Sottocenere al Tartufo

Milk: Cow, Unpasteurized

Country: Italy, Veneto

Texture: Semi Firm

Accompaniment: A medium bold red or semi-dry white

Preserving cheese “under ash”, which is what “sottocenero” means, is an old Venetian tradition. This ash has been jazzed up with all kinds of herbs and spices like nutmeg, coriander, fennel and rubbed with some truffle oil. The cheese contains small shavings of black truffles.

The cheese is very aromatic and certainly is not for the faint-hearted where stronger flavors are concerned.

Try the cheese on a cracker with some fresh fruit.