Bel Paese (Italian pronunciation: [ˌbɛl paˈeːze, -eːse]) is a semi-soft Italian cheese. 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). It is Italian for "beautiful country", and is used as a phrase for Italy itself.