Cheese....its bringing sexy back

It has been quite a first week. I have learned a lot about cheese but it is more the administrative side of business running. I have been learning about inventory and collateral and marketing. I was invited to a meeting about the holidays which....by the way I have never been so scared of Christmas before. It is going to be so busy I hope I can sneak in at least one Christmas carol......quickly.

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"

4. Uplands Pleasant Ridge, cow's milk, USA
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."

5. Piave, cow, Italy
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."

6. Prima Donna, cow's milk, Netherlands
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."

7. Roquefort Artisanal 3 month aged, Sheep milk, France
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!

How to make amazing homemade Mozzerella!

So for all of you clapping for Tinkerbell out there, it's working.....I am really close to landing a job at Artisanal Premium Cheese Center. Terms are in negotiations! So keep clapping, praying or sending out good vibrations into the groovy universe!

Last night performed as a teaching assistant for our Hands on Mozzarella class! It was so much fun and the guy that taught the teacher, Chris made it so fun! It was way less formal than the majority of the classes at Artisanal. I got a pre-class lesson and then assisted the classes mozzarella making for 2 hours.

Chris was kind enough to let me take home the leftover curds so I could show James too. We took pictures of the process too!

If you are going to attempt this here is a list of things you will need:

Mozzarella Cheese Curds (2 pounds)
(Most Wholefoods or high end grocery stores sell these, call first to ask OR crank the google machine to find many places you can order from online)

Kosher salt (2 tablespoons or to taste)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper (1 tablespoon or to taste)

Olive oil (2 tablespoons)

2 Liters hot simmering water

1 cup tepid tap water

Equipment
Wooden Spoon

Metal Bowl

1. Chop up those curds! There is no right amount of curd to start with- I suggest one and a half handfuls. The curds look and feel like firm tofu. You want to chop the curds into small cubes (does not need to be meticulous). The idea is to get the curds small so that the hot water can it melt evenly.

2. Place curds in Metal Bowl and season. You want to keep the curds huddled in one side of whatever size metal bowl you are using. They should be in a pile. You can add any seasoning you want. Some people don't like using any salt, those people are not me. I like salt, pepper, olive oil and cracked pepper too. 

3. So now add that tepid water. The reason for this is that you want that tepid water to temper the super hot water so that the mozzerella doesnt just melt and turn into soup.  After the tepid water you will want to carefully add the hot water until all the curds are covered. When you add the hot water try to pour the bulk of it on the bare part of the pot. Again this is just an effort to not overly melt the curds.

4. So this is the hardest part- you must wait for avout 5-7 minutes and not touch the curds. Leave them alone and let them soften and melt. Once they are melted gently use your wooden spoon to re-gather those curds in a pile in the corner of the bowl. Be careful not to smooch the curds or press them too hard, it will force more butterfat (AKA yummy taste) out of the cheese.

5. Time to knead those curds! Place the hot cheese lump in you hands. Knead the cheese into the middle using your two thumbs. The idea is to form a lump of beautiful cheese so just start folding that cheese in on itself over and over again.

5. After a while all those curds will start to look like one piece of cheese! Make a C shape with your hand filled with the cheese, use your other hand to tuck in the under pieces of the mozz and presto you have beautiful homemade cheese.

 

 

This is amazing and makes a great party activity too! Have fun and make some pizza, or slice it up with basil and tomatoes. Oh and hey- if you havent yet don't forget to vote in this week's cheese poll!

 

I like my cheese like I like I my men- salty, strong and Italian!

I'm looking at you caterpillar! *wink*

So one thing I love about being an intern is that you get pulled into all aspects of Artisanal! Today in one shift I flipped cheese, built boxes for shipping, did some online marketing, helped sales with collateral, learned the customer service database, poured champagne, drank wine, ate cheese and bussed tables after class.......I'M EXSHASTED!!!

However, all this hard work is paying off. Today I was offered payment for a small project starting tomorrow! I am really hoping (as is Uncle Sam) that all this leads to a full time job and today I got some really good signs that it is in the works for me. So if you could clap for Tinkerbell in whichever way you do that....start clapping for me.

Oh and I would like to give a quick shout to my BFF, Brett who had his first day at the French Culinary Institute for Pastry today. Mi leetle puff pastry fruit tart is going to ROCK it out. To check out his adventures I have linked his blog (Baking it till you Make it) and I highly suggest you check it out....not only for the yummy french pastry advice but of course all the perfect spelling and grammar that this blod lacks.

