Robiola

Soft, creamy cheeses made from almost any variety of milk? Today, we're talking Robiola.

These lush varieties hail from northern Italy, the regions of Piemonte and Lombardia in particular. They are raw-milk cheeses meant to be eaten while they're young.

(The best of them aren't even exported to the United States, thanks to the USDA and its ridiculous rules on mandatory aging minimums. The feds won't allow unpasteurized cheese into the country unless it has been aged for 60 days or more. So any Robiola that is sent here must be a little older than it should be.)

Generally, Robiola involves a blend of cow's milk and sheep's milk. It has a high fat content -- which naturally contributes to its lush taste-texture combination.

Like other young, creamy cheeses, Robiola is not designed for complexity. There simply isn't time for it to take on the complicated swirl of flavors that develop during the aging process. Instead, what you get is a rich mouthfeel, and an aroma that has just the slightest hint of mushrooms. Texture varies from brand to brand, but the best Robiola often has a silkiness to counterbalance the cream.

PAIRINGS: Medium-bodied red wines from the north of Italy, such as Dolcetto or Valpolicella, go wonderfully well. So do white wines like Pinot Grigio.

Jasper Hill Constant Bliss

Vermont's Northeast Corner is a remote place, home to far more deer than people.

Of course, a rural setting is no barrier to sophisticated cheese. And the folks at Jasper Hill farm of Greensboro, Vermont are turning it out in increasing number.

The cheesemaker currently produces three different varieties, including a blue cheese and a hard cheese that is based on Leicester, the cheddar-like British cheese.

Constant Bliss, according to its maker, is "a soft, mold-ripened bit of yumminess." I can't disagree.

It is modeled after Chaource, an ancient French variety that is sort of a cousin to Camembert. Constant Bliss (like Chaorce) is made from raw cow's milk, aged just 60 days. And like many of the best young cheeses, it's lush and creamy.

Soft and buttery, you'll taste just a hint of mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Many commentators praise Constant Bliss for its remarkably clean flavors -- this is a fresh, vibrant cheese, not terribly complicated by design. But if it's not overly complex, it is rich as all get-out, to be sure.

PAIRINGS: Full-bodied white wines, or champagne, go well with Constant Bliss. So does fruit of all sorts. It's delicious spread on an apple slice, for example.