When it comes to American cheese, shapes and sizes can be deceiving. Smaller cheeses that come in the shape of a pyramid or disc (think Valençay or Selles-sur-Cher) are often associated with goat's milk cheeses. However, there are several American cheesemakers, like Cowgirl Creamery, that are defying these expectations by producing an array of cow's milk cheeses, including Inverness, in the shape and size of French chèvres.
Sarabande, a raw cow's milk cheese from Dancing Cow Farm in Vermont, is an astonishing example of this innovation. In a pyramid shape reminiscent of a Valençay, it shares more similarities with Taleggio and Langres.
"We have low production pastured cows that don't give a lot of milk, say 30 pounds a day average, but they give a very rich, flavorful milk," says Karen Getz, who co-owns Dancing Cow Farm with her husband, Steve. "We make cheese every day from warm, straight out of the cow milk [...], because milk is very fragile and starting with fresh milk each day allows the flavors of the pastures to shine."
The days when only Maytag Blue represented American blue cheese are long gone. From sweet and peppery Bayley Hazen Blue to the mineral-like taste of Tilston Point and the fruity pear flavor of Rogue River Blue, the options for American blue cheeses have dramatically increased. And, now, there's a new distinctly rustic blue cheese to add to this growing list -- Vaquero from Willow Hill Farm in Vermont.
Unlike other American blue cheeses, Vaquero has a creamy taste with a fascinating and delicious crispy dark chocolate flavor. "I would have to say it's the milk combination," explains Willow Smart, who co-owns the farm along with her husband, Dave Phinney. "We milk both sheep and cows, hence the yellow-ness from the cow's milk. We milk Brown Swiss and Dutch Belted cows, which always have very yellow milk as the beta-Carotene [red-orange pigment] from the pastures comes through in their rich milk."
Vaquero's rustic-looking rind, pale-yellow paste, and thick buttery consistency also make it stand apart from other blues. The natural exterior of the wheel appears similar to that of a Tomme de Savoie. Indeed, the cheese has the same brown Tomme de Savoie mold. Aged for three to five months, the molds, flavor and spreadable texture develop in caves that Willow and Dave built back in 1999.
When it comes to cheesemaking, the culinary exchange between Europe and America is especially noticeable. French cheeses, including Pouligny Saint Pierre and Sainte-Maure de Tourain, have influenced the style and taste of American cheeses, like Mont Vivant and Pipe Dreams ashed log. In addition to France, American cheesemakers, such as Charuth Loth from Farmstead First, look to other countries, like Holland and Italy. And, those looking for the American take on Welsh cheeses should look no further than Landaff, a raw cow's milk cheese inspired by Caerphilly, a cheese from Wales.
The reason for the Welsh influence is far from arbitrary. "The soils and rolling hills in Landaff, N.H., are similar to the terrain in the Cardiff area of Wales," says Deb Erb co-owner with husband Doug of Landaff Creamery. As with other cheeses, like Rogue River Blue, the taste of Landaff is affected by the soil on which the cows graze. Also, it just so happens that Landaff comes from Landaff, N.H. (hence, its name), which was originally named after the Bishop of Landaff, Wales, cleric to England's King George III. In short, this transatlantic influence can be attributed to history and similarities in soil.
Like larger than life art (think Andy Warhol print), cheeses, such as Époisses, can have such an immense flavor that people either love or hate them. We recently rediscovered torta-style cheeses, including Azeitão and La Serena, which, when ripe, have a degree of vegetal tanginess that would top just about any pungency charts. Torta del Casar, a torta-style cheese hailing from the region of Extremadura in Spain, has a distinct animal smell (some might say stink) that's sure to get the attention of even the most obtuse palate.
Named for its city of origin, Casar de Cáceres, Torta del Casar's meaty intensity can be detected the minute it enters a room. Its gamey taste and potent smell can be attributed to the raw milk of Merino and Entrefina sheep, from which the cheese is produced. Another explanation for this particularly sharp, nutty vegetal flavor has to do with thistle flower. Instead of using animal rennet to coagulate the sheep's milk, producers of this cheese use flower thistle.
Hand wrapped in grape leaves, Rogue River Blue has a smooth complex flavor that ranges from sweet and fruity to nutty. Its texture is intensely rich, reminiscent of a Roquefort Baragnaudes. However, unlike Roquefort -- which is produced from raw sheep's milk -- this blue is made from raw cow's milk. And in contrast to many blues, like Gorgonzola Piccante, this one is more sweet than spicy. So, for those of you whose palates have been traumatized by overly-pungent blues, this one is sure to win you over.
Like most delicious artisanal cheeses, the craftsmanship (and local collaboration) involved in producing Rogue River Blue is directly responsible for its brilliant taste and consistency. The cheese comes from Rogue Creamery in Central Point, Ore. There, in the Rogue River Valley, the wheels are covered in grape leaves that are harvested from nearby Carpenter Hill Vineyard. But these aren't just any grape leaves: They're all macerated in Clear Creek's Pear Brandy and then tied to the cheese with strands of raffia.
