A Cheese A Day

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Best Cheeses in America
2007-08-07 16:30:00
The results are in from the annual America n Cheese Society show, arguably the premier cheese competition in the United States.The big winner? Black Star Farms, a.k.a. the Leelanau Cheese Co., of Suttons Bay, Michigan. The company's Aged Raclette beat out over 1,200 entries to take the “Best of Show” award.Black Star Farms wasn't the only cheesemaker to win plaudits though. Fast-rising Beecher's Handmade Cheese of Seattle took home second place overall for their Flagship Reserve. (Technically, the ACS called them "first runner-up", but by my math that means second.)Meanwhile, another entrant from the Upper Midwest, Wisconsin-based Roth Kase USA, came in third ... er, "Second Runner-Up" ... for the Roth’s Private Reserve. Vermont Shepherd, a sheep's-milk cheesemaker in Putney, Vermont, was honored as the best farm house cheese in the country.

Bravo Farms Chipotle Cheddar
2007-08-06 16:00:00
What's with all the Cheddar experiments these days?A few posts back, I looked at Fiscalini's Purple Moon, a wine-washed Cheddar with a psychedelic purple hue. On today's cheese plate is the Chipotle Cheddar from Bravo Farms , whose white paste is marbleized with burnt-orange veins, courtesy of the smoked jalapeño pepper that gives the cheese its name and its spicy bite.Perhaps they're efforts to break out of the Cheddar-is-Cheddar clutter, and establish themselves as just a little bit different. Perhaps they're brave experiments by cheesemakers intent on pushing the envelope. Perhaps they're just marketing vehicles.Whatever the reason for all this colorful creation, these offbeat cheeses are fun. In the case of Bravo's Chipotle, what you're eating is a proper Cheddar, made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Then, they add a semi-spicy chipotle powder. The resulting combination matches a creamy, full-bodied cheese with the pungent, smoky spice.On its own, the cheese is a good n...

Vella Dry Jack
2007-08-03 16:55:00
There is a cheese, widespread throughout the United States, called Monterey Jack . In most forms, it's kind of an "eh" variety, prone to bland commercial production, occasionally spiced up with some equally dull jalapeños in the paste.Then there is the Vella Cheese Company's Dry Monterey Jack. It's something entirely different.Complex, sophisticated, original, Dry Jack is wondrous. The great cheese writer Steve Jenkins lists it as one of his favorites of all cheeses, and I cannot really disagree.Sonoma-based Vella, a longtime presence on the California cheesemaking scene, produces a few of the better versions of Jack, soft, buttery varieties. But the line of dried Jack is where the company really shines.To make it, they age normal Jack for nearly a year, during which time it becomes dry and almost powdery, like Parmigiano. The cheese also acquires a depth of flavor that is simply impossible to attain in a younger cheese.Dry Jack is pale yellow in color, with a taste that roams fr...

Thistle Hill Tarentaise
2007-08-01 16:22:00
Alpine cheeses are often among the world’s wondrously complex. Well aged, well balanced, with a depth of flavor that in the best varieties is downright profound. Think of the first time you tasted a really well made Gruyère, for example. That’s what I’m talking about – that swirly mass of concentrated dairy flavors, so rich and refined all at once. In the United States, it’s been somewhat difficult for artisanal cheesemakers to emulate the great Alpine cheeses, because so much of what contributes to them is unique to their home regions. American cows just don’t eat the same as European cows, so their milks taste different. Alpine grass does not grow alongside the interstate, you know.Against the odds, then, the folks Thistle Hill Farm, in rural Vermont, are demonstrating that world-class Alpine cheese can be made in the US of A. Of course, they go to great lengths to do so. For starters, their equipment comes direct from Switzerland -- the only copper cheesemaking vats ...

