Category Archives: Cheese/Cheese Related

Cheese Related news and reviews

June 6, 2011 · 2:56 pm

Gwyneth Paltrow is GOOPing on my territory

My mouth is a bit smaller than in this picture.

First the acting, then the singing, next a cookbook and now a blog post about cheese. I’m exhausted GP.  You don’t have to do everything.  Let me do the cheese- seriously.  I mean, really…what else do I have?  A small film called Salami Heaven, songs at pre-school where I keep my voice low enough to blend in with the hum of the fan and a kick-ass recipe for fudge.  But no cook book.

All I had was the cheese.  And now you had to go there.  And I had to go there to get the link to your post. It’s just unjust.  But, it is kind of a good post.  I grudgingly admit.

And I do love, love, love (love) La Fromagerie in London, and their cheese room and their soft-boiled egg for breakfast with the imported Italian coffee.  And nothing bad to say about Murray’s cheese in New York either.

The newspaper is for when you eat breakfast alone-- which is the best way to dine in the early morning.

Just one thing, I resent the “cheese is kind of unhealthy” disclaimer off the top.  At its best, made with care and with pristine milk I would consider it pretty darn healthy.  And btw, so does Patricia Michelson, owner of La Fromagerie.  A quote from her first book, The Cheese Room (personally autographed–(ha GP!)– to my husband… but details..),

“Who would have thought a book on cheese would contain a beauty tip? Not such a daft idea as we should all know about the health enhancing qualities of cheese–good for teeth and bones as well as the blessed dietary attributes of Parmigiano Reggiano for young children, women in pregnancy, the elderly and sporty types.”

She’s talking about the fact that Italian scientists have studied the benefits of Parmigiano-Reggiano for many years. It is easy to digest for children (and people with gastrointestinal problems) as the long ageing process slowly breaks down the milk proteins. It has high levels of calcium and phosphorus making it very good for people suffering from osteoporosis.  Plus for athlete’s it can provide the protein they might get from meat, but is lower in cholesterol and generally one of the lower-fat cheeses.

BTW, Patricia’s books are wonderful and fun to read, not only if you love cheese but if you enjoy food.  And if you’re in London, you must absolutely head to her store.  Even more important than a visit to Top Shop,  afterall,  you can dress in cheese, but you can’t eat clothes.

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May 9, 2011 · 8:30 pm

Toast Post: Louis D’Or

Louis D'Or from Quebec reclines on avocado from Mexico

I first had Louis D’Or last fall.  I was smitten fast.  I wanted to move the relationship forward, make it more permanent but our fling was brief.  Louis D’Or was one hard cheese to track down.

It entered my life again this April, at the same time as Ben Mulroney who was hosting the 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. Being in cocktail attire, at an event where wedges of cheese are being flashed onto giant screens while Ben Mulroney is announcing, “and nominees in the fresh cheese category are…” is slightly like being at a Star Trek convention for cheese lovers (geeks, OK, geeks) or (as my friend pointed out) being in an excellent mockumentary.

Louis D’Or swept the night. I wondered what Louis was thinking about all the fuss around him.  Maybe, “If I win this category will Ben Mulroney’s hands touch my rind? Ok, I’ve now won two categories, this is going well, now will he touch me?   Maybe if I sweep the awards, surely he’ll glance my way.  Nothing?!  Are you serious?  There’s my maker–he’s shaking hands with my maker!  OMG, please come over here and wash my rind before I ferment myself!”

Louis D’Or in 11 words or more:  Firm, washed-rind. The producer is Fromagerie du Presbytère in Sainte-Élizabeth de Warwick, Quebec.  They also make the excellent blue cheese Bleu D’Elizabeth. Made with raw, organic cow sourced from the cheese maker’s farm.  When I first had the cheese last fall I loved its complexity and fruity, caramel and herbal notes which reminded me a bit of Comté.   I think I may have had the 9 month old version because when I tasted it at the Grand Prix it seemed further aged (further sleuthing has me thinking 18 months)–more crumble, less suppleness and though complex, perhaps a little less fruity or “fresh”.  It was still lovely but I think I prefer the younger wheel.

