Lionza is a Californian cheese made from unpasteurized milk of Holstein cows. Made by Fiscalini Farms, it is similar to large cheeses made in Switzerland such as Abondance.

The 26-pound wheels have a thin, hard rind, with a semi-firm interior. The paste is lightly straw colored with a few irregular eyes. The cheese has a milky, nutty, caramel flavor. The cheese is great for snacking or cooking.

The cheese is made with microbial rennet. Like other Fiscalini cheeses, Lionza is a "farmstead" cheese, meaning that the cheese is made from milk from the dairy's own cattle.

The cheese is named after the small village of Lionza in Switzerland, where the Fiscalini family originally came from. Cheesemakers from the Fiscalini Cheese Company traveled to Switzerland to learn how to make Alpine-style cheeses.

We've had a harder time finding Lionza in stores than most Fiscalini cheeses. You can order online direct from Fiscalini's website.