Onto official business:

At class today I learned the basic pairing concepts that can be used in my future cheese shop or for your next cocktail party. Here are a few concepts, pick one you like and pick your cheese and wine line up!
PAIRING CONCEPTS
1. Region or terroir

Region- that is pretty straight forward- if you are eating a lot of Italian cheeses from Tuscany you can pair with a Tuscan wine.
Terrior refers to the climate, altitude, soil, water or the elements that make up an environment that the product is produced. So if you want to highlight Manchego cheese which is produced in a hot and arid climate you should also pick a wine that  sports a grape which flourishes in a hot and arid climate. To be honest this particular road is one I know little about and am learning from my Jedi Cheese Master, Max. I will hopefully have more to offer on this later.

2. Comparing Acidities
Some cheeses and certainly many wines have high or low acidities. Personally, I find the sour, lemony qualities of some young goat cheeses to be HIGH in acidity. One way to go in planning a pairing with this cheese is to match with a fruity, floral white wine.

3. Sweet/Salty
As I learned last week, port and cheese go really well together. It is just a classic contrast, one that I have enjoyed since my first chocolate covered pretzel. You stick a salty creamy cheese next to a tawny viscous port and even port hater's eyes will roll into the back of their heads.

4. High fat cheeses with bubbly
Ok....so I am my mother's daughter and love the bubbly. But besides the fact that champagne, cava and proseco are just plain good, they also do a great job at lightening up a thick creamy fatty cheese like tellagio or brie.

So there are some pairing options- so say we all.

Tonight I enjoyed my second Italian Cheese and Wine class, this time taught by Jessica Wurwang.

1. Robiola Due Latti, mixed milk
This was James's favorite bar none. He loved how buttery and unctuous it was. It wasn't too salty for him and really thought it was a perfect cheese.

Made in the Piedmont region of Italy, this mixed milk cheese (mostly from cow's milk, and a dash of sheep's milk) is a delectable treat. The paper thin rind covers an unctuous buttery paste that coats the palate. Mild and savory, creamy with a light lingering sweetness, this delicate pillow of soft-ripened cheese will be love at first bite.

2. Pecorino dell Balze Volteranne, sheep milk
We had this one last week. I love this Pecorino, especially for the true vegetarians in the house. This product uses no animal rennet.

This raw Organic pecorino from Tuscany is made with vegetable rennet of wild artichoke. It is aged in oak barrels for 60 days, the rind is then covered in oak and olive wood ash. The ash imparts a unique green olive flavor and long finish. This cheese is firm, toothsome (al dente!) and has a nutty texture.

3. Testun al Barolo, mixed milk
This is my favorite on the plate but I highly recommend that you get a piece that has not been directly exposed to the grape rind (just me personally- a lot of folks LOVED it). This cheese is so salty and so sharp. You can really taste the grape influence but in the whiter piece that I had it just sang!

Testun al Barolo is a semi-firm mixed milk cheese from the Piedmont region of Italy. The cheese has a beautiful complex flavor thanks the sweet and grassy milk from alpine pastures and it's aging process. It ages for a minimum period of four months in small oak barrels under the residues of the Nebbiolo grapes, the grape to make Barolo wine. The fruity wine flavors seep into the crumbly paste. This adds a little bit more of a complexity to it's flavor.

4. Piave, cow milk
We also had this last week- yup....still wonderful. Sharp, minerally and full of nutty flavor. It will be in my store some day...oh yes...it will...this I swear by the stars!

Piave is named after the river Piave, whose source is found at Mount Peralba in Val Bisdende, in the northernmost part of the province of Vento Italy. the land surrounding the ancient river is integral to the character cheese: it is where the milk is collected, the curd cooked, and the cheese aged until hard. Piave DOP has an intense, full-bodied flavor, reminiscent of Parmegiano Reggiano, which intensifies with age and makes the cheese absolutely unique.

5. Taleggio, cow milk
James really likes the stinky creamy cheeses- he thought it had a ultra creamy, buttery Munster quality but with a sweet note.

Taleggio is a semi-soft, salt solutions washed rind cheese from the Valtaleggio region in northern Italy, near Lombardy. It is characteristically aromatic yet mild in flavor and features tangy, meaty notes with a fruity finish. The texture of the cheese is moist-to-oozy with a pleasant melt-in-your-mouth feel. The combination of the soft texture, pungent aroma, and buttery flavors has proven to be addictive when spread on fresh crusty bread.