While affinage -- the process of aging cheeses -- is common in Parisian cheese shops, it's a striking novelty here in the U.S. So it makes sense that cheese shops like Artisanal and Murray's would reach out to our French cousins, fromagerieslike Alléosse, to perfect this age-old craft. Recently, we discovered beautifully aged cheeses, notably Pearl and Pipe Dreams Demi, from Saxelby Cheesemongers on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Like Voltaire, the 18th-century French philosopherwho compared the intellectual work of assembling the Encyclopédie to cultivating a garden, Anne Saxelby also compares affinageto tending a garden: "I check up on them [the aging goat's milk cheeses] every half hour, moving stuff around and turning the cheeses," says Saxelby, who has been aging cheeses now for about two years.
We decided to try an un-aged Pipe Dreams Demi next to one that's been aged a week and a half to taste the difference (visually, they're extremely apparent – see the photo above). Upon cutting into the younger one (on the left), the paste tends to run from under the beautifully developed bloomy rind. The taste was surprisingly pungent and aggressively remained on the palate for several minutes. On the contrary, the aged Pipe Dreams Demi seemed like an ideal redistribution of the younger one's tanginess. The spicy taste, reminiscent of walnuts and similar to an aged Pouligny Saint Pierre, came in nearly perfectly measured successions.
Robiola di Capra al Fico. Photo: Formaggio Kitchen.
Many cheeses, like St Pat and Hoja Santa, are covered in leaves to add a distinct herbal, sometimes earthy, taste. Wrapping cheese in leaves may seem gimmicky, but it can actually serve an essential role in developing the cheese's flavor. For instance, Robiola di Capra al Fico is a fresh Italian goat's milk cheese wrapped in fig leaves and exuding a citrus aroma.
The amount of time the cheese is aged in the leaves triggers the growth of certain molds and flavors. Coming from the Burrati family in Verbania, Italy, this incredibly milky tasting Robiola is not aged long enough for the fig leaves to create too pungent or too tart of a flavor. Instead, these bright-green leaves establish a mild acidity that beautifully balances the overwhelming creamy flavor and texture of the cheese.
Unlike a book not to be judged by its cover, you can always judge a cheese by its rind. Manchester, a raw goat's milk cheese from Consider Bardwell Farm in West Pawlet, Vt., has a stunning rustic rind (that must be eaten!) with ridges and brownish-yellow molds. In the U.S., we tend to associate mold with spoiled food; however, when it comes to artisanal cheese -- especially Manchester -- this association is just plain wrong.
The clay-like appearance of Manchester's ridges (which comes from the use of Italian cheese-basket molds) cannot be separated from the cheese's smooth, sweet aromatic flavor, which makes it comparable to a French Tomme de Savoie. In fact, it's the bacteria and mold around the cheese that contribute to this deliciously well-balanced masterpiece. Just eight weeks into the aging process, Manchester's rind already develops spots of red mold on what Peter Dixon, dairy foods consultant and cheesemaker at Consider Bardwell Farm, calls a "wild rind."
By "wild," does Dixon mean to say that the molds and the bacteria grow naturally out of nowhere? Well, yes and no. After making Manchester, Dixon uses a soft brush dipped in whey to wash the rind. "Whatever microbes like that [whey] will grow," says Dixon. "We make the cheese, and then create the look by turning the cheese and rubbing it a couple of times a week."
Unlike some goat's milk cheeses that have a pronounced grassy tang (that for some is unpleasant), Coupole has a mild vegetal taste that is sure to delight all palates. The chewy, dense, creamy texture of Coupole slowly dissolves on the back of the tongue, giving way to a subtle, sweet, yeasty flavor.
In fact, those interested in a beginner's goat cheese should look no further. Coupole is the perfect cheese to educate the less experienced palate on the grassy acidity of goat's milk. And, those who simply appreciate a well-made cheese will certainly be impressed by the well-balanced taste reminiscent of a "chicken-y risotto," according to Liz Thorpe, author of "The Cheese Chronicles" and vice president of Murray's.
Its taste may be atypically mild compared to other delicious goat's milk cheeses, like the ash-coated log from Pipe Dreams Farm, but its size and shape are definitely characteristic of a chèvre, such as Crottin de Chavignol -- a cylindrical dome. Indeed, Coupole's name translates from French to "cupola" or "dome."
After spending months tasting mostly French cheeses, it's hard not to compare our diverse American cheeses to their European counterparts, especially Adelle from Ancient Heritage Dairy in Scio, Oregon. A taste of Adelle is like taking a bite of a phenomenally aged French goat's-milk cheese with an oozy texture and a flavor reminiscent of hazelnuts. What's remarkable about Adelle is that, despite this similarity, it's not a goat's-milk cheese.