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April 28, 2011 · 9:51 am

Toast Post: Red Leicester

Red savoury heaven on Red Fife sourdough

It’s British, it’s bright orange and it’s looks slightly obnoxious on a plate.  Red Leicester will soon be your taste bud’s new BFF.  Les (all good friends should have a nickname) is so rich in savoury, nutty, sweet, umami-ness that he could be Parmesan’s bawdy, British cousin (thrice removed).  Don’t worry, he won’t overstay his welcome, in fact he’ll be gone much too soon.

It’ll be a testament to your willpower if you manage to save some for the toast you’re waiting to pop.  I shaved thin morsels of Red Leicester onto my sourdough but chunks are nice for a snack.  But not a snack you’ll want to share.  People will eye Les and as you unveil him from your lunchbox, and you might be forced to ask, “Would you like some?”  But maybe you’ll add something like,  “It’s quite past its due date but I didn’t want to waste bad cheese. God, I hope it isn’t rife with listeria from being wrapped and left out of the fridge with that cheap baloney!  Oh well, what’s life without some risks?  Please, help yourself, I insist. And take some for your baby too.”

Red Leicester in 11 words or more: Leiscester (Less-ter) hails from Leiscester county in England and has been made since the 18th century.  It was original created as a use for milk left over from Stilton production.  Traditionally, it was produced in a cloth-wrapped  wheel which could weigh up to 45 lbs.  In today’s more common factory production it is often made in blocks.  Aged from 3-9 months, older is probably better in this case: firmer, flaky, concentrated flavour. The orange colour comes from annato which is the same natural dye used for orange cheddar.

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April 21, 2011 · 3:03 pm

Toast Post: Le Cendrillon

Tangy and smooth on sweet and warm

Tis true, I did just write about Le Cendrillon for the The Spread, so I do feel like I’m recycling cheese lore but it’s the most interesting pick of the cheese drawer at the moment–other than Felix’s Laughing Cow triangles which were once referred to as thickened cow mucus by a cheese teacher from England named Tom Badcock (yes, his real name, also he wore a bow tie).  The same accusation was thrown at all cheese in general by a vegan I met in LA once upon a time.

I thought it would be nice to pair Le Cendrillon with the Stollen I made for Easter.  The sweet/fruity bread is kind of a lovely match with the tangy, rich goat cheese.  I prefer this cheese on the riper side –a little more in your face.

Though freshly made,  I wanted to toast the Stollen just a bit to warm it up and give it a bit of a crisp exterior.  As I waiting for the toast to pop I studied Le Cendrillon and thought to myself, “The ash on its exterior looks like a warm blanket.  Maybe I should replace all the blankets in the house with ash.  Or  I could burn all the blankets and have more ash blankets. Scratch that–who wants to use a shovel to put on a blanket?”

Le Cendrillon in 11 words or more: Goat cheese from Quebec by Fromagerie Alexis Portneuf (owned by Saputo). Milk is sourced from the local area and all the cheeses are made by hand.  Won “Best Cheese in the World” in 2009 World cheese awards. The long pyramid shape (I called this a triangular prism, but I got an email from Don, a retired math teacher who set me straight, apparently it’s a frustrum) was created to help the cheese ripen quicker and keep the inner core from drying out.  Look for ones that are 7-10 days before their “best before” date for a real mix of textures in the paste and nice kick of flavour.

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April 14, 2011 · 8:49 am

Toast Post: Bothwell Horseradish Cheddar

Horseradish zing on South Dakota Loaf.

Like the first stiff drink of the day, Bothwell Horseradish cheddar is more of a midday or “after 11am” cheese.  It’s certainly not meek.  But it does taste of real, bright, fresh horseradish and would be a champion on a sandwich or melted on a roast beef sub (mmmmm mmmm, the taste buds are rallying).

