Olive Oil and Goat's Milk: Cheese Course

by Max Shrem, Posted Mar 24th 2009 @ 1:00PM

Bardwell Farm's Mettowee goat's milk cheese

For any cheese enthusiast, spring means the return of diverse goat's-milk cheeses.

The goat's milk from the spring produces a unique grassy taste with an exquisite floral aroma with notes of hay. This is due to the fact that the goats are beginning to graze on the fresh spring flora.

Compared to most sheep and cows, goats have the most varied diet. Their milk is also the lowest in fat. With less fat to balance out the pungent flavors, you can really taste the natural piquancy of lush spring fields.

Click for ways to eat this springtime treat after the jump.

What better way to enjoy this season's goat's milk cheese than with olive oil? Either plain or over greens and herbs, drizzle the olive oil over the cheese to create a rich flavor that enhances the seasonal tang of spring.

Decide whether you want to highlight the oil or the cheese, and pair accordingly. For example, if you want the olive oil to be the centerpiece of the dish, focus on finding the perfect cheese to bring out its strongest, most desirable qualities.

On a recent trip to France, I got to experience this wonderful springtime pairing. In Arles, a cafe sits at the end of a quintessential cobblestone street selling a selection of olive oils with goat's milk cheese. As you enter the cafe, you see four or five barrels of different olives oils to be paired with a different goat's milk cheese.

The technique is to balance the two flavors. In other words, if you have a fruity silky smooth oil from Provence, pair it with a milder cheese that's not aged more than 6 months. With an aged goat's milk cheese, choose an oil with a more intense flavor profile, for example grassy and peppery.

Filed Under: Vegetarian/Vegan, Cheese Course, Food Politics, Ingredients, How To
Tags: cheese, cheesecourse, goatcheese, olive oil, OliveOil, spring, vegan, vegetarian