In contrast to a French goat's-milk cheese like Pouligny Saint Pierre, Adelle's complex taste can be attributed to a combination of milks – that of East Friesian sheep and of Ayrshire Cows. While its rich taste and creamy consistency come from cow's milk, its meaty pungency and finish come from the addition of sheep's milk. Anne Saxelby, owner of Saxelby Cheesemongers, refers to mixed milk cheese as an "American innovation."
The reason for this American technique of mixing milk from different animals has to do with the seasonality of certain milks. For instance, sheep usually stop milking in October. "We could not afford to stop producing cheeses from October until the spring," says Kathy Obringer, co-owner of Ancient Heritage Dairy (with husband Paul). "So, one season, we used the cow's milk from a neighbor in exchange for cheese lessons, and we mixed it with our frozen sheep's milk."
Dutch Cheeses at Tromp in Amsterdam. Photo: Henk van Kol
Usually, thinking of Dutch cheeses with spices in them conjures up wheels of cheese with the usual cumin seeds or cloves. However, in the last few years, a whole slew of new spices and herbs, ranging from chile to wasabi, have found their way into cheese.
On a recent trip to the cheese shop Kaashuis Tromp, at Utrechtsestraat 90 in Amsterdam, we discovered an entire universe of cheeses classified as Klaver and flavored with various herbs and spices from around the world.
According to the owner of Tromp, Henk van Kol, new flavors have been making their way into Dutch cheeses for the past five years. Besides chile and wasabi, other non-traditional flavors include tomato and garlic. There's even a cheese called Napoli that has sundried tomatoes, garlic and black olives inside. We tried some and it's delicious plain, but it seems as though it would make the perfect pizza topping -- spices included.
Continue reading about Klaver cheeses after the jump.
This summer Slashfood blogger Max Shrem is apprenticing at renowned Paris cheese shop Fromagerie Trotté. In ''Le Cheese Course,'' Max will share his impressions and opinions of French cheese à la francaise!
For those who enjoy the creamy supple texture of Brie and the nutty earthy taste of Salers, Saint-Nectaire is a must-try. Coming from the Auvergne, the same region of France as Salers, it combines the best of both cheeses, but the experience of eating it is like savoring a particularly rich smooth peanut butter and drinking a glass of rich, flavorful raw cow's milk.
This cow's-milk cheese is made from the milk of the renowned Salers cows that graze at an altitude of 3,000 feet. Similar to the cheese Salers, the rich soil consists of volcanic ash (hence, lots of minerals) and imparts a distinct flavor on Saint-Nectaire.
However, unlike Salers, Saint-Nectaire has an unctuous consistency, similar to Brie, and a one-of-a-kind exquisite light-brown-grayish rind with, at times, white, yellow and red molds. It can have either a washed rind or a natural rind. The different molds, intentionally brought out by the affineur, create the cheese's distinct rustic appearance and earthy floral taste. As far back as the Middle Ages, cheesemakers have been aging Saint-Nectaire on rye mats in tunnels and caves that run through the Auvergne.
This summer Slashfood blogger Max Shrem is apprenticing at renowned Paris cheese shop Fromagerie Trotté. In 'Le Cheese Course,' Max will share his impressions and opinions of French cheese à la francaise!
For many Americans, French cheese is synonymous with Brie. In the United States, wheels of it can be found at both high-end grocery stores and large supermarkets. However, neither place sells the two primary types of Brie sold at Parisian cheese shops -- Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun, which are much more decadent renditions of the drippy cow's milk cheese.
Stateside, raw-milk cheeses must be aged for at least 60 days before being sold. By the 60th day, both of the two Bries mentioned above are too ripe and in no state to be exported across the Atlantic to be sold. For this reason, much of the Brie found at American cheese shops is pasteurized, industrial, and, quite frankly, a poor representative of this French cheese celebrity that is Brie.
So, if you're in France, what kind of Brie should you look for and what's the difference between the two types?
This summer Slashfood blogger Max Shrem is apprenticing at renowned Paris cheese shop Fromagerie Trotté. In 'Le Cheese Course,' Max will share his impressions and opinions of French cheese à la francaise!
When it comes to firm sheep's milk cheeses, most Americans are more or less familiar with Italian Pecorinos, like Pecorino Romano, and, of course, the renowned Spanish Manchego. But, in the Ossau valley in the French Pyrenees, cheesemakers also craft unique sheep's milk cheeses, like the famed Ossau-Iraty, and the less known Abbaye de Belloc.
These cheeses stand out due to their particularly sweet delicate flavor and firm, creamy texture that gradually melts on the palate. Among them, Abbaye de Belloc remains a gastronomic gem with its exceptionally well-balanced, smooth, unctuous texture, a result of the milk of the red-nosed Manech ewes (not to be confused with Santa's red-nosed reindeer, Rudolph).
"The best way to appreciate this kind of consistency is to eat a very thin slice," says Fromagerie Trotté's Jean-Philippe Trotte in Paris. "The thinner the slice, the better you'll take in the very sain [French for uncontaminated, healthy and wholesome] taste of the cheese's milk."
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