stand alone. Since no eyes are desired in the cheeses, they are
ripened in a moist cellar at a lowish temperature. They take a year to
ripen and will keep three or four years. The diameter is seven inches,
the weight nine to fifteen pounds. The monk's head after cutting is
kept wrapped in a napkin soaked in white wine and the soft, creamy
spread is scraped out to "butter" bread and snacks that go with more
white wine. Such combinations of old wine and old cheese suggest
monkish influence, which began here in the fifteenth century with the
jolly friars of the Canton of Bern. There it is still made exclusively
and not exported, for there's never quite enough to go around.

Bel Paese
_Italy_

_See under_ Foreign Greats, Chapter 3. _Also see_ Mel Fino, a blend,
and Bel Paese types--French Boudanne and German Saint Stefano. The
American imitation is not nearly so good as the Italian original.

Bel Paesino
_U.S.A._

A play on the Bel Paese name and fame. Weight one pound and diminutive
in every other way.

Bergkäse _see_ Allgäuer.

Bergquara
_Sweden_

Semihard, fat, resembles Dutch Gouda. Tangy, pleasant taste. Gets