6. Parmigiano-Reggiano, cow milk
YUM! Such a familiar, salty, crumbly, homelike taste and yet it is so elevated when you get quality like Artisanal. Also its nice to have this cheese alone. It has a lot of character and it stands alone. (DISCLAIMER: James this is not an okay to not use these leftovers in your spaghetti making)

Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the key cheeses in any cheese board. Made in the Emilia Romafna region of Italy. Parmigiano- Reggiano is produced in the shape of large cylinders weighing approximately 80 pounds each. (TRUST! that is one hard cheese to flip!!) When cut into, the hard smooth exterior reveals a cheese with perfect crystalline texture, a piquant, salty flavor and great aroma.

7. Gorgonzola Cremificato, cow milk
If you do not like blue cheese but are curious about adding that flavor profile to your like list, check out this blue cheese. It is a young version of Gorgonzola Piccante and it really shows you the quality of these cheese makers that even a young version is so delicate and creamy.

Gorgonzola Cremificato is a creamy cow's milk blue of quality unrivaled by other young or "dolce" Gorgonzolas. Although unnouculated with the same blue mold found in spicier blues like Roquefort, this delicate, soft and unctuous blue is milk and subtly sweet with fresh, grassy undertones.

As always these official descriptions are provided by Artisanal. Thanks Verna!

Ok hold on because this week is going to be brimming with cheese!

Como se dice FREAKIN YUM! or... Great Iberian Pennisula Cheeses....

Well last night I experienced the most amazing cheeses so far. It's true I have been working like a crazy person lifting and bending and carrying and running and to be honest just the standing for hours on end takes its toll.....but the cheese hombre....the cheese.


Yesterday I working in affinage all day. You may find yourself asking, "Summer what the hell does that mean"? It took me a while to understand it too... ok so I am going to splain. So Artisanal buys aged cheeses of all sorts. Many of the cheeses are ready to be cut and distributed upon arrival. But many of the cheeses are serviceable but not optimal upon arrival.


For example, last night I worked mostly in washed rind cheeses and goat cheeses. The washed rind cheeses we are mostly just storing in really good conditions (on matted shelves, in the right humidity and temperature, being flipped with protective plastic curtains over the shelves). For the most of these cheese, they are ready to go.


However, the goat cheeses in the goat cheese cave is a much different story. Last night I was unpacking hundreds of very wet goat cheeses onto mats. These cheeses need a lot of "affinage". Which means they need air, time and the right temperature/humidity. Matt explained to me by comparing it to a reduction sauce. We want the air to dry out that wet cheese to just the right time so that a lot of that sourness is gone leaving only the true nature of the cheese. That is what affinage is. It is the watching and tending of the cheese, NOT aging cheese.


Ok on to the fun stuff.


Last night I took a class The Great Iberian Peninsula: The Glorious Cheeses & Wines of Spain and Portugal!


So sure there were three wines but I'm not even going to tell you about any of them but the Tawny Port. Because I am insane for this Port. I had never had cheese and port together and that is a crying crying shame because it was delicious. To tell you the truth I don't really like port all that much, but ay caramba these cheeses with that port is a huge exception!! The salty creamy cheeses mixed with the sweet and viscous port is really something that you should try the next time you serve cheese and wine.


Here are the cheeses to serve with the Tawny Port:


Garrotxa,  goat's milk, Spain
this is an elegant cheese and very pretty. Really just dig in and especially with that tawny port.


Garrotxa is a cheese produced in the Catalonia region in northern Spain. Our Garrotxa is made in a traditional manner by a small artisanal creamery known for its consistently high quality, and it shows! These beautiful wheels have a semi-soft and compact texture and a light but noticeable coating of velvety, blue-grey mold. The flavor is milky and delicate with a hint of nuttiness and a clean, smooth finish. Garrotxa pairs well with most sparkling wines and Champagne, many whites, as well as many Iberian varietals including: Albariño, Tempranillo, Periquita, Garnacha, Sherries and Portos.

Ibores, goat milk, Spain
So salty! I love it and I can really taste the paprika!

Ibores is a zesty, warm-flavored goat's milk cheese from the rugged province of Extremadura in Spain. It is firm, with a pleasant, lingering tangy finish. Rubbed with paprika and olive oil during the two month aging process, the wheels are visually striking and offer a great alternative to fresh goat cheeses. Ibores is very versatile for pairing with many wine types and goes great with Riesling.

