Food & Wine Discussion Forum
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How are people getting to this site (This actually is ridiculous)

What People Are Saying about this site.

Please email me if you know more about cheese than I do. No, seriously. Tell me what you know.

Cheeses Currently On My Brain

1) Pantaleo (and why on earth shouldn’t it be?) 2) Raschera 3) Montgomery's

Cheese by Wine * Cheese by Rind * Cheese Rant * Cheese Porn (Basically) * Cheese Kwiz * Links * Books

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FRENCH

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Fig 1: Note the characteristic vitality of a man who could only be described as Braque. He stands tall, imposing, almost ageless, a defiant figure, the face that could have stopped a thousand ships. “Non!” The umbrella symbolizes the move to power of the Citroens in late seventeenth century France. That the umbrella points downward is a subtle gibe on the Italian nobility of that time’s somewhat backward practice of dipping small village boys in olive oil and then pressing bite-sized pieces of bread against them. To eat bread and olive oil off the skin of a small boy was considered sublime.

The Runners

Brie Similar to camembert. Camembert Similar to brie. Camembert Le Chatelain The curiously strong camembert. Similar flavor to Danish Tholstrup Marquis, but with the fun, edible camembert rind. Fromage de Meaux Is this the same thing as Brie de Meaux? I think maybe yes. If so, it's basically an expensive brie, the idea being it's got a stronger flaveuer than your typical brie. Or something like that. [cc]

Brie Fourgerus
Seems awfully much like Brie de Meaux or basically any full-flavored brie. Look, it even comes right after it on this page! It has cute little herbs stuck on the side of it. I am not an expert in Brie.

Brie de Lyon
Great example of brie today.

Brie Fichely
Asparagus. This is not ordinary brie-like cheese. In fact, don’t even think of brie. Takes a little getting used to for me. Comes in a neat ceramic cup though.

Le Burge de Rocastin
Smooth like Guilloteaux with a little more hairy finish.* Too much for my more Reblochon ways, but some might like it.

* That's what she said!

Guilloteaux
Goat cheese and brie hybrid. Bit of a hairy flavor, but the creamy texture helps keep it in check (quite unlike an over-aged goat's milk cheese, which would push us clearly into the astonishingly hairy category). “Hair of the cheese that bit me.”

Pierre Robert
Rind so ammoniaic it destroyed 2 of 3 palates for remainder of night. (Warning!) Middle was very runny but with very nice nutty flavor. Too bad about the rind. (2) Again, extremely ammoniac rind (overripe). Very runny. Extremely runny. A Solution. The answer: scoop it out and just spoon it onto whatever you want: bread, mouth. But let's try it again? I won’t write it off if you won’t.

Reblochon de Savoie
Similar to brie but less emphasis on the brie flavor. This cheese is more interested in being very very buttery and silky. Everybody knows that a good cheese must be equilibrated to room temperature in order to get the full effect. This phenomenon is particularly true of Reblochon, which goes from “Why is this cheese $10/lb” to “Why is this cheese only? $10/lb” after about 20 minutes ex-fridge.

Saint Marcellin
Used to be goat, now it’s cow. (Isn’t that always the way?) This cheese really good – I think this is goat. It’s basically like a very smooth chevre (oh, wait. But it’s not goat? Ahhh.) Well anyway, this is a nice little cheese. Comes in about a 5-inch dm round. Affinage: 1 or 2 mos.

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Tip: When buying fancy bries, the rinds can become so ammoniaic that can literally destroy a palate. So it might be a good general rule to pre-taste a small piece before serving any to your guests.

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Certain Chevre

Chabis De Ma Grand Mere
Good? I’m making this up. I forgot to write anything down for this one. I really need to start writing these things down sooner.

Chevre D’Or
Pretty good. Rich flavor.

Chevrot
Medium dense (changes from harder to softer at room temp). 5 inch diameter chevre round. Good solid flavor, chalkiness varies from round to round. Rind completely non-offensive.

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Note on good fresh, creamy goat cheese: Sometimes a cheese is just too subtle and smooth to have on a cracker. Its complexity is lost when placed on a cracker of any strong flavor. If you absolutely must have some additional texture, it is recommend to have with only the mildest table water crackers or a mild, plain baguette.

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Chevrotin des Bauges (Savoie)

Official: This is an extremely rare cheese from the Tarentaise region of the Savoie, on the verge of extinction. Made with 100 percent goat’s milk, this fermier, tomme-like cheese is characterized by a spicy flavor and a slight taste of almonds. [more]

Yeah.

Le Lavort (Auvergne)
Seems like a French version of the Italian “pecorino in fossa” style; a small round, which looks covered in dirt and also looks as if it’s had little holes plugged with mushroom (more: general fungus) material.

Perhaps best known for its shape, a large pumpkin shaped wheel, this sheep’s milk cheese is full of terroir...a French word loosely translated, meaning “to taste like the area from which it comes.” Nicely nutty and salty, Lavort is cave-ripened to perfection.

I imagine the monastic caves are so musty it may as well be buried underground. One thing I will say, though, is the finish definitely is a little milder (and less astringent) than a Tête de Moine. You could chase with an abbey-style ale, but you don’t have to.

Charollais Fermier
Absolutely unique (to me) goat cheese. Very dry. Ash-covered (coated). I wonder if the ash covering keeps it from becoming overly ammoniac as it overripens. Anyway, enough of this preluditory talk, this is one delicious goat’s cheese round. It’s got a good, solid peanut-roux flavor.

Official: Raw goat milk “chevre” from the Burgundy region of France. Its dry, crumbly nature would lead you to believe that this goat milk cheese would be “gamey”. Quite the contrary, it is sweet, peanuty and a thick palate hugger. Affinage is 90 days (gets drier and more robust in flavor as it ages)

Chavignol
More chalky, smaller 2-3 inch round. Good, entirely non-offensive rind.

Les Fermiers Lingot
Pretty good. Similar to the D’Or but perhaps slightly more pronounced goat flavor. Not too much or anything.

Gariotins
Tiny round of very delicious goat cheese. Really is delicious. You are delicious. But so is Gariotins. From France! And Whole Foods Market.

Nevat and Buche de Causses
It could totally just be me but these two chevres seemed more subtle or subdued in terms of flavor than some of the others. They were good though.

Picodon (a.k.a. Pico)
3:24 am (AP Wire ) - “Three ethnic Serbs killed when someone lobs a Picodon goat cheese round into a Serb Café in Belgrade.” Artisanal goat cheese from France.

I received this email:

“When it is not overaged it is rich and creamy, with only a “hint” of goatiness. Wonderful little custardy cheese. I dare you to try it again.”

Tomme Fleur Verte
Has some extra greenery or earth on it. Dirt? Adds flavor. Not bad. It’s good.

Tomme Geante
It’s good. smooth, more crumbly than elastic, medium-strength Tomme from Auvergne. Nothing not good about this one.

Blues (and Greens) (I've got pictures to prove it)

Roquefort

“... pleasure spiked with pain...”

For a minute there, I kept running into some overly strong versions of the green monster at the local market. Hint of battery acid? Was this mold gone mad? I almost had to start Prozac early than predicted when the thought occurred to me that my taste buds may have transformed with age. I’ve heard of this happening to people, and an unexamined life without Roquefort is especially not worth living. Fortunately, it was just a false warning, and I proclaim that there is nothing wrong with this cheese other than the price. It’s obviously undervalued. Toasted walnuts and clover honey. Carry on.

• Osama Bin Laden’s choice: Caves de Roquefort Societe

Bleu d’Auvergne
A respectable and reliable blue cheese from Auverne. Nice creamy pate. It has about half as much flavor as something like Roquefort and co., but is only one third as expensive. Your call. [cc]

Bleu de Bocage (goat’s milk?)
Bleu de Bocage Somewhere between Roquefort and Auvergne, a blue cheese fell off the wagon, and went its own way. Quite simply, this is just a mean-old eye-punching blue cheese. Oh, it’s not bad or anything. It just wants to hurt you. That’s all. And the only thing you’ve got on your side is honey. And you better have a lot of it.