Fondue Fest, Fond du Lac
2007-07-31 07:52:00
Oh that wacky Wisconsin. The folks up in Fond du Lac are aiming to make it into the Guinness Book of Records for, you guessed it, the world's largest fondue. With a town name like theirs, you can't exactly blame them.Mark your calendars for September 8th, when the whole town gets crazy for melted cheese.Click here for the story.And, if you're interested in attending -- becoming part of history, actually -- check out all the festivities right here.
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Mount Rushmore of Cheese
2007-07-27 15:52:00
We Americans are a creative, patriotic bunch. And when you throw some marketers into the mix, things really get interesting. Ergo: a 700-lb. replica of Mount Rushmore that is currently zipping about the country. The statue is on a ten-city promotional tour, courtesy of its sponsor Cheez-Its. Slightly odd, but kind of funny, and provocative in its own way.Right now, Mount Cheese -more is in Michigan, according to this story from the Detroit Free Press.Want to learn more about Troy Landwehr, the sculptor who dreamed this thing up? Click here. Turns out, the fame he's gained from this project has earned him a second commission: a cheese bust of the Prime Minister of Ireland. Ah, so it's not just us. The Irish can be cheesy, too.

Pleasant Ridge Reserve
2007-07-26 16:08:00
Wisconsin is, famously, the land of cheese. But until the last decade or two, most of the cheese that made it out of the Badger State suffered from drabness at the expense of its own popularity. The locals got the good stuff, perhaps, but anything sold out-of-state was mostly ordinary.No more. Today, the state is awash with cheesemaking artisans intent to make complex, top-notch cheese. And it's making its way out of the Upper Midwest to markets near you (or, at least, near me.) Pleasant Ridge is a case in point. The cheese is full-flavored, robust and raw. It's a washed rind variety, soaked and brushed repeatedly in a salt solution during its maturation process. It's an unpasteurized cheese made from the milk of the cheesemaker's own herd of cows.It's a Beaufort-style cheese, which is at once refined and rustic. It's an ancient style that originated in French mountains, a close cousin to Gruyére and Comté. In the Pleasant Ridge version, it seems musty and mushroomy at firs...
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Sierra Nevada Wins
2007-07-24 16:33:00
If you thought cream cheese must be, by definition, mass-produced and over-processed, consider Sierra Nevada Organic Cream Cheese. This is not Philly brand. The cheese is hand-made in small batches, and is attracting a following in northern California these days. To be sure, Sierra Nevada doesn't rank among the world's great cheeses -- the variety is just too basic -- but it's mighty tasty, nevertheless.In fact, at the recent California State Fair, Sierra Nevada was named "Best in Show." And that was against some famous competition. Check out the full list of winners by clicking here.
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Burrata
2007-04-18 16:26:00
In the hierarchy of southern Italian cheeses, mozzarella di bufala from Campania ranks highest. A fresh, well-made version is nearly impossible to resist, almost perfect.But perfection, it seems, is a fluid concept, at least in southern Italy. So in the early part of the 20th century, some cheesemakers from nearby Puglia actually improved upon their regional rival's signature cheese.Enter Burrata, a mozzarella like no other.Like all mozzarella, Burrata has a thin spun casing (called pasta filata by the cheesemakers), a firm outside shell that holds in place a wonderful, creamy, gooey filling. The word Burrata means, more or less, "buttery" in Italian, and that sums up this stuff.It's a ball of the most perfect, wonderfully fresh Mozzarella that has been pumped up with the most perfect, wonderfully fresh cream on the inside. The combination is unbelievably rich, and unbelievably delicious. (Just take care not to eat too much if you have cholesterol issues.)The cheese sometimes come...

