Langa La Tur (Italy)
priced by the piece
La Tur - Nestled in its ruffled paper doily, a petite round of La Tur looks like a fragile, fussed-over pastry. And after one taste, you know you have a cheese that can truly stand in for dessert. The operative word is luscious. I can think of no other cheese with a more ingratiating texture. Made in Italy's Piemonte region, at a dairy near Alba, La Tur provides the kind of sensory experience that makes tasters roll their eyes skyward and lean back in their chairs. The dairy makes La Tur from a blend of pasteurized sheep's, cow's and goat's milk, a formula that lets no component dominate. The cheese will develop a soft, wrinkled natural rind that was beginning to droop a bit on the sides. The internal texture is light and fluffy, like a pudding or mousse, becoming creamy toward the rind. The flavor suggested creme fraiche, with hints of mushroom and a sour-cream tang. Young cheeses rarely have this much personality!