Posted in Photos, Tasting Notes, tagged ader kase reserve, artisan, blue cheese, cheesemakers, handmade, seymore dairy, wisconsin on March 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Seymore dairy is making some fabulous blue cheese. Even if you think you don’t like blue cheese, they make some very sweet and mild blues that might change your mind. In general, the European-style blue cheeses they are making are based off of Gorgonzola and German styles, and not the pungent Stiltons or English styles. For a real treat, find the Ader Kase Reserve.
Posted in General, Tasting Notes, tagged amablu, blue cheese, faribault dairy, lunds, minneapolis, mn, summit brewing company on March 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
We recently had the opportunity to go to the unveiling of a cheese produced by Faribault Dairy with Summit Brewing Company. The ideas was to combine blue cheese with beer, and the result was “Winter Blues” which was sold as a limited run at local Lunds and Byerly’s.
The taste was quite similar to Faribault’s Amablu cheese, which is naturally cave aged in their naturally occurring sandstone caves. The cheese had been soaked in the winter ale from Summit, which gave it a little bitter and earthy flavor on the rind.
Posted in Tasting Notes, tagged belmont, bucheron cheese, goat cheese, montchevre, wisconsin on November 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I am often asked about my favorite cheeses, and until recently, I often left one out because there were no domestic producers. As far as I knew, Bucheron cheese was only made in France or Spain (where it is called Cana de Cabra), but a company in Wisconsin has been quietly producing quality bucheron for several years and recently started selling it to the public.
Bucheron cheese is an aged goat cheese made in a log. The aging process gives the outside edge a soft brie-like texture while the inside is a tangy slightly dry chevre. The bucheron made by Montchevre Cheese in Belmont, WI is a wonderful example of this cheese. It is a mostly mild cheese, with a noticable tang that mixes with the creaminess. This is a party favorite, and is especially delicious warmed in the oven until the edges soften, much the same way brie is often heated.
Thank you, Montchevre Cheese.
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11.24.08 An update, from Steve Ehlers of Larry’s Market (a great cheese and specialty food store in Milwaukee)
“Montchevré is the first American company licensed to use the name Bucheron. The cheese’s name refers to a “lumberjack” in French, with the root word meaning “log.” “
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Posted in Tasting Notes on June 18, 2008 | 5 Comments »
We have mentioned Juusto before – the dense and slightly squeaky baked cheese from Finland. The full name is juustolepia, which means “bread cheese” and it has become quite prevalent in markets in the last several months, though some folks (like Scott Erickson from Bass lake or Tom Torkelson from Pasture Pride) have be making it for years.
There are two schools on Juusto. One is a very traditional take on Justolepia – the cheese is mild and almost sweet, it has a soft and springy texture, almost like a squished marshmellow. This is the traditional Finnish cheese – you can put a square at the bottom of your coffee cup and enjoy the miky flavor and finally the melted cheese as you drink your breakfast cuppa.
The other school of Justo takes a more American approach – making a saltier, slightly firmer cheese with an eye towards making it to the snack table where the more savory flavors prevail. This style of Juusto (rarely called Justolepia – which should help aid in differentiating the two) is exemplified by the cheese made by Tom Torkelson at Pasture Pride
This Juusto has a nice firm texture and a not-too-salty flavor. The cheese, even when warmed, has a pleasing squeak to it as you chew it, and the browned exterior also shares some flavor. If you are familiar with having fresh cheddar curds (or “squeakers”), you will recognize this texture. The flavor is mild but savory, though the Juusto doesn’t have the acidic flavor of cheddar. It is easy to use this cheese as a light snack, or appetizer with friends or for game day parties. You don’t need any crackers, just warm it up (because it is baked, it will not melt, even on the grill or in the microwave), cut into cubes and serve with a toothpick.
Posted in Tasting Notes on May 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
If you have had brie in the US, chances are you have had President Brie, the flagship product made at Lactalis in southwestern Wisconsin.
The brie is mild and buttery and wonderful when warmed slightly and spread on toast. The texture is also smooth and soft, and the mold-rind is subtle enough for even finicky eaters to enjoy. It doesn’t have the challenging flavor of European soft cheeses; it’s a deliberately easygoing cheese.
If you are used to buying your cheese in the round, go ahead and enjoy the wedge-shaped version. It is made the same way as the circles, but is shaped into a wedge before the mold works its magic, so the rind is all over the sides as well. It is perfect for slicing!