Cheddar Vision TV
2007-04-17 16:00:00
Ever get the urge to watch cheese age? It's at least as fascinating as watching grass grow.Now, thanks to the YouTube revolution, you can take part in the new spectator sport of watching cheese age.It's CheddarTV. All Cheddar, all the time.Click here to watch.
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Limburger
2007-04-14 16:42:00
There are stinky cheeses and then there are stinky cheeses. The most pungent of them all just may be Limb urg er, butt of many jokes and friend to the mouthwash industry.It's a soft, cow's milk cheese that was invented in by Trappist monks in Belgium sometime in the 19th century. Besides its robust aroma, Limburger is very soft and somewhat salty, but not complex in taste.Limburger is today primarily a cheese for Germans. They eat it in the old country, especially in Bavaria. German immigrants brought it with them to the Midwestern United States when they arrived there.Wisconsin, in particular, was once a center for Limburger production. You might call it the cheese that made Milwaukee famous.Today, however, Limburger's popularity in the United States has waned. Only one farmstead producer even makes the stuff, Chalet Cheese of Monroe, Wis. Other than that, you have to buy varieties made in Germany.PAIRINGS: Limburger is a classic workingman's cheese, best paired with other flavo...
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Ruzzolone
2007-04-12 09:01:00
Cheese-rolling may be the new soccer.Like soccer, the sport of cheese-rolling may have begun in England, where the almost famous Gloucestershire cheese roll has become a tradition. That event, you'll recall, involves drunken Englishmen competing to roll a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a hill the fastest.But just like in soccer, what the English invented, the Italians have perfected. Anyway, that is probably the opinion of many strange folks in the Umbrian hill town of Panicale. Each year on the day after Easter, they have an annual competition there called Ruzzolone ("big wheel").It's an intense affair, in which people take turns rolling a wheel of Pecorino around the medieval town. The player who gets his wheel from point A to point B with the fewest rolls wins.The blog See You in Italy reported on Ruzzolone recently, which in turn got the New York Times to follow suit, in a recent piece in the Travel section.Though the game may be fun to play, I'm not sure it's going ...
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Bellwether Crescenza
2007-04-11 16:00:00
Quick question: is cheese a solid or a liquid?Sometimes, it's sort of both, as in the case of this creamy, oozy cheese from northern California's Bell wether Farms.Cres cenza is a soft-ripened cow's milk cheese, modeled after some of the traditional soft cheeses of southern Italy. It has no rind, so they often sell it in clear plastic bags.Upon first opening, the cheese retains its shape. But let it sit for awhile -- and I recommend that you do, to draw out its full flavor -- and Crescenza evolves into a delightful, gooey wonder.It is super-creamy, like the richest butter you ever had. The dairy flavors are pronounced, but because it's a young cheese, not overpowering. There is a hint of tartness to Crescenza, but not so much that you'd call it tangy.What do you do with such a cheese? Spread it on anything -- apples, pears, bread, flatbreads. Or, just grab some with your finger, like you're sneaking some icing off a cake. It's messy, sure. But soooooo tasty.

Humboldt Fog
2007-04-09 16:20:00
Humboldt County, in the northernmost tip of California, has a reputation as a free-and-easy kind of place, where all rules are optional and standing up to The Man is a core family value.I’m not sure if that explains a little bit about the wondrous Humboldt Fog, the signature goat cheese from the Cypress Grove dairy in Arcata.“Classic” goat cheese, of course, comes from France. The chevre varieties from the Loire Vally, in particular, are standouts. A refined, elegant cheese from a wild-and-wooly part of the American West? The motivation to craft it must have sprung from some deep sense of individuality and rebellion.Humboldt Fog is soft and creamy, with just a slight tang to its bite. In the middle of it, there is a line of edible vegetable ash, which splits the milk-white paste in two. Compared to the French varieties one encounters most often in the United States, Humboldt is ligher and cleaner.This may be because the imported cheeses are a bit older, or it may be by design....

Roncal
2007-04-07 19:14:00
Spain's emergence as one of the rising economies of Europe has had a great benefit for foodies in the United States: an aggressive effort by Spanish producers to export more of the country's amazing edibles.First, there were the dazzling new wines from upstart Spanish regions like Priorato and Navarra, as well as recast Riojas. Then came the hams -- Serrano and the wondrous Ibérico.For cheeselovers, Spanish varieties are becoming easier and easier to find. Roncal, though still tough to locate, is more widely available than it once was. And that is a very good thing indeed.This ancient cheese has been produced and eaten in northern Spain for more than 3,000 years. In other words, when the Romans showed up in Navarra, their hosts might have given them some Roncal to nibble on.It's a hard-pressed sheep's milk cheese, fairly dense and slightly pockmarked. It has a pale yellow paste, which darkens to amber with age. It's deeply flavorful -- think nuts and olives -- but not especial...