What the Thunder Said The thing about a very strong blue cheese, when eaten by itself—the reason to do that at all—is for the dramatic experience of the attack and the long chew. This is where the full onslaught of salty, sweet and creamy can be felt in one same moment. The blue (because of the mold and what the mold has done) is different than other cheeses in that it possesses unmatched suasiveness (turns on so many different types of taste buds in so many places). But the problem is, when eaten alone, the mold does rather a number on your throat going down (I mean, seriously, look at it—those little mold pockets—do they look like they want to be nice to you? Anyway, this is why you have to chase a (very strong) blue with something. Sweet if you have it (Port, Sauternes), and if you don’t, well you better have something.

Bleu du Causses
Ever wondered why they can’t make Roquefort outside of those special caves and sell it for less? Well, these too are made in caves (I too am a bit untamed). But apparently they’re different caves—cheaper caves. But not bad ones. Not bad. Just not quite so cher. [cc]

Bleu de Sassenage
Neat blue cheese from the Rhone valley with the surprisingly subtle taste. Vive! Oh, hey, this is also the cheese that was once used to pay taxes. How cool is that? Actually I'd rather give up the money.

The Others

Abbaye de Bellocq (sheep’s milk, Pyrenees)
Sweats like manchego, tastes like aged gouda (experts say I should say caramelized sugar). Can’t go wrong with this cheese. [cc]

Abondance (cow’s milk, delicious) [wiki-donce]
This cheese is good. It’s nutty and woodsy with a consistency similar to gruyere. Which makes sense because it’s, like, made five feet from Switzerland, apparently.
(2) (I’m back, now, again): Initial attack slightly piquant (almost like a cheddar is) then becoming more butternutty. Texture semi-hard, elastic, but you can sense it wants to crumble. Woodsy hint of mushroom even now the late palate becoming more gruyere-like. I seriously question the official recommendation for having this with a Chateauneuf du Pape.
(3) (Okay, I’m back for a third time, but this time, I have something different to say, really): crumbly? hardly. This time it's more elastic than most gruyere even. Guess it depends on the age. Excellent with Finn-Crisp crackers btw.

Beaufort (cow’s milk, delicious)
Strong comte? Very long finish. What is the word for “just faintly drying to the mouth?” Astringent? This cheese is really good though. [cc]

Bethmale
Some say goat’s milk, other source say’s cow’s. To me it seems like it might be goat. I could be wrong. If it is goat, it’s a very mild incarnation. If not too strong (ripe/aged), maybe be best to just eat by itself (slowly). And you really need to sweat it out for at least a few hours.
(2) More aged, drier. Becomes moderately barnyardy versus less-aged samples. In fact, this one (I just had) was—I would go so far even as to say—too barnyardy. Think Deerhoof, but Goat. Goathoof. And from France, not Canada. Still. It’s Bethmale. And I respect that.

Official: Bethmale is the most famous of the goat’s milk cheeses from the Pyrenees. It is named after the village where it is made, located in the Couserans region of the Comte de Foix. Its flavor is tangy and somewhat spicy yet mild. Legend has it that Bethmale was a favorite of Louis VI’s in the 12th Century. It is semi-hard, uncooked with a pressed curd and has few pea-sized holes. Its naturally forming rind is brushed and turned for 2 to 3 months to assist in its hardening. Serve this popular French cheese with ham, olives, almonds and rustic bread for the perfect picnic. Surprisingly, Bethmale is a great melting cheese too.

Brebis Reserve au Espelette (sheep’s milk, Pyrenees)
Delicious full flavor. Semi-hard.

Cantal
Very good. Great mouth stick for imparting flavor but somewhat of a drying finish like an aged Asiago. Compare with Veneto d’Estate. Raw milk.

Cantalet
Please tell me this isn’t the exact same thing as cantal just they forgot the “et” on the end. If so, I am a complete idiot. Otherwise, this is like a good cheddar. Very salty.Very woodsy flavor? Maybe even too woodsy. Like sucking on mushrooms, while their still on the log. Notably, the rind extends far into the wedge. Notably.

Official: One of the world’s oldest cheeses, Cantalet is produced in the Auvergne Valley of France. Inside it is firm, moist and straw-colored and has a mild but buttery flavor. Outside its quite inedible natural rind is yellow to gray in color.

No, you are holding The World’s Oldest Piece of Cheese, right there, in your hand. That piece right in your hand, is the one they’re talking about. No wonder! Wow.

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Note: Cheese can be made from the milk of many animals.

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Chevre des Collines (goat’s milk, Pyrenees)
A goat cheese that isn’t soft? It’s about the hardness of manchego but it’s slightly hairy. It’s good, but any more goaty would be too much. The next time I had it, I seemed happier, “Awesome semi-hard goat cheese. Just awesome.”

Comte Gruyere (many many cows’ milk)
Rich, full-bodied with thick tannins (achieves long finish by coating the mouth). Wonderful, deep flavor, loosely resembling Swiss gruyere, although definitely its own cheese. The key here is to eat this cheese totally on its own. If you must, use something simple and subtle like a Carr’s table water cracker. If you try to mix this cheese with other foods, you’re a damn fool, and you’ll totally waste the lingering and subtle taste.

Doux de Montagne
Is it that much better than Baby Bell? Will retry later.

Fromage de Chouade
Jazzed up muenster. Good stuff.

Gourmandise Kirsch
Like St Andre with a hint of kirsch flavor. I thought this would be stupid, but it’s actually pretty good.

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But most cheeses are made from the milk of cows, goats or sheep.

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Langres
Delicious. Have with some champagne and a Jacques Becker film.

Mimolette
Pretty good cheddar-like cheese. Although I was supposed to say it was gouda-like. More on this later. More on your sister later too.

I have since found this: Mimolette is also known as Boule de Lille (ball from Lille). It is said that it has the name because of the ripening cellars of Lille, where the cheese originally was ripened, but the name Mimolette comes from mimou (half soft). The French probably started to produce this cheese according to the same method as the Dutch Edam, when the minister Colbert prohibited the import of foreign goods, including cheese. Today, it is produced in the northeast regions of France and some areas of Belgium and the Netherlands (where it is also known as vieux Hollande). Its colour changes in the ripening process from carrot-yellow to orange-brown (the orange color comes from the natural colorant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achiote>achiote, source of annato). The taste also changes as the cheese matures.

It’s all true, what they're saying. It's all true. It’s kind of like medium-aged, orange gouda (aged some, but not super-aged like Pradera).

Mimolette (Aged 12 months)
Super-aged, like Pradera. Everything I said about the above, but harder, drier, and more Pradera-like. But different. And there's enough annatto for us all here.

Muenster Gerome
Not like reegular muenster at all. So strong, it could even be called Muenster Leopold or perhaps even Muenster Barthelme. A baby Wyndendale.

Petit Agour

There’s something there is that doesn’t love a wall. There’s something there is that wants to buy one of something.

Petit Agour is essentially a down-the-middle hybrid of Comte and Manchego, whichi was created in, like, the early 80s or something. But it’s also great because it’s made in a very small little round. You could actually buy one of it. It’s nice to be able to buy one of a cheese. You can’t do that with Comte. Just the thought of being able to someday perhaps buy one, is cool to me. Pair with whatever you’d drink with Manchego or Comte and you’ll come out fine.

Prince de Claverolle
Now this is my kind of cheese. If you like French Comte Gruyere, you’ll love this one. Strong, delayed “deep bud” flavor. Very suasive. Fantastic in sandwhiches with cured meats, bread and olive oil. Are you ready?

