Here’s a question for all you cheese lovers out there: have you ever tried a piece of brie and wished that it was a bit more…complex? A tad funkier? Had a bit more zing? That it was a bit more…Italian!
If so, you’re in luck. And if not, prepare to be amazed. For at Limoncello we have just what you’re looking for – La Tur.
Three Milk Cheese
“Three milk cheese” sounds like a bad translation. Or perhaps the punchline of an ancient Chinese proverb. But it’s not. La Tur is an excellent representative of the Robiola style of cheeses from the Piedmont region of Italy. It is made from a blend of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milks. The goat’s milk gives it that earthy, tangy aspect we associate with a full goat’s milk cheese. While the sheep’s milk adds a rich, buttery and slightly nutty element to La Tur.
La Tur is a soft ripened cheese. A style also sometimes called bloomy rind cheeses for their moist, edible and almost paper thin rinds. The blend of three milks is first lightly pasteurised at low temperature. A process which allows the natural microbes present in the raw milks to contribute to the cheese’s final flavour.
The curds are then ladled into moulds and allowed to drain under their own weight rather than being pressed. This process allows a higher moisture yet more fragile cheese to develop. It is then aged for the short period of only ten to fifteen days.
La Tur
The result of this traditional, artisanal process is a straw coloured cheese delivered in wheels the size of a cupcake. It has a creamy, almost velvet-like texture similar to a traditional Italian Gelato. And an earthy, mildly herby flavour with just a hint of tanginess.
So what exactly does that mean for us mere mortals who don’t speak the language of a cheese connoisseur? Simply put, it’s like an Italian brie. Deeper and more complex in flavour, yet retaining and elegant simplicity. Take some brie and make it a bit more earthy, tangy, zingy and generally more Italian, and you’re getting close to La Tur.
So, now your mouth is well and truly watering with anticipation, there’s the obvious question: how do I best enjoy La Tur? You already know that Limoncello is the best place to acquire some. Unlike some of Limoncello’s other popular Italian cheeses, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano which are both widely used in Italian cooking, La Tur is best eaten raw and fresh. And we’d heavily recommend serving it at room temperature to best showcase the depth of its flavour and texture. And since it’s a runny cheese, some bread or crackers are probably in order. As well a glass of Prosecco. Not that we really need an excuse for enjoying a glass of Prosecco.
La Tur keeps in the fridge for several weeks. But like all soft cheeses it needs to breathe, so wrap it in parchment paper or cheese cloth for best results. A plastic wrap will leave it watery and disappointing. And a disappointed Italian is not likely to keep it to themselves…