Food fusions can be risky, but burgonza, a burrata filled with gorgonzola, couples these two lactic pillars of the north and the south harmoniously enough to make the hearts of all cheese lovers sing.
Created by the Caseificio Viscanti di Altamura in Puglia's province of Bari, burgonza was born more or less by chance – the owners had an idea and they went with it. The cheese's silky pasta filata exterior encases gooey, frayed pieces of a Piedmontese PDO gorgonzola.
At the moment, burgonza is confined to the peninsula. While a trip here might not be in the immediate future, it's never too early to start some light planning. It's sold mainly by the Viscanti Dairy and a few other stores in its immediate vicinity.
If Puglia isn't on the agenda for this trip, you can seek it out at several specialty shops in northern Italy as well as online – maybe you can even have it delivered to your accommodations?
Also, in case you're looking for a savory bite to sample alongside the cheese, Altamura is famous for its bread. Just sayin'.
This article was originally published on March 17, 2020 and has been updated.