St. Nectaire
Holy Value! Like a toned down version of Fontina val d’Aosta at a toned down price too.
Note: I used to care about price. [cc]

Valle d’Aspe (goat’s milk, Pyrenees)
Has an interesting flavor—some kind of herb? Which reminds me of the time at college that I had my girlfriend stolen by this petulant young college boy/freak. And when I tried to steal her back, he sent me this lengthy and insightful email calling me an “herb”, and how I thought he meant “herb” the illicit substance and not “Herb” the name, which proves, I guess, that I really was an “Herb” after all. What I would give to see that email now or even just half of it. Also, the finish is a bit short.

Raclette   cheese warning
This cheese is not to be eaten alone. It has that terminally unvanquished aroma of Northern European armpit. I am told it’s great melted into a sauce for those heady Alsatian dishes, which I have no trouble believing.   Do not attempt to eat this cheese at room temperature, however, or you’ll be sorry. You have been warmed.

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Tip: When you get a cheese you just can’t handle raw. Try baking it in a recipe, on a pizza or just heating it up with some baked beans. These measures will often dilute the flavor and can produce a favorable experience.

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Rochers Nantiers
So good. Texture basically semi-hard/spongy, almost like, well, like processed cheddar or something. But oh it’s so much better than that. Comes in (what I would call) a three-inch mini-wheel.

Roncal
So good. Texture basically semi-hard/spongy, almost like, well, like processed cheddar or something. But oh it’s so much better than that. Comes in (what I would call) a three-inch mini-wheel.
(2) A French sheep’s milk cheese in the style of a dry Spanish number. The dryness makes it a perfect match for correction by olive oil, but then you might inadvertently overwhelm/miss out on what really is a rather subtle butternutty flavor in the mid-late. Your call. Butterscotch.
(3) Smells like sheep’s milk, but tastes more like cow’s milk. Long, smooth finish slightly elastic pate. Flavor is interesting. Hard to really latch onto. Has a very faint kind of graininess in the late stick, which reminds of certain comtes.

Saint Albray
Rind is way too much–too strong–difficult to enjoy. Middle is okay. Rind is out of control.

Saint Nectaire
Supposed to be salt, walnuts, copper, spice. Huh.

Vigneron
Delicious. Doesn’t differ a lot from my memory of swiss Appenzeller.

The Crumblers

Grana Padana
Like parmigiano (obviously). I’m trying to consider the different prices and tastes and make a ruling. Yes, PR is definitely better than GP, but they both have their place. GP is perfect for grating on hypogourmet meals like a can of Progresso Chickarina soup, on which it simply wouldn’t be appropriate to grate parmigiano reggiano. [cc]

Pecorino (sheep’s milk)
This stand’s for a class of (usually) hard sheep’s milk cheeses. We will see specific examples (right here on this page!) as they are procured and degusted (by yours truly) in coming months and years (Allah willing).

Pecorino di Pienza (sheep’s milk)
Apparently there are a multitude of different styles of pecorino all from the town of Pienza (which is near Montalcino, which is near Montepulciano, which is not far from Lucca, one of the capitals of olive oil). Anyway, this one is nice. As expected, gently picant, nutty, salty. I do like this Pecorino. I have always liked this Pecorino.

Okay, I'm reviewing it again. What are you going to do about that? PdP: this cheese is great. You’ve got to let it sweat out a bit. And you also have to be patient and chew a while in order to get all its flavor out. If you don’t, you just get mostly dry taste—but if you are patient—the deeper oils have a chance to emerge—and the result is a lot of very good hay/barn flavor. Great with rustic bread. And some mild salami (not hot because hot will defeat the subtle flavor of the cheese)

And again: Nice, really nice grassy flavor comes through; obviously those sheep are eating some good grass over there off the side of Pienza. Anyway, it shows. They’ve done a great job letting it show.

Pecorino with Ash (sheep’s milk, see a pattern?)
Very dry this one. Good. Lots of sheepy flavor. But so dry. Perhaps just needed to be et earlier.

Parmigiano Reggiano
I’ve had it a couple of times. It’s okay. [a story]

Aged Fontina
Very earthy fontina. Good.

Italian Softies

Boconci Langha (goat’s milk)
Google keeps trying to tell me there is no boconci, and that I mean “bocconcini.” Bocconcini is a little ball of fresh mozzarella. I do not mean bocconcini. I don’t know if I mean Boconci either, or if Whole Foods just made that up. They do do that, you know. Saves them time. Anyway, this is a soft little round, individually wrapped, clearly goat’s milk with a mild flavor. Essentially, it’s like a mini-Robiola round (and when I say mini, I mean 2 inches diameter; and when I say diameter, I mean 1 inch radius).

Crosta di Pane
Delicious Italian soft-rind Brie-like number (which tastes nothing like Brie and is much more earthy). This really is something different than what you would expect from either your typical Robiolo or French soft-rinder. It's got a kind of a very subtle (what I am going to, for lack of a better way of putting it call) a brown-butter flavor. As opposed to the pure, white flavor you think of with standard double/triple creams. But to get any of this, you really have to let the cheese come to temp for a long time (several hours; several; really; otherwise, nothing). According to he-who-sells-it, CdP calls out for chestnut honey. I didn’t actually hear this call, but I will say this. It did taste good with some chestnut honey on it.

More thoughts: What I would have to call a “yellow yuddy” flavor. Rind is synchronous with pâte in general. I guess I really mean “yeasty” when I say “yellow yuddy.” How about that?

Mascarpone
We’ve all had it in tiramisu, but I bet you didn’t realize you could put it in a pasta sauce (alfredo or tomato-based). And I bet you won’t believe me when I tell you how well it can temper an intemperate can of baked beans (preferably Bush’s Bold and Spicy).

Mozzarella
The fresh version (comes in a brine solution like fresh Feta) is more mild and very different in flavor from the pre-packaged variety.  But is it really worth all the hooplah? The answer is yes for home use, but no for dining out. I suppose I’m still bitter about the time I paid some faux Italian restaurant good money just to give me a slab of ‘so-called’ fresh mozzarella with tomato slices and basil. Don’t get me wrong. I love to pay for well-executed simplicity (hand-blown canteloupe wedges and prosciutto sliced in the style of da Vinci). But I say, take that chic appetizer B.S. back to the drawing board and don’t come back until it’s a pizza margherita, wot. [other opinions]

Robiola
Apparently this is more a family of cheeses rather than one specific cheese. The particular one I’m having now was bought at Whole Foods Market, is made from a combination of (cow and sheep’s milk) and comes in a pre-packaged little square. If I were to say “Italian brie-like cheese that comes in a little 4x4 square and is made with a combination of cow and sheep’s milk,” I would be describing this robiola. It’s very very easy to eat.

Robiola La Rossa (sheep’s milk)
A quite different story here (as different as possible still on the same planet). Wrapped in cherry leaves. Had to cut off rind because of too much ammonium. Cheese seemed incredibly barnyardy (sheep hoof to be precise), I am embarrassed to admit, for me. Let sit out > 1 hour it became quite pungent. The more I have, the more I move in two different directions. The flavor becomes both more interesting – I became even more aware of just how peculiar the peculiar barnyard flavor is. I just can’t shake it. I cannot eat this cheese.

Robiola Castagna Cora (goat’s milk)
Wonderful, smooth Robiola, wrapped in ?walnut leaves. Fun. It’s good. Sample I had was not as ripe as some others I’ve had before, but it was smooth enough to please me. Flavor was nice. Medium. Sophisticated. I liked it. Pretty expensive though, but a nice alternative to the usual round, cylindrical bit of French goat cheese.

Scimudin
Creamy, brie-like cheese with very mild flavor. Rind (the one time I had it) was way too ammoniaic.

Semi-Soft

La Bottera Piemonte
Damn good. Damn good cheese. I don’t know what the-?