Idiazabal, sheep milk, Spain


Idiazabal hails from the Basque country in Spain. During production, the wheels were traditionally smoked over beechwood, hawthorn, or cherry for 10 days, imparting a slight smoky quality that would add depth to the rich, nutty flavor of this sheep's milk cheese. Idiázabal has a firm texture, similar to Zamorano, Roncal, and Manchego, and pairs well with Navarra wines and other medium-bodied reds

Amarelo da Beira Baixa, mixed milk cheese (sheep & goat), Portugal
James really loved this one too and indeed its one of those textures you can really sink your teeth into. Semi soft cheese is kind of like ice cream that has been melted a little and stirred up, it is tastes like a delicious mistake.


Amarelo is a name-protected (D.O.P.) raw sheep and goat milk cheese from Portugal's Beira Baixa region. The cheese has a yellowish paste and small irregular holes; its texture ranges from semi-soft to firm. Amarelo da Beira Baixa is coagulated with animal rennet, and our Amarelo is an artisanally-produced version that has a slightly firmer, chewier texture and tangy flavor with a hint of bitterness at the finish. One of the more versatile cheese partners, we recommend that you try pairing the Amarelo da Beira Baixa with your favorite wines; the results may surprise you in its ability to accentuate hidden nuances.

Manchego, sheep milk, Spain
You know, I was most looking forward to this cheese mostly because I know it and I have to say it was the least interesting cheese. It was nice but as James pointed out, that's why you cook with it. The one thing I really love about this cheese is that gorgeous basket pattern rind. So pretty!


Manchego the famous Spanish D.O. sheep's milk cheese, is made exclusively from the milk of sheep grazing upon the plains of La Mancha, the land of Don Quixote. The Artisanal Manchego is made from raw milk and aged for several months. The cheese is nutty, sweet, and tangy with a firm texture. After 12 months it becomes tastier, saltier and excellent for grating. Manchego pairs well with roasted peppers and rustic bread. Try pairing this cheese with light crisp whites and light to medium-bodied red wines

Monte Enebro, goat milk, Spain
This was both of our favorite cheese on the plate. First of all it is so beautiful. James thinks it looks like octopus carpaccio while I think it looks like an oyster. But as if that were not enough this cheese is so sour and creamy and salty. Take a look at that picture and see the color of the cheese right where the rind meets the middle, GLURP!!! thats the best part it is so soft it just melts in your mouth!!!


Monte Enebro is handmade in Avila, Spain, by legendary cheesemaker Rafael Baez and his daughter Paloma. The Baezs make their complex goat's milk cheese from pasteurized milk and then inoculate the logs with the mold that is used to make Roquefort, adding to Monte Enebro's complexity and distinctive appearance. Air-shipped to Artisanal at only 21 days, Monte Enebro arrives creamy, lemony and slightly acidic; as it ages, the texture becomes denser and the flavor acquires a more intense, pungent finish. This award-winning cheese has proven to be a versatile pairing partner for many wines; it pairs exceptionally well with Chenin Blancs, Sauternes and sweeter sherries.

La Peral, cow milk, Spain
Ok you may remember me saying last week that this tasted like crushed aspirin....well that was last week's plate which had a lot of bitter German and Swiss cheeses on it. However, the fact that it followed this rather creamy and sweet plate brought out the real beauty of this cheese and I could not believe the difference! So it turns out Max is right and the whole plate needs to work together or else you could walk away hating a perfectly lovely, creamy blue cheese like La Peral.


La Peral is a lightly blued, rare and delicious cheese hailing from Asturias in Northern Spain. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk to which sheep cream has been added. Also known as Queso Azul Asturiano, La Peral is made by the Lopez Leon family. The wheels are aged for sixty days just to the point that the blue begins to develop. La Peral resembles an Italian Gorgonzola and has a touch of olive oil flavor and a pleasant pungent aroma. Its moist and slightly crumbly texture becomes significantly creamier in the finish. Along with other bigger wines, we recommend that you try pairing this outstanding blue cheese with Tempranillos, Cabernet Sauvignons, Gamays, Ports or Spanish desert wines.

oh and as promised here are those pictures of me and james in the cheese hat my beloved Aunt Heidi sent me!!!! Aunt Heidi thanks to you I am officially a cheesehead!

How to cut cheese! (giggle giggle)

So yesterday I was able to spend a ton of time with my main mentor at Artisanal, Max McCalman. Max has written several books on cheese, his most recent Mastering Cheese. He heads up the cheese education program at Artisanal and is officially the dean!! To top it all of- he is a really nice dude, down to earth and eager to talk cheese whenever he can with a lowly peon like myself.

