Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of Trugole before. I hadn’t, but now I’m glad I found it. This Alpine cheese is made in Italy’s Asiago region – ah! you say, I’ve heard of Asiago – but it’s nothing like the cheese you find on bagels at Bruegger’s. Instead, it has a creaminess typical of cheeses made from cows that roam rich pastures. Way better than those stale bagels.
Trugole is a raw-milk cheese that is aged and washed for at least two months, but it has no funkiness or yeastiness. In fact, the taste is so smooth and mild that you’d think I’d be bored with it a la last week’s experience with Morbier. But there’s something about that creaminess that keeps me coming back for more tastes. I can imagine Trugole melted over a rich, brothy soup like French onion or draped over a piece of nutty toast alongside a mug of tomato soup. Suggested wine pairings are Pinot Grigio and Pinot Bianco, but to me, this cheese tastes so pure and basic, I’d skip the wine and focus on food pairings instead.
November 19, 2009 at 10:36 am
Stars must be aligning over the cheese cases — I can’t believe we both wrote about Trugole at around the same time. I love the idea of using it on a French onion soup. I didn’t realize it was a raw-milk cheese. Makes sense though — the depth of flavor is really delish. Thanks for the commen.
April 2, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Cheese cutters at Whole Foods in Ann Arbor introduced me to Trugole. It is terrific, even addictive, melted or firm. Serve gently melted in small ramekins, with cold strawberries, apples, peaches, or any fruit, for dipping. Trugole has no offensive edge, but only wonderful creaminess and extraordinary flavor. Try it, you’ll be hooked, as I was.