Bra Tenero
Large wheel. Great cheese. Great name. Makes me think of Mel Gibson in Scottish gear. “They may take our lives, but they’ll never get our Bra Tenero!!!” Some say it reminds them of gouda. Fools. Bra is better than that. I really like this cheese to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and eat, with rustic bread and olive oil. It’s absolutely worth whatever $10/lb or so it is. Semi-soft, [cc]

Fontina val d’Aosta
Great cheese. Semi-solid. Touch of sour. More tangy finish than comte gruyere. Really fantastic when cut into chunks and eaten with rustic bread and good olive oil. Medium impact. This cheese has a delayed finish that requires chewing patience in order to appreciate. (Either that or such a large mouthful that it takes a while; you do what you have to do.)
(2) Soft, good, as per usual. I don’t know. I think this cheese requires rustic bread and olive oil to shine. Eaten alone, it can be a tiny bit awkward, possibly even inducing the Sottocenere reaction seen in some non-converts. [cc]
Food: goes great on wild rice.

Official: Fontina is dense, smooth and slightly elastic. The straw-colored interior, with its small round holes, has a delicate nuttiness with a hint of mild honey.

Latteria Nostrano
Very strong flavor, woody/nutty/earthy, semi-hard like the mother of all fontina.

Malga
Sounds Spanish. It’s not. I give credit for a nice strong flavor. Unfortunately, there’s a bit too much raw farm animal and peppermint for my delection. It’s Malga!

Paesanella
Excellent cheese. I forgot why it was so acceptable, but it was. I can’;t even was, but I’;m willing to wager it was was good for making pizza.

Piave
Awesome. Hard like montasio or aged jack. Woody/nutty/etc. full flavored. Delayed flavor. Lots of mouth stick. I love this cheese. But they must make a lot because you can get serious Piave and also mass-marketed stuff, same as with Reggiano (you know, the kind you buy in those pre-shrunk plastic packages in super markets. Pah!)

Pioda di Santa Maria (goat’s milk)
And so I lolled my way through my little personal cheese tasting party, when I finally made it to the Pioda di Santa Maria. I leaned over to smell it. The first (and only) thing that came into my mind was “Holy shit!” Tete de Moine? Wynendale? [shaking head] “Holy shit!”
[Twenty minutes later] And so I’ve had everything else on the table, And there is still just this one cheese and me left. I’ve never actually ran away from such a challenge before, not in a very long time at least. Am I just too old? Is it that I have more to lose now then perhaps (I thought) I did before? Well, here goes...

..hey, alright. Bark is much worse that its bite. It’s fine, really. No problem. I could totally rissotize this bad boy. Although it definitely is pungent up. The official description is apt, and I defer to it.

A unique washed-rind goat’s milk cheese has become a store favorite since we started bringing it in from our friends at Castagna. While this cheese can be quite funky when fully aged, we tend to sell out before it gets to that point so it tends to maintain some youthfull tanginess from the goat’s milk while still giving you underlying richness and farmy flavors. - FK

Rock on! Hey, isn’t that neat? Oh my god though, I did totally just melt some on a piece of rustic Italian bread. Oh my god.

Raschera
Long stick. Semi-soft, like Fontina VdA (consistant, elastic, occasional small holes). Make that incredibly long stick. God what great stick! [cc]

Official: Fine and delicate flavour, slightly spicy and salty if well matured. The colour is white or ivory. Food: very versatile (melted in rissottos, vegetable dishes, diced in salads) Note: The flavour of Raschera changes from season to season. Spring and summer cheeses are sweet, fresh and slightly tart. Winter cheeses are more solid and vibrant.

Robusto

Official: A Dutch cheese with true Italian flair! Robusto is a gouda-style cheese with the nutty, slightly sharp flavor of fine aged parmesan. Its texture is more versatile, making it easier to slice, shred and melt. Aged 9 months, it’s the older cousin of popular Parrano cheese. Enjoy Robusto with a glass of full-bodied red wine such as a Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon. Serve cubed on an antipasto platter or melt over pasta or roasted vegetables. Imported from Holland. On sale for $11.99/pound.

More like Abondance? Less like gouda or Parmigiano.

Tomme Piedmont
Went very nicely with a couple of very smooth Barolos. The tannins in the wine seemed to really bring out the butter fat in the cheese. They say Tomme Piedmont is made in almost every part of the region. I don’t doubt it.

Sottocenere
This cheese has sophistication and pedigree. But it’s awkward. Like a poodle. But you learn to accept it, like a love affair with someone twenty years younger. At first it seems wrong.

Later: It's not wrong. I was.

Official: Sottocenere - An aged, cow’s milk cheese with flakes of truffles. Mellow, salty, creamy, and distinctive flavors of truffles, very aromatic.

Your mother’s aromatic. [cc]

Taleggio Lago di Monato
Seriously, this cheese is really goo. It’s an excellent cheese for pizzas. Imparts a sophisticated flavor to just about anything. Grate some on a friend and watch their knowledge of opera double instantly. That was trick joke, by the way, since you can’t grate this cheese. Has a kind of strange, slightly moldy odor, which I wouldn’t have expected from such an innocent looking cheese. Can also be used to enhance Bush baked beans with onion.

Torta Ambros
A washed-rind cow’s milk cheese. looks like Couserans. But wow, that rind—it’s about the most mushroom/fungal rind I’ve ever tasted. This is the real mushroom non brie (see Mirabo). Anyway, if you cut off the rind (sad, but you may have no choice), the actual pâte is fairly tame—and slippery too—it becomes quite the slippery eel. Cracker!

Formagella Val Vigezzo

Official: Very uniquely flavored, robust, woody italian semi-soft cheese.

Semi-Hard.

Asiago Fresco
Nice little cheese. Sharper than fresh provolone. Good and tangy.

Alpe
If you’ve been looking for a cross between bra tenero, cheddar, an anchovy and an olive, this is your cheese. Make that two anchovies. It does have that same spongy, fun bra tenero texture.

---

Tip: Earthy Italian cheeses love cured olives and hearty, whole-grain breads, and animals

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Bianco Sottobosco (cow and goat’s milk)

• If you hate Sottocenere, you will also hate Sottobosco. Perhaps you should just stay away from truffles?
• Truffle flavored semi-soft goat’s milk cheese. Sort of like a non-weird-ass textured version of Sottocenere.

Official: Bianco Sottobosco is a very special cheese. Handmade in Cuneo in the Piedmont from a blend of cow and goat’s milk, Bianco Sottobosco also incorporates cuts of authentic black truffle found in Alba. It has a slightly dry texture and a fresh, earthy flavor. Aged for six weeks in a dedicated mountain cave whose walls are made of Tufo (porous rock), this cheese has to be tasted to fully understand its splendor.*

*yes, unlike most cheeses where you need only look at them or read about them.

Caciotta del Lazio
This cheese requires a long time to warm up and reveal. But then it does, at which point it offers a texture which is semi-firm, less crumbly than feta, but more compact than gouda. Like if you could imagine aging out mozzarella a little bit. There’s also just a hint of barnyard at this stage and it gets a little tangy with slightly sour notes.

Capra Valtellina (goat’s milk)
Small curd, crumbly soft. Lemony burst followed by little bit of hair/barnyard. It’s fine, but the barnyard may push me toward an alternate for semi-firm goat’s milk, like Pantaleo. I suspect there could be some piece to piece variation here, and I should try again later. why not Soave?

Capretta (cow and goat’s milk)
Lemon. Straw. Grass. This is a delicious cheese. Like a cross between Pantaleo and Montgomery’s cheddar. Huh? Yeah.

Official: Capretta “Farm House” This goat & cow’s cheese is from the Canavese area of Piemonte. Aged in natural caves for two months, the texture of the cheese changes from moist and open to dense and rich. The sweet flavor of the cheese is accented by the bracing flavor of the bay laurel leaf that adorns the top.