So last night Max taught me how to cut cheese (Hee!!). It is kind of a big deal to learn from the master and I was very honored. The first thing you need is a scale. Take a wheel of cheese and weigh it and make a note of the weight. Then you want to divide that wheel into 4 parts as equally as possible. Then weigh each quarter- so that you know how many pieces you can get out of each.

The device they use to cut the cheese (hee!) looks like this:

You place the rind closest to you and use the wire attachment with the handlebar and pull evenly and down towards your shins. In general you must go at a pretty slow and constant speed unless it is a fresh cheese, like a goat cheese, then you should cut quickly.

Then he told me the rules to plating cheese! The general rule when putting together a plate of cheese is to start with goat milk cheese then move to sheep's milk cheese and then end with cow's milk cheese. If you are serving a mixed milk cheese then place it on the plate in order of it's strength. He also recommends that you always end with the blue cheese as it is so flavorful its always the show stopper and its hard to taste anything else once you have had a good blue cheese.

*One more thing do not plate in order of  the age of the cheese some young cheeses are very strong and vice versa.

Now that the cheese has been cut and plated here I will dive head first into last night's Cheese and Wine 101 with Max McCalman and Mario Bai of WineLite Imports.  You may notice there are a couple of cheeses we already tried last week but because they were my first official plating I still want to highlight them.

The wine was all very reasonably priced and so delicious:

White Wine
       Arneis Rodero Arneis, Marco Porello, Camestri, Italy, 2009 (11.99)

Red Wines
       90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano, Calma, Rioja, Spain, 2007 (12.99)

        Cabernet Sauvignon, Matchbook Lake County, JL Giguiere, California, 2007 (15.99)


Let the cheese begin:

1. Sainte Maure, France, goat milk
 (this was a moldy log and a very soft cheese, when cutting go very fast so it doesn't mush into itself)

"Saint Maure is a classic raw milk Loire Valley chevre in the shape of a small log with a stick of straw running through it's middle. If you were to aim an arrow at the dead-center of the rough, hexagonal shape that defines France, it would land in the goat fields around the Loire River. Sainte Maure, Selles-sur-Cher, and the Valencay are all made from the goat's milk of the region, and all of them are shaped as if for a geometry lesson. These small pasteurized truncated logs, pyramids, cylinders and discs that we receive come into the caves young, fresh and wet. They emerge drier, denser and with a fine grey-blue coat of edible mold. Their flavors remain young and slightly acidic, but ate buttery and smooth. One piece weights about 10 oz."*

2. Fluer du Maquis, France, sheep milk
(really enjoyed this with the white and the first red. Paging Sarah Bowen- Sarah I asked Max about why this Corsican cheese is so mild when you experienced Corsican cheeses as being very strong. The answer is that because you were there you were most likely experiencing them as they should be tasted which is under 60 days of aging. American law demands a longer aging process to this cheese. Also Max said that the conditions that they use to age cheese there is different and not as cold as our caves which may make a big difference)



"Fluer du Maquis is made in Corsica from the milk of the Lacuane ewes. Its name means "Flower of the Maquis." the maguis being the local term for the typical thickets of rough underbrush where highway robbers and guerrilla fighters used to hang out. This cheese is quite similar to Brin d'Amour, meaning "a breath of love". During production, the smallish wheels are encrusted with rosemary, fennel seeds, juniper berries and the occasional bird's eye chili"*

3. Ocooch Mountain, USA, sheep milk
(This is divine and really super special. Its all about the texture, it is not quite a hard cheese and not really a soft cheese and there is something about that that is really yummy. This is also a raw unpasteurized cheese so it has a long long flavor)

"Ocooch Mountain is a lip-smacking delicious semi-soft milk cheese produced by Brenda Jensen at her Hidden Springs dairy in southwest Wisconsin. It is no wonder that this cheese has won several awards; it is produced from  "un-compromised" milk and her farm is environmentally sustainable. This is a wash-rind sheep milk  (this in itself a great start on an outstanding cheese) and it has a semi-soft texture that is aged 3-4 months. It has a nutty, buttery, olive oil aroma and flavor"

4. Le Moulis, France, cow milk
(I also had this last week but really enjoyed it even more this time with the Cabernet, in fact it was my favorite pairing of all of them)

