From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A cheese first made more than 500 years ago, according to the dairy bible Summa Lacticiniorum in 1477 by Pantaleone da Confienza, an Italian physician. Although Italian law specifies that Fontina cheese (more properly called Fontina Val d'Aosta) can only be made in the Val d'Aosta region in the north, this buttery cheese with a nutty flavor is extensively copied outside Italy. The French version, known as Fontal, is softer, sweeter and more buttery, while Danish Fontina is tart, and Swedish Fontina has a fuller, yet less complex flavor. One easy way to spot the Italian original, considered by many to be the best of the bunch, is the rind, which ranges in color from light to dark brown; the others sport red rinds. Fontina d'Aosta is traditionally used to make fonduta, a fondue topped with white truffles.