Jim adds: To celebrate the completion of my transcription of our interview with Jake Niffenegger, I walked over to the supermarket and bought some President brand Rondele garlic and herbs spreadable cheese. I used to love this stuff when I was growing up. Turns out it’s still really good — a little strong on the garlic but otherwise a great herb / creamy cheese / garlic balance. And, frankly, sometimes too much garlic is just the right amount.
Also, when you think of processed cheese spread, you probably think of dozens of unpronounceable ingredients being packed into the stuff. Rondele has nine listed on the back, and the somewhat more exotic ones (sorbic acid, guar gum) are actually explained in parenthesis.
Posted in Photos, Tasting Notes on May 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Before visiting with Richard Wold at AMPI, we stopped by the company store and picked up some butter, pudding and a pound of the jalapeño monterey jack. As it turns out, Wold was quite proud of his spicy jacks; his habañero jack won second prize at the 2008 World Championship Cheese Contest, and he was even more proud of his jalapeño jack.
Unlike a number of jalapeño — and even habañero — jacks that we’ve had, the AMPI version packs real heat. The flavor is well balanced, however, standing out from the mild, moist, creamy cheese without completely overwhelming it. Pleasant on its own, it’s delicious on a cracker.
Posted in Photos, Tasting Notes on April 16, 2008 | 1 Comment »
The folks as Sartori told us that their Bellavitano cheese, an original creation, was difficult to explain. This is undoubtedly true on one hand (the texture is unique), but it is also has some familiar flavors that help a taster get a handle on its essence.
Bellavitano has some of the flavor of an aged cheddar, but the texture is much softer, like a young cheddar with a slight crumble to it. It also has notes of aged parmesan that meld perfectly with the aged cheddar taste. This is a great all-around table cheese; it would please cheese gourmets and casual snackers alike.
Update, 05/13/08: A store in Cleveland, Ohio refers to Bellavitano as simply “the cheese.” It also calls it “the most fabulous cheese you will ever eat.” The page is worth checking out for the description alone.
Posted in Photos, Tasting Notes on April 16, 2008 | 1 Comment »
When we visited BelGioioso, Master Cheesemaker Gianni Tofolon explained how BelGioioso comes up with their original cheeses – when the bosses are away in Italy, the cheese makers take the opportunity to make something new. You might think that a company that makes such wonderful aged parmasean style cheeses wouldn’t keep innovating, but they do, and Crescenza-Stracchino is the beautiful outcome of one of these clandestine cheese making ventures.
Tofolon explained that Crescenza-Stracchino is based on a seasonal cheese from Northern Italy. The name Stracchino alludes to the tired (or “stracca”) cows after they travel up and down the mountains.
The taste is best explained as a cross between a fresh buttermilk and a mild brie. The buttermilk flavor is a key player, and the texture stays almost liquid, but the mild brie flavor mellows the acidity and makes for a very refreshing cheese.
This is a cheese that is a real table side winner. Put it on a cheese plate as a counterpoint to aged flavors, or just serve it on crackers as a snack. Or, sneak all that you can onto every piece of left-over baguette you can find.
Posted in Tasting Notes on April 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
An aged cheese should not merely be an ingredient, it should be its own food: a food you can serve to friends by itself or with a piece of your favorite bread. If you don’t really understand why you would pay good money for an aged cheese, pick up some SarVecchio. Like the American Grana from BelGioioso, it is a table cheese, something you savor and share with people you really like.
The SarVecchio (formerly Stravecchio from Wisantigo cheese — they were recently acquired by the family owned Sartori) is a wonderful aged Parmesan-style cheese. It is slightly crumbly, but very flavorful without being acidic or overpowering. It combines a salty flavor with a nice creamy finish.
Posted in Tasting Notes on April 7, 2008 | 2 Comments »
When, after tasting five or six different BelGioioso cheeses, I told master cheesemaker Gianni Toffolon that American Grana was my favorite, he hugged me. He’s emotional about the cheese he makes, and that’s understandable; Grana is remarkably good.
An 18-month aged parmesan, it lacks any of the crystals or unpleasant dry crunchiness that sometimes come with the breed; there’s no sour or chalky afterbite, either. By contrast, it has a mellow, complicated nuttiness with a clean, blossoming aftertaste that left me thinking about the cheese’s flavor well after it had finally faded.
Come to think of it, I could go for a little more right now.