5. Kunterner, Switzerland, cow milk
(The rind on this cheese makes it look like a brown brain. It is really super stinky and strong but not so big that I didn't enjoy it, it is a washed rind cheese, washed in a brine solution)

"The Swiss reblochon-style cheese is made from cow's milk. It has an assertive milk flavor and strong, but not overpowering farm aromas. The texture of Kuntener is deliciously soft and it tastes great on a plain baguette or in a Tartiflette- a classic mountain dish of potatoes and cheese"

6. Fleuron, France, cow's milk

"I noticed this time with the Fleuron a cheddar flavor that was comforting and yummy"

"Fleuron is a rare cheese from Aquitaine with the distinctly rich and floral flavor of brown Swiss cow's milk. Since 1928, the Baechler family has been making this cheese at the Domaine de Broc. Today, the 5th generation continues to produce this excellent pressed and cooked cheese, which, like fine wine, hold in its caves for a full 12 months of affinage before releasing. This permits enough time for it to develop the complex flavor of a true Artisanal cheese."*

7. Gorgonzola Piccante, Italy, cow milk
(Last week when James and I had all this left over blue cheese we ended up making an amazing beer based blue cheese dressing over an iceberg wedge with spicy and sweet walnuts. It was AMAZING! here is the recipe: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/wedge-salad-with-blue-cheese-dressing-and-spicy-beer-nuts-recipe/index.html)

"Gorgonzola Piccante, a formidable cow's milk blue cheese from the region north of Milan, is Italy's answer to Roquefort. Its rough, reddish rind protects a tender, light yellow, blue flecked paste that is firm, moist and buttery. The flavor is sharp and sweet."*

Thanks to Sarah Bowen for the question about Fleur du Maquis! If there are any cheese questions you would like me to ask please let me know. Happy cheesing!

Kiss me Im drunk...or German...or whatever**

** I totally ripped off that title from a  sign I saw in a German restaurant in Long Island City called Wunderbar.

Ok so my first week of my internship was amazing! I have already learned so much and I don't think I have ever been so excited for a Monday in my life. Which just goes to show you, you CAN be happy at work...who knew? The people at Artisanal are so warm and excited for me. They barely know me and yet accept my dream of a cheese shop as a reality. It is so nice to feel so supported, it is comforting to someone pressing full steam ahead into the unknown.

I will be honest, there were a few times this week where I was physically so exhausted that I started to worry. But as Matt (production manager) told me a lot of the production work I am doing is specific to the huge demands of Artisanal, it's not your typical shop. The folks in the production line work so hard and they really know their stuff, it is an honor sweating beside them.

Also I got to flex some more familiar muscles as my marketing and event planning skills were utilized. It felt good to know what the hell I was talking about for a couple days. Verna (event planner) is a wonder to me, she is good to her core and pulls these events off masterfully.

DAS BOOT!!!!!!
So on Friday I was treated to my third class of the week, an Oktoberfest Celebration of Autumn Beers with Candela Prol.  This class explored 5 beers and 7 cheeses. I am thrilled to report that I finally met a cheese I didn't like HAZAH!

The first part of the class was a closer look at beer. The five beers we had were:

1. Quollfrishch Appenzeller- light amber color, light and frothy.
2. Weihenstephan, Festbier- deep gold color, long and bitter finish
3. Eggenberg, Mac Queens Nessie- amber to brown color, the classes favorite, very malty
4. Smuttynose, Old Brown Dog Ale- brown color, toasty and delicious
5. Smuttynose, Pumpkin Ale- my personal favorite, Im a sucker for nutmeg and pumpkin

Some of the take aways from the beer portion of the class are that beer snobs look for a long finish on beer and a "persistent head". While I agree with the class that the Mac Queens Nessie was special and paired very well with many of the cheeses, the Pumpkin Ale just makes me happy and I think the spiciness is a great match with cheese in general.

Onto the cheese! I am excited that in this plate I had my favorite cheese of the week and the WORST CHEESE...blaechhhhh

1. Purple Haze, California, goat milk
25th Annual Conference, American Cheese Society's Winner
FIND THIS CHEESE, it is the best goat cheese I have ever had ever, ever, ever! It is so unreal.

"Purple Haze is a fresh little goat's milk cheese from Cypress Grove Chevre in Northern California flavored with wild fennel pollen and lavender. The combination of the herbs with the smooth and creamy chevre taste is unique and reconfirms the Provencale/Mediterranean identity of California flavors and cuisine. Here at the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, we remove the plastic wrapper and drain the residual whey from the cheese, guaranteeing a creamy rather than sour flavor and dramatically improving the texture of the cheese. One piece weighs approximately 4.5 ounces".*

2. Bravaiam Limburger, Germany, cow milk
Ok from the cartoons I was expecting some grossness but this particular Limburger was really good! It was no stinkier than Taleggio and same buttery spread.

