What says with certainty what cheese is is only the definition given by the legislator in Art. 32, of R.D.L. 15/10/25: “The name cheese or cacio is intended for the product that is obtained from whole milk, or partially or totally skimmed milk, or from cream, following acid or presamic coagulation, also making use of ferments and cooking salt.” Beyond the technicalities, what we can say with certainty is that cheese is the territorial food par excellence, and Sogliano al Rubicone boasts local production of many types of cheese, for all tastes and palates. Fossa cheese is definitely the gastronomic symbol of Sogliano al Rubicone. In 2009, it obtained the DOP mark with the name “Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano Dop.” The process required to obtain it is long and complex. In compliance with the strict Production Regulations, the starting cheese, already partially aged, must come exclusively from high-quality sheep’s, cow’s or mixed milk (goat’s milk is not allowed by the PDO), produced on farms in the hilly and mountainous areas of Marche and Romagna. The cheeses are laid in ancient flask-shaped pits, dug into the sandstone rock to a depth of about three meters. This tradition originated in medieval times: farmers from Sogliano would come to the village at the end of spring to entrust their cheeses to the infossatori (diggers) to preserve them during the summer; they would then return in November to collect the cheeses and, in this way, could cope with the hardships of winter. The traditional opening of the pits, on November 25, the day of St. Catherine of Alexandria, was anciently a cherished occasion for the people of Sogliano. This delicacy is celebrated every year with the “Fiera del Formaggio di Fossa DOP di Sogliano al Rubicone” held on the last 2 Sundays of November and the first Sunday of December. Its strong taste, rich in herbaceous hints, goes well with the sweet taste of honey, savor, caramelized figs or jams. It is used in the preparation of first courses, such as cappelletti, passatelli and gnocchi; grated or flaked it becomes an excellent condiment for dishes, such as carpaccio and rib-eye steak. The most suitable wines to accompany it are dessert wines or full-bodied reds such as Sangiovese.