Legend has it that in the 15th century Talamello farmers wrapped their cheese in hay from marauding bandits and hid it in the surrounding tufa caves.
The Formaggio di Fossa was stored there for three months at a humidity of 80 - 90 percent and temperatures around 68 Fahrenheit.

The removal of the matured sheep's cheese in mid-November, the Sfossatura, is still a great event for the inhabitants of Talamello today, and one that deserves to be celebrated - with wine and cheese tastings, presentations of local products, an artisan market and DJs.

On Sundays too, visitors crowd the stands, there are cheese workshops and the local tourist board organises guided tours of the city's monuments or hiking tours in the surrounding area. Of course you can also visit the tuff caves.