Maytag Blue
2007-04-06 17:49:00
The Maytag family, famous the world over for washing machines and a repairman with a lot of time on his hands, should rightfully be celebrated for their contributions not just to washery but to gastronomy.Out in San Francisco, Fritz Maytag used his share of the family fortune to build a better world. He is the guy who rescued the Anchor Steam Brewery out of bankruptcy in the 1970s, eventually creating one of the world's great small brewing companies. (Now, as a further contribution to society, he has started making fantastic, artisanal gin and rye whiskey.)Meanwhile, back in Iowa, another set of Maytags stayed down on the farm, a pretty nice one I'll bet. Because since 1941, the family dairy in Newton has been turning out cheese. Today, its most famous offering is Maytag Blue , one of America's finest blue cheeses.The cheese is sort of a midwestern ode to Roquefort, although it's made from the milk of heartland cows, not French sheep. Maytag Blue is sharp and tangy, with a well-r...

Mt. Tam
2007-04-03 17:56:00
There's a cheesemaking revolution going on in America, in case you haven't noticed. Among its leaders are a group of women entrepreneurs who a decade ago left the Bay Area restaurant scene to launch the Cowgirl Creamery.Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, veterans of such luminary East Bay eateries as Chez Panisse and Bette's Oceanview, decided in the early 1990s that what America needed was more homegrown artisanal cheese. So they started a company to make it.Today, Cowgirl Creamery makes a wonderful line of cheeses, including the mellow, mushroomy Mt. Tam. It is a triple-cream variety, made with organic milk. It's relatively dense, so it's firm in texture (though not quite hard).Mt. Tam is rich but not showy, full-flavored but not cloying. In fact, it's downright elegant in its complexity and balance.PAIRINGS: Because it is so refined, Mt. Tam deserves to be tasted early on a cheese board, before you dig into the really stinky cheeses. If you're serving it on its own, pour some sha...

Grana Padano
2007-03-31 19:31:00
Remember Affirmed and Alydar, the Triple Crown-winning thoroughbred and the other horse that came in second in each race?The "competition" between Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano is like that. The former is the world's champion, an all-time great. The latter? Well, in a head-to-head comparison with real Parmigiano, Grana loses every time.That's not to say you shouldn't eat it. Both cheeses are made in the same general style, and both work well when grated over pasta or many other dishes. Made from pasteurized cow's milk, Grana is sweet, and grainy, and nutty, with a pleasing, buttery aroma.But well-aged Parmigiano has a depth of flavor that ranks it among the world's most sophisticated cheeses. Grana, on the other hand, is merely good.There's another difference: Grana usually costs less than half what Parmigiano does. Sometimes, you want the best and are willing to pay for it. Sometimes, you feel cheap. On those days, buy Grana Padano.

Port Salut
2007-03-30 17:59:00
Port Salut was invented by Trappist monks in Brittany during the early 19th century, who originally thought of it as something they would eat, not sell.But when a visiting cheesemonger from Paris stopped by the monastery of Notre Dame du Port du Salut, he convinced them that cheese's market potential was divine.Today, most varieties of Port Salut are made industrially, though a few handmade types are available in France.The cheese always comes cased in a trademark, bright orange rind. Look for the letters S.A.F.R. stamped on it. The acronym stands for Société Anonyme des Fermiers Réunis, the order of monks who originated the style back in the day.What you discover inside that colorful shell -- particularly the smell -- depends a lot on the length and manner in which the individual variety has been aged.When young, Port Salut has a mild, even delicate aroma. But with just a bit of age, it can grow deliciously pungent. In any form, however, the taste and texture are always buttery...
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Idiazabal
2007-03-28 16:00:00
The Basque is confusing to Americans. Is it Spanish? French? Neither, or perhaps both?How you answer depends on your politics, I suppose. But one thing everybody can agree upon is that Idiazabal, a signature Basque food, is one terrific cheese.It is a classic sheep's milk cheese, aromatic with a buttery, nutty flavor. It has a slightly oily texture, which becomes less pronounced over time. As it ages, it gets more intensely dry and sharp, though it's never crumbly. (Except, sadly, when you've left it out uncovered too long.)When the cheese was made by shepherds, the story goes, they often would dry it by the smoke of their evening campfires. Today, Idiazabal retains that flavor through a more modern process of light smoking over beechwood.PAIRINGS: Robust red wines from northern Spain, such as Priorato and Navarra, go perfectly with Idiazabal. Aged varieties also make good grating cheeses, over gratin or pasta.
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Cheddar
2007-03-27 16:47:00
It’s just a theory, but there seems to be a correlation between a particular style’s popularity and the number of bad versions of it that will surface in the global marketplace.The most beloved varieties invite industrial production so bland yet ubiquitous that they eventually cause many people to forget what was special in the first place.If you can’t remember what’s lovable about Cheddar, it’s time to serve up the farmhouse style. Warm and familiar, it is dense, and firm but not crumbly. It develops a pronounced saltiness as it ages.The initial taste should be fairly mellow on your tongue, followed by piquancy as it develops in your mouth. It comes in various degrees of sharpness, but traditional, well-aged (four years or more) Cheddar should be extra sharp.Cheddar naturally is a yellowish-white, but many producers add a harmless substance called annatto to color it.

