La Tur Cheese

La Tur is a super creamy, soft Italian cheese made from a mix of cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk. This lesser-known cheese variety is from the Piedmont region in northern Italy and is typically sold in small, cupcake-sized wheels.

What Is La Tur Cheese?

The easiest way to describe La Tur to a friend who doesn't know much about cheese is to call it an earthier, funkier brie—with a hint of tang. Like brie at room temperature, it's soft and ooey gooey. The soft, moist rind is completely edible and a delicious part of the cheese. Unlike your typical brie, it has a little more of that earthy, yeasty flavor, with a little tang from the goat's milk. It's full flavored without crossing over into pungent territory.

This cheese is made by a dairy called Caseificio dell'Alta Langa located in northern Italy's Piedmont region; the specific area is called Alta Langa, which is known for its sparkling wines.

La Tur is representative of Piedmont's Robiola style of cheese, which is generally soft-ripened—this just means the rind is soft and can be eaten. These cheeses are also called bloomy rind cheeses, which refers to the "bloom" of good bacteria that creates their distinctively delicious and soft rind. These cheeses are not aged very long and are enjoyed after only a few weeks.

Types of Bloomy Rind Cheese

How La Tur Cheese Is Made

A combination of cow's, goat's, and sheep's milk goes into La Tur cheese. To start the ripening process, the trio of milks is lightly pasteurized at a low temperature. This helps the natural microbes from the milks enhance the cheese's final flavor, keeping some of that earthy quality.

Next, the curds are ladled into molds, where they drain under their own weight before aging. As opposed to pressing, which uses weight to get rid of whey in the curds, this process allows for a higher-moisture, more fragile cheese to develop. The cheese then ages for a total of 10 to 15 days.

Substitutes

Usually, specialty cheese shops or high-quality grocery stores should have La Tur. If you can't find it, however, you could substitute a brie in its place on a cheese plate. La Tur is more complex than most bries because of its mix of different milks. However, choosing a goat's milk brie can mimic some of the flavor complexity, acidic finish, and funk. As with La Tur, or really any soft cheese, be sure to let it come up to room temperature before consuming. This will allow the full range of flavors to shine, and will showcase its magnificent creamy texture. Leave your cheese on the counter for one hour, give or take, before digging in.

If you've tried La Tur and you like it, you'll probably also like Robiola Rocchetta, Brunet, and Robiola Bosina, which are made by the same Italian cheesemaker Caseificio dell’Alta Langa.

Uses

Unlike other Italian cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, which are used in cooking, La Tur is best eaten fresh, as on a cheese board. Consuming it at room temperature showcases its flavors and textures the best. You will want to serve it on crackers or bread because of its runny texture. Its salty, slight funk pairs well with a slightly sweet cracker, such as one studded with raisins. It also does well on table water crackers or French baguettes. It pairs wonderfully with sparkling wines, especially those from the Alta Langa area in Italy's Piedmont region. The bright fizz of these wines cuts through the rich tang of this magnificent cheese; any Champagne, cava, or prosecco is also an excellent pairing.

Storage

La Tur needs to be refrigerated because it's a soft-ripened, young cheese. It can keep in the fridge for several weeks—its flavor getting more funky the longer it is aged. Wrap it in a cheese cloth or parchment paper; it's important that La Tur, like all soft cheeses, be left to breathe in the fridge. Plastic wrap will suffocate the cheese, making it watery or pasty.

The one exception to this is if you're freezing it. And while it's possible to do so, it's less than ideal. However, if you must freeze it, wrap it in plastic wrap so that it's airtight, and pop it in the freezer before the expiration date. Let it thaw in the fridge.

In either case—whether you're pulling it out of the fridge or freezer—let it come to room temperature on the counter before enjoying. This will ensure that the flavors are at their most alive, and the buttery texture is at its best.

La Tur Cheese Recipes

Although La Tur is best eaten fresh and simply on crackers or bread, you could also substitute it for brie in any recipe. Keep in mind that La Tur is sold in smaller wheels, so you'll need to buy two or three to substitute for a standard wheel or larger wedge of brie. Because of La Tur's earthy, lightly tangy quality, it is paired well with sweeter ingredients, such as apples, raisins, or even cinnamon toast.

• Baked Brie With Amaretto
• Easy French Baked Apple Brie
• Grilled Apple and Brie Flatbread
• Warm Oven Brie With Pesto
• Easy Baked Brie