It was invented in 1906 by Egidio Galbani who wanted to produce a mild and delicate cheese to sell mainly in Italy.

The name Bel Paese comes from the title of a book written by Antonio Stoppani (though the reference is much older, being used by Dante and Petrarch).

[1] Originally produced in Melzo, a small town near Milan in the Lombardy region, it is now made in both Italy and the United States.

It is made in small discs, and is very similar to the French Saint-Paulin cheese and German Butterkäse.

It has a mild, buttery flavor, and it has been popularly eaten with fruity wines, such as dry red or white.