I learned about an amazing tradition called transhumance that I am now officially obsessed with. What is transhumance you ask? In most old world cheese making countries like France, Italy, Switzerland etc in thier smaller teensy villages they have a "transhumance festivals". These are in celebration of the village's livestock leaving the valley for the summer to climb the lush, cooler, bountiful mountain landscape. In these massive celebrations they joyfully adorn their livestock with flowers and painted symbols of their owners. There is music and dancing and wine- what every good party needs.
These animals are climbing the mountain for the summer to visit fresh grass and the cheese making huts that dot the mountain landscape. When they reach the top the come down the mountain and the cheese in the huts come with them. You can see why they celebrate. Note to self- must go to transhumance festival in lifetime.
These ancient cheese making recipes require milk from animals that are eating fresh grass, flowers and herbs and drinking water from fresh running water. This is why many cheese recipes can not be duplicated in any other village in the world. In cheese making there are very few ingredients. It is all about the milk, which is highly influenced by diet. If you feed a cow lots of lavender and grass that milk is going to reflect it.
I just love how much they love their cheese and the animals that make that cheese. Viva La France!
So this week amongst all the paperwork, pick tickets, invoices, claim tickets and inventory check lists I got to go back to the sexier side of cheese on Thursday night at class. The class was called Sexy and Sumptuous Cheeses and this plate rocked my socks off. I also love my teacher Erin Hedley, she is so funny and smart and makes everyone feel included.
1. Pierre Robert: Cow milk, France
Our first triple creme cheese and so worth the wait! Oh my GAHHHHH. It is so heavenly- please try some please!
"Pierre Robert is a decadent triple-crème-style cheese from Seine-et-Marne. When Robert Rouzaire and his friend Pierre began to tire of their Brillat-Savarin, inspiration struck. They began aging the same triple-crème longer in their caves, enabling it to further develop its flavor and become even more meltingly rich in texture. They named their new success Pierre-Robert, for obvious reasons. With a whimsical boulder ("Pierre" means rock) adorning its snow-white rind, Pierre-Robert appeals to anyone craving pure and utter decadence. Buttery, smooth, and mild, this cheese ought to be eaten spread on bread or even graham crackers. Pair this cheese with Champagne, Muscat, or a hearty Stout. One piece weighs approximately 1 Pound"
2. Laurier, Goat's milk, USA
This was almost my favorite on the plate. Especially when paired with an un-oaked French Chardonnay. It just sang. This cheese maker is why the industry makes me so happy, she has maybe 200 goats and look what she can do. Also she is typical of many cheese makers in that when her goats get old and can no longer produce milk they live out the rest of their lives in peace and die natural deaths. This cheese is just good for the world and so fantastic to eat!
"Laurier is an Artisanal Exclusive. This cheese was developed over the course of a year after conversations between Artisanal's Director of Affinage Denis Cottin and Adeline Druart, Master cheese maker of Vermont Butter and Cheese. Denis was searching for a goat cheese with a new taste profile. Luckily, Adeline had just returned from France with a recipe for a beautiful goat cheese.
The Laurier is adorned with hand-selected bay leaves that give it a gentle bit of spiciness. The bay leaves are applied on the cheese fresh and then infuse their flavor during the aging process. The cheese's light geotrichum creates wonderful layers of flavor.
Pair Laurier with white Bordeaux Graves, Loire Valley Sancerre, Savennieres or Jasnieres and for a red wine, try a fruity Gamay de la Loire or enjoy it with Champagne Blanc de blancs".
3. Affidelice, cow's milk, France
Both James and I agree this cheese was the best on the plate. It just oozes out in this seductive and inviting way. It smells really stinky and yet tastes so mild and creamy. They are also so pretty- they look like muffins in their cute little fluted wraps!
"Affidelice is a washed-rind cow's milk cheese from the Burgundy region of France; it is very similar to Epoisses, which is made is made by the same creamery. Its name, Affidelice, comes from the marriage of two words: affiné (ripe) and delice (delight). Affidelice is soft, with a moist, terracotta-colored rind, and is contained in a small, wooden box. Here, at the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, we continue the maturation process, washing Affidelice with Chablis. The resulting cheese has a soft, pungent, spoonable paste and a satiny texture. Affidelice is a versatile pairing partner for many wines. We especially recommend that you try it with Chardonnay or Champagne. One piece weighs approximately 7 ounces"
Wisconsin in the house! There was a gentleman in our class who was from Wisconsin who was overjoyed to have this cheese all grown up at Artisanal. This cheese is another shining example of how much cooler we as Americans are getting about making cheese, a trend that has only been gaining popularity since the 1970's. Woot!
"Uplands Pleasant Ridge is one of the most exquisite farmstead cheeses made in America. The product of Wisconsin's Mike Gingrich, this multiple award-winning cheese is a wonderful rival to France's noble mountain cheese, Beaufort. Uplands Pleasant Ridge has a nutty, clean flavor and a milky finish that shows off the extremely high quality of the cow's milk. Its rich, dense and balanced flavors pair well with many wines: from Albariños to Zinfandels."
This is the 3rd time I have had this cheese....the love affair continues. I really want to try it over pasta. Mr. Babiarz- I challenge you!! Next time we visit I am bringing this one and I expect miracles.
"Piave is named after the river Piave, whose source is found at Mount Peralba in Val Visdende, in the northernmost part of the province of Veneto, Italy. The land surrounding the ancient river is integral to the character of the cheese: it is where the milk is collected, the curd cooked, and the cheese aged until hard. Piave has an intense, full-bodied flavor, reminiscent of Parmigiano Reggiano, that intensifies with age and makes this cheese absolutely unique. Pair Piave with Zinfandel."
I am really loving these cheeses from the Netherlands! This cheese was amazing and had it not been for the gooeyness and the goats milk gold earlier in the plate this would have been my fav. It has those little crystals in it like parm or sbrinz but it still retains her creaminess. I can see why she is a prima donna!
"Prima Donna is a relatively mild style of a Dutch Gouda cow's milk cheese that is aged for one year. As compared to a four- or six-year Gouda, Prima Donna has a distinctly softer texture and a more subtle flavor. It has an ivory rind with a slight rose blush, a crystalline texture, and a sweet, nutty flavor with a caramel aftertaste. Prima Donna is a versatile cheese for pairing with wines yet it pairs especially well with bigger reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel."
Ok so I bought this cheese for an event I am having tomorrow because the teacher, Erin showed me a picture of this cheese drenched in honey and pecans. YES PLEASE!
This young Roquefort has a velvety white paste with blue-green marbling throughout, and renders a subtle aroma from the combination of curd and Penicillium Roquefort.The taste is like that of a Grand cru: well balanced, reasonably salty, smooth and creamy; it melts in your mouth with a long finish.
The rich milk for this cheese comes from the Lacaunes ewes that graze in the high altitude plateaus of the Causeess. It is then infused by a strain of Penicillium roqueforti that was developed by a baker exclusively for this dairy. It is this unique strain that gives a particular personality to our cave-aged Roquefort Artisanal.
Pair it with a bold wine from Cahors, Rasteau or a dessert wine such as Banyuls, Jurancon, Montbazillac or Sauternes. This beautiful blue is appreciated by renowned chefs worldwide.
Well I hope that you have enjoyed these very sexy cheeses and the little blurb on transhumance. I believe next week we take another crack at Italian cheeses!
Summer, so glad you were inspired by the process of Transhumance like me. Thanks for the kind words on my sexy cheese class as well. Cheese Rocks!
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