in ten minutes!  Fortunately, before arriving at the check-in point in my dream I woke up at the shock of it all! You remain warned..

Incidentally, why do the Italians call cheese ‘formaggio’? It’s because cheese for the Roman legions was made in special forms for easy distribution. Italians also use the word ‘cascio’ for cheese and ‘caseificio’ is a place where cheese is made. In Welsh cheese is known as ‘caws’. So there we have it: all derivations from the common Latin word for this delectable food item, ‘caseus.’ And don’t forget to say ‘cascio’ next time you have a photograph taken of you. I’m sure the results will be quite aaashton-ishing…

PS Friends have now informed us that Cheddar is available at Conad’s Gallicano store at 19.90 euros per kilo.