Sottocenere al tartufo

Sottocenere al tartufo is a very pale yellow to off-white cheese that has a grey-brown ash rind. It has a somewhat mild taste and is semi-soft in firmness.

Sottocenere is originally from Venice, Italy and translates from Italian literally as "under ash", while al tartufo means "with truffles." It is made with raw cow's milk and slices of truffles, then rubbed with various herbs and spices. After creation, sottocenere is aged in an ash rind as a way to preserve it over a long period without losing flavor. The use of ash as a cheese rind is a tradition in the Venetian region. The ash is also used to convey subtle flavors into the cheese, with a variety of spices (cinnamon and nutmeg, among others) mixed with the ash.

External links

* [http://entertaining.about.com/library/cheeses/blsottocenere.htm About.com's entry on Sottocenere]