"Cooperative Kaserri Zurwies in Bavaria uses organic and silage-free milk to produce this Limburger which with it's elegant paste and butter flavor belies the rather "naughty" reputation that Limburgers gained in the past. The thin rind develops from the light washings that this cheese receives during its one month of aging, just enough to give the cheese a luscious buttery flavor with the aroma of damp caves, and a pudding texture. Each piece weighs about 7 ounces"*

3. Flosserkase (cant figure out how to work the umlaut feature), Swiss, cow milk
James really liked this one a lot, I am noticing he really likes the raw milk cheeses. It was a little bitter for me.

The Flosserkase is produced at the Kaserei Kramershaus in Emme Valley of Canton Bern, Switzerland. Using the raw cow milk of local farmers the cheese is washed in hops, giving it an additional layer of flavor over a rich smooth firm paste.




4. Hittisau, Austria, cow milk
Loved this cheese. It was so delicate and subtle. As James said "this is swiss cheese for people that don't like swiss cheese". You really can taste that hazelnut note too. YUM!

"Hittisau is the namesake cheese from producer Sennerai Hittisau in the beautiful Bregenz Forest of Austria just over the border from Bavaria. Silage-free raw cow milk from local farms gives this cheese a deep, slightly sweet flavor with occasional notes of hazelnuts at just over five months of age. The rind is brightly colored and the firm texture can develop a smattering of small eyes."*

5. Beermat, Switzerland, cow milk
BLECHHHHHH. I have violent feelings about this cheese. While I feel it tastes like a big lump of raw onions, James feels it tastes more like burnt plastic.

"Beermat, a.k.a. Aarauer Bierdeckel , is a washed-rind, artisanal cow's milk cheese from Switzerland. Beermat is bathed in wheat beer, giving it a slightly toasty yet pungent aroma (THAT IS PUTTING IT POLITELY). Its texture is like that of a ripe Taleggio, its flavor reminiscent of Epoisses. Beermat will stand up beautifully to any hearty dark ale or Alsatian white wine."*

remember to cleanse that palate....if you can

6. Goat Gouda, Netherlands, goat milk
The anit-beermat, this rivals the purple haze for favorite of the week. It is so creamy and interesting and has so many things and is a perfect pair with all 5 beers.

"Our Goat Gouda makes for a lighter, milder and creamier version of the far more familiar and stronger-flavored cow versions. This cheese has a smooth firm texture that practically melts in the mouth. It leaves a sweet mild aftertaste, which makes for a lighter, creamier version of the Gouda. This is an excellent candidate for an introduction to the goat cheese family that can be enjoyed on its own or with a cup of our fresh-roasted coffee."*

7. La Peral, Spain, cow milk
Really didn't like this, and I usually love the blue cheeses. It was caustic to me. It tasted like crushed up aspirin.

"La Peral is a lightly blued, rare and delicious cheese hailing from the village Illas in Northern Spain. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk to which sheep cream has been added. Also known as Queso Azul Asturiano, La Peral is made by the Lopez Leon family. The wheels are aged for 60 days in their Asturian caves just to the point that the blue begins to develop. La Peral resembles an Italian Gorgonzola and has a nice olive flavor and pungent aroma. Its slightly crumbly texture becomes significantly creamier in the finish". *

* These are the official Artisanal descriptions

OK off to read my new Culture magazine!!!

Italian cheeses.....7 down, 993 to go....

Before I dive into the Piave river here I want to say that my fear about gaining 700 pounds with this job is rapidly fleeting. It turns out small bites of cheese fills me up faster and longer than a full dinner! I mean it- I always save half of my tasting for James so he can taste too and I'm still totally full as if I had had a huge meal. Also this is a highly physical job. The cheese caves and the production room are going to get me very strong.  So that's how that French Paradox thing works...small bites of high protein and good fat.

Okay so on to Italia!!!!

I took a class on Italian cheeses on Tuesday and it was amazing and taught by the talented and lovely Erin Hedley. She was once an Artisanal intern just like me and was so kind to keep me super involved throughout the whole class. She also took time at the end of the class to give me some advice about my dream of my own cheese shop.

