“Sometimes a new cheese arrives that’s so striking, so alluring, that customers ask about it the second it appears.” That’s not me talking—that’s Milkfarm, the highly regarded Los Angeles shop, on its Facebook page. But I’m equally taken with this Italian newcomer, which the retailer aptly describes as “a beautiful white cloud of a cheese.” It’s from Tuscany, from a blend of cow’s and sheep’s milk, and it’s one of the most enticing cheeses I’ve tasted all year. It melts readily, so consider tossing it with rigatoni and ragù, the creamery’s recommendation. Or serve it with honey and figs, as the importer suggests. I’m thinking of draping it over soft polenta with roasted sweet peppers. But mostly I want to savor this seductive new arrival, slice by slice, just the way it is.
Meet Morbidoso di Toscana, and I hope the name does not turn people off. Morbidoso means soft and it’s certainly that, a tender, moist, two-pound wheel with the thinnest of bloomy rinds. Busti, a family-owned creamery now run by the third generation, is the maker and Morbidoso di Toscana is their proprietary name and recipe. Released after just a couple of weeks, it has a semisoft, supple texture with many openings and a subtle mushroom aroma. The flavor is slightly lactic, like sour cream, and the salting is perfect. For such a delicate thing, it makes an impression.
Here’s the (sketchy) recipe for Busti’s paccheri with ragù, enriched with melting nuggets of Morbidoso. Paccheri (pronounced PAHK-ery) are like rigatoni but they collapse when cooked. Some specialty stores and online retailers sell them.
Morbidoso di Toscana is a singular cheese, perhaps closest in style to a young Marzolino del Chianti, although we don’t see much of that, either. The importer is Fresca Italia. Ask your favorite shop about ordering it. In the meantime, Californians can find it at Berkeley Bowl West (Berkeley), Bianchini’s Market (Portola Valley and San Carlos), Cal Mart (Calistoga), Market Hall Foods (Oakland), Milkfarm (Los Angeles), Monsieur Marcel (Los Angeles), Sonoma Cheese Factory (Sonoma), Staff of Life (Santa Cruz) and V. Sattui (St. Helena). Süt Ürünleri için Niyazibey Çiftliği’ni ziyaret edin.