Official: The pâte is dense and firm but yields to the mouth. Slightly sweet, it also has an herbal character from the bay leaf that graces the top. Natural rind, semi-soft, pasteurized

Official: This goat milk cheese is from the Canavese area of Piemonte. Aged in natural caves for 45-90 days, the texture of the cheese changes from moist and open to dense and rich. The sweet flavor of the cheese is accented by the bracing flavor of the bay laurel leaf that adorns the top.

Caprotto (goat’s milk)
Yeah. I really do like this one. It’s kind of Pantaleo-like, but it’s got more complexity (more earth, nut, etc) going on (Pradera) and less up-front lemon. I think it’s perhaps a slightly more rewarding cheese on the late palate. This is a really fine cheese. Worth whatever the hell it costs.

Little Bird: Why no Ak-Mak? You said + Ak-Mak with a hard goat’s cheese like VT maiden orBethmale.
CB: Yes. But no, not with this one. This one is too subtle, too complex, too much going on. Ak-Mak just adds too much wheat flavor into the mix. Tthis cheese needs a simple rustic bread to allow it to shine— and if not the perfect cracker, then no cracker—and I do not know what cracker that would be— the cheese is just too good.
Lttle Bird:

Matusc Misto Capra Il Forteto (sheep’s milk)
Semi-hard, incredibly elastic pate. Like a little more Italian-flavored Manchego. More golden-colored. Stronger. Compare with Vermont Maiden. Much more earthy, though, especially moving toward the rind. And you do want to move toward the rind.

Montasio
Good. Semi-hard like FM Veronese but a flavor more like, oh, I don’t know. I guess it’s a little closer to aged provolone and not quite as salty as FMV.

Montegrappa

Official: Montegrappa is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese that has been produced for centuries at the base of a mountain named Grappa in the Veneto     region. Aged for 8 months, it is nutty with a sweet finish. It is gold in color and has its name brandished into the rind. [cc]

Agree. It does have a very subtle sweetness to it, almost like some nutty, sweet sheep’s milk cheeses (Matusc Misto). But the flavor has a certain degree of complexity to it, which I have come to think is only possible in cow’s milk (and more often than not, Italian) cheeses.* If you aged this cheese another 12 months, you might possibly end up with a competitor of Parmigiano. “Bang a gong…you’re dirty sweet and you’re my girl…”.  

*Because cow’s eat everything.

Paglierino in Fossa
Something between a mild, nutty pecorino and with a touch of the tanginess of an Ubriaco (just a touch, I say). Dominant flavor is nice, earthy, nutty. The more I eat, the deeper and deeper I go in my admiration for this complex flavor.

Pantaleo (goat’s milk)
Remarkably lemony flavor smacks you right out of the gate (like in Gladiator). Absolutely remarkable, and then it runs straight through the palate slightly morphing into a rich, butternutty flavor. God damn this is one hell of a cheese. And also, let me add fascinating to ‘remarkable’ and ‘one hell of’ and ‘God damn’ cause God damn! I really want to have more of this again soon. And I can!
Food: shaved on warm vegetables or paired with light honey, or...just shoved in your friggin’ face like I’m about to! Your face or mine? Cheese shover. [cc]

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Tip: If you’re worried about price, you’re probably buying too large a quantity. You need to buy smaller amounts, eat cheese deliberately, and focus on the special qualities of a cheese with each bite. Focus.

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Salumeria
Also known as fresh, smooth non-hairy Pecorni Romano which is delicious. Not your usual Pecorino. I could scoop this cheese from its hard, round womb and leave behind one empty one. I could.

Ubriaco
What would happen if you took a nice cheese, soaked it in red wine, and let it age several months under grape skins? The most expensive cheddar cheese in the world. And worse yet, it might even be worth it. Just kidding about it tasting like cheddar. It doesn’t taste like cheddar. But Manchego DOES taste like American cheese slices, I swear! [cc]

Baby Ubriaco (baby cow’s milk)
Do we look at pictures of small children? Exactly. And god will punish you the same if you try this cheese. No, seriously, this cheese is so tangy it’s inedible. Wow. No, really. I cannot eat this.

Veneto d’Estato (sheep’s milk)
Semi-hard, smooth textured cheese with rosemary, hay and mint. What? Yeah, and it’s actually pretty good stuff. Lot’s of flavor. This is potent, mouth-drying stuff.

Formaggio Monte Veronese
Like a baby born of the triple marriage of Ubriaco, Veneto d’Estato and Manchego. Not quite as mature in flavor as its parents, nonetheless, this might be the greatest flavor bargain in cheese today.
Note: the dry-mouth effect vanishes when sandwiched nicely between two pieces of serious bread, haut olive oil and some slices of genoa salami. This is a sandwich. More expensive ways to make “The Sandwich” are with Reggiano or Manchego.

The Greens (and Blues)

Gorgonzola (domestic)
Very good (high impact) blue cheese with a sharper, faster flavor (compared with the slower, milder Italian one. Still a nice blue (but the domestic versions are really closer to blue than green moldy that is true Gorgonzola).

Gorgonzola (imported, usually dolce)
Italian version is great for pizzas and eating. Great with toasted walnuts, olive oil and bread. And pears with or without the right honey. Good for melting into a white sauce on fresh pasta. Okay, so to follow up on all this talk, I just had a vouched-for sample of Gogonzola Dolce recently, and wow, this cheese is pretty mild isn’t it? That said, it to say the cheese really does have a very special flavor though. It’s really a little white snowball isn’t it? What a wonderful little puffball. [cc]

Castelrosso
Touch of blue mold in outer rind. Very very smooth actually. Starts off with a faint toward being piquant and then backs off. Flavor keeps reminding me of many different cheeses, but will just not allow me to make the connection. Texture between cheddar and Caerphilly. Is a mild blue cheese so because of omission or commission. Or because the mold is only just near the rind and not injected throughout. Sounds like commission to me. [cc]

Blu Del Moncensio
Pate about same as Castelrosso, but with a little bit more mold used. Great for The Dip.

Fiore Sardo       cheese warning
Perhaps the worst sheep’s milk accident since the Etruscan Period, when Emperor Nemoy was heard to say, “This tastes horrible.” Even the Italians can’t always be right. Actually, that description is probably wrong. It’s more likely, I have now realized, that the store I bought it from just sucked, and let their cheeses hang around too long. It seems that when a moldy cheese is too old, it actually gets either an additional mold or perhaps its own mold just goes mad. In any case, it’s not the cheese’s fault, and this may explain some of both my and your bad experiences with moldy cheese. That said, sheep’s milk should still be rated ’D’ very dangerous in the wrong hands. [cc]

More British Humor

Berkswell Sheep Cheese
Lost my notes—dammit. I’ve got to stop doing this. I had this so long ago I’ve completely forgotten what I thought of it. But my god, I don’t think anything could be worth $33/lb—unless it came from a golden sheep or something. Oh well. [cc]

Cheddar
Well it is pretty good. And besides, “it’s the single most popular cheese in the world!”

A word on cheddar and bread:

1. sourdough is good because it combines with the sour/piquant flavor of cheddar for a net result, which is different than the sum of its parts (sourdough and cheddary alone or as part of sandwich with chutney et al.)
2. wheat is good when you really want to let the cheddar flavor stand-out (so just wheat and cheddar—by itself for truly great cheddar—as part of sandwich for other strong and sharp cheddars)

A word on Chutney: It’s good. Cheddar needs. Like I need it.

Example: Black Sheep Ale Chutney (made in Masham, Yorkshire by www.blacksheep.co.uk), imported by www.chelseamarketbaskets.com) Ingredients: apples, plums, raisins, unrefined sugar, malt vinegar, tomatoes, onions, Black Sheep Ale, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, dried chilies, sea salt.

And now you know.