The major difference between Northern Italian cheese and Southern Italian cheese is the terrain. The Northern terrain is alpine and is better suited for cows. So as a general rule if you are eating a Italian cow's milk cheese it is most likely from the north. Southern Italian terrain is more of a grassy wetland landscape. It is better suited for sheep and goats. So again in general if you are eating an Italian sheep's milk cheese it is most likely from the South of Italy (and probably Tuscany).

The wines for this class were amazing. My favorite was the white of course although the cheeses paired best with the Primitivo (red).

1. Friuli Di Lenardo TOH! Da Uve Friulano Italy 2009.
2. Nero D'Avola Ajello Sicilia Italy 2007
3. Primitivo Liveli Cellino San Marco Italy 2008.

The cheeses and their Artisanal descriptions:

1. Pecorino Balze Volteranne- sheep milk
    I want my vegetarian friends to check this cheese out! This cheese was aged 5-6 months.

"This raw Organic pecorino from Tuscany is made with vegetable rennet of wild artichoke. It is aged in oak barrels for 60 days, the rind is then covered in oak and olive wood ash. The ash imparts a unique green olive flavor and long finish. This cheese is firm, toothsome (al dente!) and has a nutty texture."*

2. Pecorino Toscano Stagionato- sheep milk
    Love the salty crystals in this one. Also Erin mentioned this would be delicious with honey or heavenly
    on pasta.

"Pecorino Toscano Stagionato is a centuries old D.O.C. (or name controlled) table cheese from Tuscany. This Pecorino is sturdy and nutty with a hint of salt on the palate. Its pleasant and inviting nature appeals to cheese lovers and novices alike." *

3. Bra Tenero- cow milk
    Holy crap that is good creamy cheese. It was very hard for me to leave half for James on this one.

"Bra Tenero is a cow's milk cheese from Piedmont region of Northern Italy. The city of Bra is the self proclaimed capital of cheese in Europe. Bra Tenero, a younger and softer cheese than its cousin Bra Duro, has a semi-hard texture and a dense, slightly piquant flavor."*

4. Taleggio- cow milk
    so gooey and melty and wonderfully stinky.

"Taleggio is a semi-soft, salt solutions washed rind cheese from the Valtaleggio region in northern Italy, near Lombardy. It is characteristically aromatic yet mild in flavor and features tangy, meaty notes with a fruity finish. The texture of the cheese is moist-to-oozy with a pleasant melt-in-your-mouth feel. The combination of the soft texture, pungent aroma, and buttery flavors has proven to be addictive when spread on fresh crusty bread."*

Side note- the definition of a Straca cheese is a mixed milk cheese.

5. Ubriaco Prosecco- cow milk
This should be paired with Prosecco and sweet dates or figs

"This raw cow's milk cheese is from the Vento region in Northern Italy, home to the Prosecco growing region and several superb sparkling and still wines. During the maturing process, it is covered by Prosecco grape must (skins), giving the cheese a sweet, delicate aroma of the wine and complex finish. Ubriaco is seasonally-produced and perfect during Autumn months while its flavor is a fresh, uplifting and subtle."*

6. Piave- cow milk
LOVE THIS CHEESE. It was a class favorite...so addictive and minerally.

"Piave is named after the river Piave, whose source is found at Mount Peralba in Val Bisdende, in the northernmost part of the province of Vento Italy. the land surrounding the ancient river is integral to the character cheese: it is where the milk is collected, the curd cooked, and the cheese aged until hard. Piave DOP has an intense, full-bodied flavor, reminiscent of Parmegiano Reggiano, which intensifies with age and makes the cheese absolutely unique."*

7. Gorgonzola Piccante, cow milk

"Gorgonzola Piccante, a formidable cow's milk blue cheese from the region north of Milan, is Italy's answer to Roquefort. Its rough, reddish rind protects a tender, light yellow, blue flecked paste that is firm, moist and buttery. The flavor is sharp and sweet."*

Erin went into some of the history of Italian cheeses. My favorite part was how she explained the blue cheese making process to the class. It seems if you want to make blue cheese you need a whole lot loaves of rye bread that have grown moldy, preferably in a cave. Then you grind that bread and mix it with the cheese mixture. Once the cheese has formed the cheese is stabbed with metal skewers creating holes and places for oxygen to enter the cheese and let the blue mold bloom. It sounds gross but you have to appreciate the cleverness of humans once you have tried the Gorgonzola.

* These descriptions are the official Artisanal definitions.