Cheshire
2007-03-26 16:43:00
The U.K.’s oldest cheese, Cheshire pre-dates the Romans. It was cited in the Domesday Book, the 11th century census of William the Conqueror; and Boswell and Johnson’s favorite pub was named for it (the Olde Cheshire Cheese).Often compared to Cheddar, Cheshire is drier than Cheddar and always crumbly. It’s usually dyed orange, though some farmers make it in its natural off-white. It occasionally comes in a blue-veined variety.PAIRINGS: Classic Cheshire is slightly salty, but with a more prominent savory taste than Cheddar. It works any way you’d serve Cheddar, and is the traditional cheese used in Welsh rarebit. Drink British ale with it, like Fuller’s ESB.

Brie de Meaux
2007-03-23 15:52:00
Brie didn't become a cliche during the Chardonnay craze of the 1970s and 1980s; it's been overhyped for centuries.As far back as 1815, the French statesman Talleyrand was promoting it as the King of All Cheese. (It was crowned at a famous dinner of diplomats negotiating the post-Waterloo Treaty of Vienna.)Today, of course, the world is awash in Brie, most of it totally ordinary. Only two French styles, Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun, maintain traditional standards. The rest are rarely great.De Meaux and de Melun, on the other hand, are well worth tracking down. Both are lush, soft big cheeses. They boast distinct, yet subtly complex flavors: creamy and nutty at once, with a hint of sweetness, yet also mushroomy.De Melun is ripened a bit longer than de Meaux, so it tends to be bigger and more complicated. It has a yellow, almost golden paste, and a rustic aroma. De Meaux, on the other hand, is precise and sophisticated. It, not de Melun, is considered the standard.The cheese can b...

Brick
2007-03-22 15:29:00
Brick is common in the American Midwest, and one of the few other homegrown styles of cheese in the United States.Wisconsin’s John Jossi adapted it from Limburger in the 1870s. He wanted to reduce the moisture in Limburger, to create a firmer, denser cheese. Squeezing the curd between two heavy bricks accomplished the task, and gave the variety its name.Make no mistake, Brick is an honest, workingman’s cheese. Pungent and sharp—even more so with aging—it’s usually compared to a blend of Cheddar and Limburger.PAIRINGS: Jack is a great melting cheese, dripped over nachos or toasted sourdough. Brick is best in sandwiches, or with dill pickles, kielbase, and beer. Try it with bratwurst, preferably while watching a game between the Bears and the Packers.
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Jack
2007-03-21 15:04:00
The United States is the land of immigrants. People, culture, food—so much of what’s here has roots over there.But America can lay claim to Jack , a cheese style invented by Scottish immigrant David Jacks, who lived in Monterey, Calif. at the close of the 19th century.The original Jack is a mild, youthful cheese made of pasteurized cow’s milk. It’s soft, with a slight lemony tang to it. Frequently, it’s spiced up by the addition of jalapeño peppers, which are added early in the production process.Dry Jack is a more mature version. It’s aged for seven or more months, which produces a yellow, sharp cheese.In neither its youthful nor aged form does Jack offer a heady swirl of taste and texture. But so what? It’s straightforward, just like its homeland.