The South Dakota bread (post to come) toasts really nicely–the crust gets crisp and all the seeds inside warm up.  You’d nibble on this cheddar while waiting for your toast and think, “This cheddar is so damn pungent I’m breathing it out my nose-like a big hit of wasabi hidden under tender sushi.  Man!  I finally  feel alive-let’s do an extreme sport.  I would totally serve this to my arch-enemy who hated horseradish.”

Bothwell Cheddar in 11 words or more: Bothwell hails from Manitoba and the company has been making cheese since 1936–no preservatives, no MMIs.  Dairy farmers still deliver the local milk to Bothwell themselves.  I am curious about the horseradish flavour itself–does it come from fresh horseradish root?  I have sent in an inquiry and will keep you updated. (FYI: Horseradish is the 2011 herb of the year.  Keep on rockin’ in the herb world little horseradish.)

April 19- Got a response about the horseradish from Bothwell:

Hello Sue,

It is always exciting to hear feedback from our customers.  The
horseradish that we use for our horseradish cheddar is a highly
concentrated liquid horseradish extract.  It is added during the make
process to give the desired flavor that you enjoy.

If you have any further questions just let me know.

Regards,

Pauline Doerksen
Bothwell Cheese Inc.

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April 7, 2011 · 2:54 pm

Toast Post: Riopelle

Riopelle: Butter on Butter on sunflower seed rye.

A pleasant surprise greeted me in the cheese drawer–there was just enough Riopelle left from Saturday’s cheese plate for a toast run.  (Usually my husband sniffs out a crumb of Riopelle faster than a racoon hunting down a green bin.)  I like this triple-creamer on a lean piece of toast that gets nice and crunchy so that the contrast of  crisp and buttery are in perfect harmony.

As you lean against the counter and wait for the toast to pop you might nibble on some Riopelle thinking, “Mmmmm, hit me baby one more time!  oh oh.  Now that song is in my head.  I wish I didn’t kind of like it……also I hope no one can read my mind.  Unless it’s when I’m thinking about a cool band like Arcade Fire.  Like now.”

Riopelle in 11 words or more: soft, bloomy rind, triple cream from Fromagerie de l’Île-aux-Grues in Quebec.  The Fromagerie began as a co-operative of 14 local dairy farmers in 1977 when its first cheese, Cheddar de l’Ile-aux-Grues, was born. Today, the milk is sourced from the island’s six remaining dairy farms. The cows are fed in part on hay that grows naturally on the local mud flats.  Riopelle is made from thermalized milk.  The label may say “unpasteurized” which is true in theory, but this does not mean raw milk.  Thermalization is a gentler heating process than pasteurization which  kills potentially harmful bacteria while keeping some of the milk’s beneficial microbes.

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March 29, 2011 · 10:05 am

Toast Post: Comté

Supple, fruity, nutty Comté on Rye

My first Toast Post.  I can’t say that I planned on using Comté specifically, but it was in the fridge–and this is always the magical thing about cheese and toast–the element of surprise. Cheese and toast is not planned for– you just reach into the cheese drawer and see what’s left.  You also end up doing an impromptu “tasting” when making any version of this.  For you will surely have nothing to do while you await the toasting of the toast, but lean against the kitchen counter and snack on a bite of cheese and contemplate life.

And in the case of Comté you will think, “man, this is good, why don’t I buy Comté all the time? I should totally pack this in my purse for an impromptu snack if I get stuck on public transit.   It so smooth and supple and mmmmm, if that toast doesn’t hurry up all my cheese will be gone.”

Comté in 11 words or more:  AOC designated cheese from France (Jura mountains). Raw cow milk. Must pass a 20 point rating system where a 15+ score is an A and the cheese gets a green label.  A rating under 12 means the cheese cannot be sold as Comté.  Huge wheels (75-120 pds) originated to keep the cheese through harsh winters. Comté producers are fairly small in size and produce about 12-24 wheels a day.  There is an aroma wheel for Comté which includes 83 terms, grouped into 6 families–let me know if you smell some boiled egg yolk in your cheese…..

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