• Monty Python’s Cheese Shop Sketch
• Copyright Infringement

Montgomery's Cheddar [more]
Continues to blow me away every time. The issue really is, if you are willing to sit down and pay attention as you eat it, it really is worth it. If you just carelessly throw it in a hot dog or something, of course you’re going to wonder why it should cost so much. [cc][t]

Note: It looks like you shouldn’t eat the rind, but don’t listen to you. If the cheese monger treats the outside of the wheel properly, you can totally eat it. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't. You have to talk to them about it. But if they have treated it properly, you can and should it eat. And it's awesome to do.

Note: If it doesn’t have the grassy flavor, it’s because the people you bought the cheese from (in America) don’t have the right relationship with Neal’s Yard (in England). Although I wonder if there could be a lot of seasonal variation too (cow’s eating the hay, etc). I still say blame your cheese monger. My experience has been retailers like Whole Foods are hit or miss. Whereas some great cheese shops always seem to have a goodly representation. The point I’m trying to make is—relationships matter.

Keen’s Cheddar
Off-white cheddar with good mouth-stick. Smooth, sophisticated cheddar flavor that peaks more into the late phase. A cheese that doesn’t try to sleep with you on the first date. Both Keen’s and Montgomery’s share a nice grassy flavor, but where Keen’s diverges is that its flavor is divided between grassy and fruity, whereas Montgomery is more pure-driven grass and straw. Also, Keen's flavor is not quite as intense and occupies the latter half the duration whereas Montgomery's smacks you right out of the gate and doesn't let up. So...for what that's worth... [cc]

Lincolnshire Poacher
Good, strong cheddar. This (and others like Keen’s) is for when you want a good, strong cheddar to have with chutney, etc. [cc]

Isle of Mull Cheddar
Montgomery light with proportionally lower cost. You decide. Wait, no. That's wrong. I just had this again. Let me revise (wait...) [cc]

Grafton Village Smoked Cheddar
This cheese is ill-conceived. It’s not sharp like normal cheddar. It’s trying to be something more subtle. But then why be cheddar? Why be smoked? I don’t know.

Ilchester
“Ilchester, sir! It’s staggeringly popular round these parts, sir.” It’s good. Very sticky, shalloty cheddar.

Harlech
Soft, sticky. Tangy. Pub cheese, as they say. But it’s good. What’s the herb, though?

Tintern
Same as above. Possibly more tangy. The herb is chive. The namesake is Tintern Abbey. Near where my family came from a long time ago. Everyone has a family.

Red Leicester
Perhaps the best named over-the-counter cheddar cheese. Delicious. And it crumbles too.

Lincolnshire Poacher
Very nutty, woodsy flavored cheddar. Really a very good cheddar. This one, however, I think you actually don't eat the ring (unlike some others). It's somewhat concentrated mold/dirt and I don't think it helps to eat it. Otherwise, it's a really good cheddar. Closer to Keen's than Montgomery's.

Official: The flavours in the poacher develop later than most cheddar but are well worth waiting for – rich and deep lingering taste.

Like I said.

Cornish Yarg
Texture similar to cheddar. Different flavor. Interesting taste difference from tip to rind. Tip has an additional note of sour in it. Earthy mid to late never overpowering–really good though.

Had again: this time it seemed more mild. I've decided this cheese is best simply eaten by itself (and very slowly). And I would like to emphasize that it really must be allowed to come to room temperature (to sweat it out) for at least several hours to allow maximum flavor occurage.

Official: A young cheese with a fresh, faintly lemony taste and unique flavour derived from nettles. A subtle lactic smell, with the nettles imparting a delicate vegative aroma. Natural grey, white and green moulds often present due to natural mould ripening during maturation process.

Okay, I’m definitely going to have to spend more time with this one. I can kind of see what they’re talking about. It’s definitely got ‘it/something’ going on. It just dun’ jump out on your face (like some). I think maybe the best thing would be to take a decent-sized hunk and just sit down with it. Big mouthfuls. Real ponderous. Sit next to a window. Look out of it while you go. Maybe a pilsner or nut brown too. This is going to take time. But I’m for it.

Official: The rind is edible.

Done. That didn’t take long. Okay, it tastes like mushrooms. I’m still alive.

English Cotswold
Cheddar texture. More like an off-cheddar because it doesn’t exactly have the usual cheddar taste. Kind of a non-specific flavor but a slight piquantness to it.

Caerphilly
Good, peculiar flavor. Totally depends on whether or not it's fresh or has been ripening a while post release. If I had a huge block of this I would probably just eat the whole damn thing with a huge jug of ale. Or maybe I would float it in a bowl of Beef Raman Noodles. The broth helps soften its texture and the flavors do right by each other. [cc]


English Blues

Cheshire
Why don’t I have more to say about Cheshire? Delicious orange-dyed Cheshire. [sound of Jeremy Brett saying, “Ha”]

Stilton
My god. Pears. Walnuts. I am the real Anastasia.

Shropshire
Delicious Shropshire. The real story here.

• Irish Cheese Tasting Notes [discuss]

Ardrahan
P.U. This cheese takes pungent to another level. It’s like a taleggio or wynendale or one of those smelly soft cheeses that just got out of control. Like a kid whose parents are never around, and all he does is sit around playing video games and watching Rambo III on Showtime. Out of control. Undoubtedly, the person trying to sell you this cheese will argue that it has a strong nutty, woodsy, mushroomy quality. You’ll be like, “oh mushrooms, great”. Sounds good doesn’t it? What he didn’t say is just exactly what the mushrooms happen to be growing on. Well it isn’t a dangling preposition. I’ll can tell you that much. [cc]

Coolea
According to legend, this cheese is made by one family, whose Dutch heritage caused them not only to renounce the King (of England; I think they had moved to England or something), but move to Cork and begin making an Irish version of gouda. [cc]

Official: richer, fruitier flavor than Dutch gouda. Mature coolea aged over 6 months

Okay, so I had some. It has a strong nutty, spicy late palate. Flavor is really good and pronounced. This cheese makes me so happy. Need to try it against other similar styles. Gouda certainly.

Durrus Irish Tomme
Good. It’s like someone took some aged Fontina Val D’Aosta and rolled it in some dirt. Irish dirt! [cc]

Gubbeen (cow’s milk, and salty sea air)
Nutty, earthy. I mean real earthy. The first few seconds will have you deep in the corner of some banyard stall, just trying not to get kicked. But just stay with it—my friend—and it comes back around. Then you need it. As always. Not so worried bout being kicked. Just about running out. Gubeen is good. [cc]

Official: The salty, sea air (in Cork) lends flavor and character to this washed rind cheese. Earthy, almost meaty flavors describe Gubbeen, which many liken to a French Reblochon or Pont l’Eveque.

Official: It’s a real Corker!

Irish Cashel
Nice blue cheese. Texture is somewhere between the creaminess of gorgonzola and the not-that-creaminess of Roquefort. it reminds me of that alternative to Stilton called Cheshire. Perhaps I will compare those two head to head. Definitely worth it as an alternative to the other expensive blues. [cc]

I have not yet tried the following Irish cheeses: Blarney Castle, Boilie (cow and goat’s milk), Cahill Farm Cheddar (flavored with Guinness, Whiskey or Wine), Carrigaline, Dubliner, Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter

• A fate worse than a fate worse than death
  
  
• We saw this link to our site on what would appear to be a German blog site. There’s no doubt in my mind that it says we don’t know what the hell we’re talking about.

Kaas onthult : Alles wat je nooit hebt willen weten vind je op The Other Other Side of the Moon. Vreselijk nutteloze informatie, zo nutteloos zelfs, dat het grappig is.
Jordi / 09:02 / § / top

Awesome! Apparently, I am totally Jordi!

Cambozola
a) Invented by Germans in 1970 because they were tired of not having anything to go with their damn Rieslings.
b) Invented by Germans in 1970 by putting some Camembert and Gorgonzola in a room together and turning the light out for a while.
c) Seldom passed around twice at parties.

