A special shop, with unique cows that produce heavenly dairy products

One of the greatest joys of living in Italy is discovering the small, local shops that become a cherished part of one’s routine. Near our home in Montecarlo, we’ve found a real treasure: a retail outlet for a caseificio (cheese factory) called Fior di Latte. While that’s its official name, we affectionately call it “The Cow Store.” The nickname was inevitable—you’re greeted by a charming, life-sized cow statue on the sidewalk, and another smaller one waits inside. And no less charming, on another level, is Roberta, the friendly lady behind the counter who greets us with a warm “Buon Giorno.”

Roberta puts cheese
"sottovuoto" for preservation.

The store is an outpost for a dairy based in Gaggio Montana, in a special mountainous region of Emilia-Romagna, the legendary home of Parmigiano Reggiano. Naturally, their star product is that very cheese. We often buy a wedge, sometimes asking them to vacuum-pack it for trips back to the United States. They call this “sotto vuoto,” a wonderfully literal phrase meaning “under empty” or “under the void.”

Now, you can buy excellent Parmigiano Reggiano at any good shop in Italy. The product is so strictly regulated by its consortium that you’re guaranteed incredible quality no matter which producer you choose. But the Parmigiano, as fantastic as it is, isn't the main reason we keep going back to The Cow Store.

The real reason we fell in love with this place is their yogurt.

The real stars: Cows shown in photo
on the walls of the shop.

It’s clear they have some truly special cows on their farm. The quality of the milk, a result of the specific breed of cow and their regulated diet, is the foundation of world-class Parmigiano. But when that same milk is used to make yogurt, the result is magical. It is so indescribably creamy and rich, with a texture that store-bought brands simply can’t replicate. It comes mixed with a variety of fresh fruits, and we have a hard time choosing between our favorites: frutti di bosco (mixed berries), fragola (strawberry), lampone (raspberry), pesca (peach), and pera (pear).

For a long time, the yogurt was our secret treat. But then, just a couple of weeks ago, we noticed something new in the refrigerated case: panna cotta.

As one of my top-five favorite desserts, I had to try it. And now, I have to amend my list. The panna cotta from Fior di Latte has officially moved to my number one favorite dessert of all time—with the condition that it only deserves that high rating if it comes from this specific store.

Just like the yogurt, the secret is in the cream. It’s so pure and decadent that even a plain version would be astonishing. But they also offer it with different toppings, and so far I’ve tried the chocolate, caramel, and frutti di bosco. Each carton holds about two servings. I just finished a caramel one over the last two days, and I currently have three more packages waiting for me in the refrigerator. It is only with great self-control that I resist downing a whole carton in one sitting.

We know The Cow Store sells other things—butter, a variety of cheeses, cured meats, fruit preserves, dried pasta and even a special type of mountain potato that we hear is exceptionally good. For now, we haven’t ventured far past the dairy aisle. We came for the cheese, but we stay for the yogurt and the panna cotta. It’s our delicious reminder that sometimes, the most famous product isn’t the only treasure a place has to offer.