Authentic Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the greatest inventions. For me, it’s always been the cashmere socks of the cheese case. It can dress up anything, even an egg. I like it plain, too, to suck on after a good meal. Those caramel notes are all the sweetness I need, and I like the way Parm crumbles like rock candy.

If you're the type of cheese enthusiast who takes their love of cheese beyond the shop and starts to do a little research of your own, there's a pretty good chance you've seen the word affinage thrown around a bit. Affinage translates as refining and it refers to the crucial last steps in cheese making that deliver a huge reward for a little extra time and attention. It is a process that requires more than a passing knowledge of cheese and takes years to perfect.

Leftover pizza dough is a wonderful thing. It is so great because you can use anything in your refrigerator and prepare a delicious, impromptu pizza from start to finish in less than half an hour. This week I showcase four of my favorite “Franken-zas”, made using extra dough and whatever I have lying around.

For Rocco (center), the highlight was meeting Sister Noella, the cheese nun – a microbiologist and Benedictine who set up her microscope in a conference room and invited cheesemakers to come in for a rind tutotorial. Rocco picked up a few tips from her presentation on “Growing Molds Gracefully” which he plans to implement in the aging cave back on Chestnut Street.

On July 8, 2011, Di Bruno’s own Zeke Ferguson competed in the ultimate battle of curds: The Cheesemonger Invitational. He placed 4th in this epic battle of cheese mongers from around the world, returning to Philadelphia proud. Check out this new video where Zeke, from our 9th street store, recap’s the battle, talks about his favorite cheeses, and shows off his cheese tattoos!

To any epicurean, pesto is the essence of summer in a jar, a delight to the senses in smell, taste, sight, and texture. Pesto originated in Genoa, in Italy, in the region of Liguria, as a way of enjoying summer’s fresh herbs long after the harvest. Di Bruno Bros. Pesto sauce is made in Italy, from 100% fresh Italian ingredients.

A friend served this combination at a party, using fresh figs from her backyard tree. Manchego, a subtle Spanish sheep’s milk cheese, was just the right accent, draped over each fig half to form a tiny, briny duvet cover.

As the seasons change, so do the styles of my pizzas. Warmer weather calls for lighter crusts and toppings that are more refreshing than heavy winter meals. For this week’s pizza I have decided to celebrate the warmer weather with a lighter crust focused on goat’s milk cheeses, olives, oil and baby greens.

Classic pizza recipes are never boring, especially when the finest ingredients are used. For this week’s pizza, I chose to make a traditional pizza dish that never fails to satisfy myself and guests. For every pizza, balancing a cheese with toppings is of course the key to success. For this pizza I really wanted to use Taleggio, a wash rinded cow’s milk cheese from Italy. Taleggio has a distinct tangy acidity to it up front, with creamy, nutty notes in the finish. Because it is also such a great melter, taleggio is a perfect pizza cheese.

It’s berry picking season, and that means one thing: cheese and fresh fruit for dinner. I love nothing more than loading up on cherries, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries and setting out a cheese board to match. Add a plate of smoked fish, a light salad, some white wine, and you’ve got a glorious feast. No fuss. No hot oven.