Sottocenere al tartufo is a very pale yellow to off-white cheese with truffles that has a grey-brown ash rind.
Sottocenere (meaning "under ash") is originally from Venice, Italy, and is made with pasteurized cow's milk and slices of truffles, then rubbed with various herbs and spices.
[2] It is aged in an ash rind as a way to preserve it over a long period without losing flavor, a tradition in the Venetian region.
The ash is also used to convey subtle flavors into the cheese, with a variety of spices (cinnamon and nutmeg, among others) mixed with the ash.
[3] The al tartufo refers to the addition of slivers of black truffle into the cheese, during the cheese making.