Gouda
2007-03-20 08:01:00
Like its sibling, Edam, Gouda has been bastardized by industry.A few artisanal makers remain, however. A tradition-minded version will make you understand what all the fuss used to be about.A matured farmhouse Gouda has a slightly citrus-like tang to it, like a sweet orange. The pale yellow paste will be somewhat firm, though not dry, and contain randomly sized holes. The longer it ages, the sweeter it gets, like toffee or butterscotch.Look for tradition-minded Dutch cheesemakers, like Boerenkase. For a Gouda-style made in Ireland, try Coolea, from County Cork.PAIRINGS: If you pick up a good farmhouse Gouda, try it with some interesting Belgian ale, such as De Koninck, a medium-bodied brown ale from Antwerp. For food, it’s good with salty ham, or with cranberry sauce and roast turkey.

Edam
2007-03-19 15:29:00
The Dutch, a practical people with natural commercial gifts, have always been Europe’s greatest traders. It’s sad, though, that cheesemakers have allowed consumers to lead them astray.To wit: Edam and Gouda, with proud histories that have been lost to the mass producer’s quest to find the lowest common denominator.Originally, Edam was sharp and hard, with an assertive flavor and rounded complexity. Alas, that’s gone. Today, there are no farmhouse producers left.Unless someone comes along to revive the tradition, what will remain is a rather dull, unobtrusively mild, yellow cheese.It has an aroma that’s lightly spiced, and a taste that’s just a bit salty. Made from pasteurized, partially skimmed cheese, Edam’s fat content is low and its tolerance for other foods high.

Fromage Fort
2007-03-18 15:31:00
This great use of leftovers may have originated in Burgundy, but variations of it can be found all over France.It’s terrific, not to mention economical. Use as many different cheeses as you like, in any combination. Big pieces, little ones, anything goes.In France, the cheeses are often left to ferment for a few days in wine before mixing, a step I’ve omitted in this simplified version. Ingredients:1 lb. to 1½ lbs. leftover cheese bits (any variety)¼ cup dry white wine3 Tbsp. butter2 Tbsp. any herb (sage, thyme, tarragon, basil)3 cloves garlicserves 8 to 10Directions:Remove the rinds and any mold from the cheese pieces. Cut the soft cheeses into 1/2-inch cubes, and grate any hard cheeses. Combine them in a food processor.Next, add the wine, softened butter, and herbs and chopped garlic. Note that this will be a thick, heavy mixture, so make sure your equipment can handle it. (The texture is often too dense for weak blenders.)Blend everything together for about three minu...
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Cashel and Crozier
2007-03-17 15:00:00
Over the past few decades, the Irish renaissance has transformed the Emerald Isle from a backwater to an economic dynamo. The best part: the Irish are interested in food these days.The Grubb family is at the forefront of the artisanal cheesemaking movement there. Their dairy in Tiperrary began turning out the country's first farmstead blue cheese in the 1980s, Cash el Blue. More recently, they've launched a sheep's milk version, called Crozier. Both are made from the milks of animals raised on or near the family farm.Cashel is a semisoft cheese, made from pasteurized cow's milk. The cheese is often sold young, when it is fairly firm and crumbly. As it ages, it grows more complex, as well as softer and creamier, even runny. Think of it as Gorgonzola with a brogue.Crozier ripens slowly, and it is a bit milder than its sibling. When young, Crozier is gentle, with a pleasing bit of classic blue tanginess. It is best eaten after four months or so of ripening.On St. Patrick's Day, Er...

Religious cheese
2007-03-16 16:05:00
Chimay, a major Trappist beermaker, also produces a wonderful cheese by the same name.It’s a semihard, pressed variety, with a natural, brownish rind. Made from scalded cow’s milk (a gentle way to pasteurize), Chimay is full of cream flavors and flowery aromas. It’s perfect with the sibling beers, especially the blue label.Maredsous, a community of Benedictine monks, also markets a marvelous beer and a pungent, full flavored cheese to go with it.The cow’s milk cheese is lightly pressed, then washed in brine during maturation. Its firm rind is burnt orange in color. Inside, the paste is the color of hay, smooth and fairly firm.PAIRINGS: Northern Europeans like many of the monastic cheeses, including Pere Joseph, as desserts. They also work well with many big, winey Belgian ales. Or, try one with a glass of framboise. Not surprisingly, both Chimay and Maredsous are great alongside their namesake beers
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