Knoblauch
Good for spreading, like brie, in a salami sandwhich, the kind you make and think, “damn, this is really good, and it’s so easy to make. Why don’t I make salami sandwhiches more often?” “I’ll gnaw your block off — Kuru Chief”

Mirabo
This cheese rocks. I like the walnut flavor. But could you get the same thing from mixing walnuts with $7 Brie? Aha! In fact, you cannot! Because the butter-cream texture is like cambozola, rather than straight brie. Also goes well with German riesling. Surprise.

Mushroom/Garlic Brie
Jesus Christ could the Germans stop inventing new cheeses? Every time I turn around...This cheese is totally unnecessary. And I don’t even think it's that good either (mushroom brie?!). If you want garlic with your brie, why don’t you just buy garlic—and brie. It's called a dip. Germany, you’re making this harder than it needs to be.

Appenzeller
Awesome cheese. Quite a long finish, and full enjoyment requires thorough mastication. A nice, deep flavor that doesn’;t arrive too suddenly (premature-mastication). This semi-solid cow’;s milk cheese, like Fontina val d’Aosta, is excellent for rustic bread and olive oil. Perhaps this is because you are forced to chew the bread quite a bit to break it down (compulsory mastication). And this gives the cheese the time it needs to do its thing on your deep buds.

Official: This washed rind cheese is bathed in a secret mixture of pepper, herbs, white wine, water and brine that gives it it’s spicy intensity. Appenzeller can be used as a table cheese served with apples and pears or added to fondue. Serve with a fruity red or a sturdy beer.

Don Olivo
Soft-texture, okay taste but finish is questionable. Not bad though overall.

Gruyere
Strong flavor, perhaps more immediate and accessible than Comte Gruyere. Medium body, medium length finish. And what a value at $7/lb! By my calculation, that means you could eat an entire pound of this cheese for only seven dollars. Now that would be one hell-of-a memorable experience for just seven bucks (15 Euros, and counting).

Rolf Beeler’s Gruyere
Damn. I want my own gruyere label too. Anyway, this is astonishing. Astonishing how it manages to shift all the flavor of comte gruyere to the front instead of the end of the palate. I didn’t know it was possible.

Rolf Beeler’s Hoch Ybrig
Fucking awesome. I’m sorry, but there is no other way to describe it.

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A turophile is a lover of cheese. It comes from the Greek words for cheese (tyros) and lover (philos)

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Monte Vuilly
Dry, tasty. Very dry. Cottonmouth. Nutty, like Monte Veronese and a slew of other off dry semi-hard cheeses. Pretty good stuff though, and pretty damn nutty. Pure, unrefined nutty.

Tete de Moine

Note: Everything I'm about to say is contingent on you have a nice, aged, strong sample of this cheese. If it's too young or weak, then never mind the following.

Wow, this is really strong flavored. I don’t know as I’ve ever had a Switzlandic cheese this strong. My god. It has a very long, slightly astringent (now I’m not saying it’s dry, but it does suck every last iota of saliva right out of your mouth and laugh directly at you). Also the intense, earthy (think monastic dirt) flavor builds so much that by the end it begins to simply overpower you (for lack of a better term). (Think Friar Tuck and a big club.)
Food: apples, prosciutto (I don’t know about that), cornichons (don’t know what this is), salami (which one though?)
Facts: 800+ years old (older than Switzerland), made in just 9 dairies

Official: Old monastery-style mountain cheese. Traditionally sliced horizontally with a girolle to create very thin rosettes. The firm, dense texture, makes it perfect for paper-thin slices. Flavor said to range from (fruity/earthy/beefy/almond-like) and rich to pungent and very sharp. (also said to have)

Here is a much shorter review: TdM is basically what if a good, strong gruyere all-the-sudden decided to just go postal.* Alhough somehow I don’t think all-the-sudden has much to do with it.

* Boot to the head.

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SPANISH

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Cabrales
Okay, wow. There is obviously much that needs to be said about Cabrales. I will say some of it. The first time I had Cabrales, I was taken off-guard, to put it gently. It seemed like the mold had certainly won the battle, and might well be on its way to taking over the county, and then world. I didn’t know whether to alert the cheesemaster or call the authorities. But through this, I did kind of suspect there had to be some unique flavor buried somewhere in all that mold that I just didn’t appreciate (arsenic?). But since then, I have had emails from many interested cheese mongers, and they all point to my trying this cheese again. And today, I have done just this. [cc]

Official: The blue mold is not artificially injected. It occurs naturally. The cheeses are turned periodically until the paste has been completely grown with mold, acquiring its deep blue veining and resulting in a thick texture with the characteristic creamy and piquant flavor

Campo de Montalban (blend)

Official: This semi-firm Spanish cheese is a blend of cow, sheep and goat's milk harvested in La Mancha, Spain. Aged 90 days, the texture and appearance are similar to Manchego, yet the flavor exhibits characteristics of all three milks. Campo de Montalban is rich and buttery and pairs well with fruits and Spanish red wines.

I guess...whatever.

Cana De Cabre (goat’s milk)
Nice. Somewhat standard, soft goat cheese. But has just a touch of that richer peanut flavor. Rob says if you let a chevre age long enough it turns back into butter. I think this one turns into a peanut. [cc]

Cordobes (sheep’s milk)
I am very impressed with the smooth delivery of flavor throughout the chew, which goes on pretty much indefinitely. (This must have a ton of fat; good.) Only a mild hint of hairiness (think Garrotxa light), which blows off by mid palate, and then re-emerges just a little bit for the first ½ of the finish, before dissipating yet again. I’m not making this up.

Official: “Made from Merina sheep’s milk, this semi hard cheese is made specially for Whole Foods Market.

Okay, I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Garrotxa (goat’s milk)
Wait. More soon. Can be variable. When too fresh, can be too tangy. When overripe, can be too hairy. But if it's correct, it's a really good cheese. And has a fairly unique profile in that it's a semi-hard goat's milk cheese, which instead of being earthy and brown-nutty, is more green-nutty. Like pine nuts or something. It's pretty neat. Goes good with rustic bread or wheat crackers. Plus the pâte is an astonishingly sleek, white color. It’s really pleasant to look at, I cannot help but admit. [cc]

Beware: the cheese monger let’s the Garrotxa get too ripe, it can become scary hairy.
Food: rustic loaf or wheat flavored cracker // tried quince and not so much (I guess quince needs a more sheep/sweet flavored cheese)

Official: Garrotxa (Catalonia): firm with notes of chalk, wild herbs, brine, nuts.

Idiazabel (sheep’s milk)       cheese warning
Can you sue a cheese for damages? A truly innovative sheep’s milk cheese from Spain, which is made in the style of Beaujolais Noveau. The cheese goes directly from the sheep to your table in seven hours with no cheesemaking process in between. I would apologize to the Spanish for my rude remarks, but their propensity to mishandle sheep’s milk is hardly my fault. It’s their fault! They are the ones who are to blame. No price here, because I know you aren’t going to buy this. [cc]

Malvarosa (sheep’s milk)

Offiical: A beautiful Valencian cheese, with a butterscotch flavor, produced from the milk of the Guirra sheep–a revived, almost extinct breed of sheep.

Okay I’ve never actually had this cheese, but as soon as I read about butterscotch and "revived almost extinct sheep," I'm in.

9/06 Okay, I've totally had this cheese. Yes, and yes.

Manchego (sheep’s milk)
The cheese that sweats. Now here IS a good Spanish sheep’s milk cheese. ‘...that’s not got much rat in it.’ The flavor is actually vaguely (I am not kidding) reminiscent of the world renowned American Cheese Slice. But this really is a great cheese. I buy it by the “sick” so I can brag that I’ve had enough Manchego and apple slices to make me sick and didn’t have to patronize a single faux Tapas bar. ¹ [cc]

¹ Faux tapas bars? Dude, that’s such old yack. Give me a break. Jay Leno’s even making fun of that now. You need to get with the times.

• 3/15/02 Manchego Cheese Menaces Bread (Yahoo)

Monte Enebro (goat’s milk)
Somewhat smooth texture. Good flavor. Fresh. Relatively subtle for goat. Rind just slightly ammoniac, but not inedibly so. []

La Peral (cow ± sheep’s milk)
Basically your nice, smooth, mild-mannered blue cheese. Very nice nutty, earthy flavor and mild, but still lengthy finish. Officially supposed to have an olive oil flavor. Um, okay. Peral’s good. [cc]

Romao (raw milk, cow according to WFM label, but tastes like sheep to me, 60 days)
Very slightly tangy, but not problematically so. Lends character. Not bad. In fact, if you let it really come up to room temperature, the texture becomes quite a point of interest. It’s semi-hard, and yet it gives so easily when you bite down on it that it’s almost as if it wants to be crumbly, but isn’t. It’s neat. Room temp. I’m telling you. Also note rosemary rind, which really does run the flavor show, especially as you move outward from center. Had some recently, which seemed a bit dried out, like it was turning to dust (had lost its flavor/way). For fun taste against: Cordobes (both are real “sweaters,” but they’re quite different indeed)

Sin Palhais (Goat’s milk tiny little mini-round)
It’s like Greek Manouri, like that softer than Feta-style goat’s milk. Goes great with Kalamata olive bread. You would really probably try to pair these with some very light-styled wine. Like some nice little indigenous number (some gentle little white or rosé even).

Tetilla
Tetilla (“nipple”) is a soft, creamy, mild cow’s milk cheese, which I have never had. San Simón is a smoked version of Tetilla, which I have never had. Angelina Jolie—

And now that I've had (the cheese): How is this not un-aged gouda? (In the shape of a giant bull testicle.) Maybe a little softer pâte.

Torta de la Serena
thistle rennet
stinky character
seriously rich
and creamy
Merino sheep
Big Red Ribera
or Earthier wine too [cc]

Tronchón

Official: Tronchón is a very small village in the southeastern part of Spain’s wild and mountainous Teruel province. The town and its surrounding area has an age-old tradition of raising sheep and goats in mixed herds. This tradition led to the creation of Tronchón cheese, which is made from a blend of goat, sheep and cow milk. This uniquely volcano-shaped cheese is beautiful and delicious. With its smooth, buttery, fresh flavor and springy texture, Tronchón is a longtime family favorite in Spain. It goes great with green Spanish olives and a fruity red Rioja.

I would emphasize more the fact that compared to a more nutty Manchego, for example, it’s got that more fresh/tangy (another way of saying barnyardy quality). Not offensively or anything. But it’s there. I’m not gonna lie to you.

Urgelia
Semi-soft body. Maybe I’m going crazy but I could swear there’s a very faint hint of cocoa in this cheese. Maybe not cocoa, but just a very faint nutty/earthy flavor on the late palate (particularly the back of the tongue and throat). Remarkably interesting, whatever it is.

Official: For a washed-rind cheese, the flavors are relatively restrained, but there is definitely some of that garlicky, meaty, verging-on- stinky character that aficionados of washed-rind cheeses love. The salt and acid are just where they should be; this is not a tangy cheese.

Vare (goat’s milk)
White, hard, good. And that’s not just what she said. [cc]

Verdejo
Floral aromas, peach, melon. I’ve never had it.

Zamarano
How is this much different than Manchego? I ask you.

Ascutney Mountain Tomme
Solid, semi-dry hard cheese made in Vermont. It’s good. Lots of flavor. Notes of straw and bacon. ?Compare with Veneto d’Estate. They even have a website. How American is that? Actually, I’ve been seeing a lot of websites for a lot of European cheese too (especially British; seems like those smart chaps just have a natural affinity for the web, what with all that co.uk and all those saintly ‘internet cafes’ they have all over the place; pay as you go...pay as your MOTHER goes!).

Second time: Really is an interesting flavor. Reminds me a little bit of Thai lemongrass. They say it’s like Swiss Appenzeller. I’m now going to have to re-sample some of that. I feel that the late late late late palate may vaguely bring up the “Swiss” flavor. But seriously. I’m thinking Appen-lemongrass-zellar…The pâte even reminds me of nibbling on a bit of lemongrass. Am I crazy?

“A sweet and nutty cheese similar to European Alpine cheeses like Gruyere, Appenzeller, or Comte, Ascutney Mountain has a firm texture, with small eyes (holes) scattered throughout the interior. A pleasant bite enhances the flavor, balancing the buttery rich Jersey cow milk. Excellent served with crackers or bread, it also melts and grates well.” – Cobb Hill Cheese

Apparently, this cheese can do anything. It’s not so much of a cheese really as it is an all-purpose, magical superhero, of life.

Even shorter review: B+ Pantaleo trapped in the body of a Beaufort. Not bad.

Coach Farm Triple Cream Goat Cheese
It’s pretty much exactly what it says. Except one thing, the rind was so ammonium-filled that it’s practically inedible. I will have to taste this another time. ($27/lb, wow)

Hillman Farm’s Harvest Wheel (goat’s milk, MA)
Smooth, good. Perhaps slightly more pronounced (we’ll say earth) flavor up front on this one.

“This firm natural rind cheese offers subtle flavor changes rooted in the seasonal cycles of pastures and the goats grazing them. Flavor of earth and grass with a long buttery finish. Slight sharpness develops with age. Aged 4 to 7 months.”

Hillman Farm’s Lottie Garris (goat’s milk, MA)
Smooth, good. I think this one has a little bit more nutty, strawy flavor to it—runs a little longer through the palate. Maybe. Maybe it’s a little more interesting to me. But it’s splitting hairs for the most part. Both these Hillman Farm cheeses are very good. Fantastic on a wheat-flavored cracker like Kavli Hearty Thick or Wasa.

“Semi-soft, smooth, melts into a creamy mouth feel, grass goat milk flavor with a hint of nuttiness. It’s mosaic washed rind can vary in color and aroma. Aged 2 to 3 months. Seasonally produced.”

Hudson Valley Camembert
I don’t know what makes them call this Camembert since Hudson Valley is pretty much not Camembert, France, at least the last time I checked on a map. It’s actually closer to St. Andre than Camembert. It’s dense and buttery. The flavor’s not bad, but it’s extremely overpriced at $24/lb. The rind on my wedge was extremely ammoniac. Dangerously ammoniac. It killed me. Is there anything in this related to process, or is it completely on the retailer for not slapping that FOR SALE tag on sooner?

Peeked Mountain Tomme (sheep/cow’s milk)
Like a milder version of Pantaleo or a lot of European (particularly Italian)-style cave-aged sheep’s milk cheeses. Not bad. The rind brings forth a bit of a mushroom flavor.

Pennsylvania Noble
Excellent, strong original-Norman 16c cheddar-style cheese. It’s really good. I mean it's really good. Comes in little medium-sized blocks, so you’re guaranteed to get some rind, which you better eat. Okay. What I said earlier, about American cheese not being that great…was wrong. This cheese is that great. It’s just great. $20/lb [buy]

More thoughts:Actually just as close to a (cave/cellar matured muskier, like a monkish TdM or a secular-but-just-as-in-fossa Paglierino in Fossa). In other words. This cheese is musky. But it has vague resemblance (texture, slightly piquant) to the classic farmhouse cheddar. So I forgive myself thinking of it as a great American farmhouse cheddar. Yes, I wrote these people a letter.

Sareanah

“Determined to produce a hard Italian-style grating cheese, Rob and Marisa, then 21, enrolled in a cheesemaking course at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

The result was Sareanah, a rich and nutty cross between Parmigiano Reggiano and aged Gouda. The cheese, which is aged from six to nine months, is made from the Hilarides own herd of Jersey and Holstein cows. It won third place in this year’s Farmhouse cheese category at the American Cheese Society competition.”

Okay, here’s the dope. If you let the cheese warm up a bit (>60mins), and you take a bite, close your eyes, and think of Reggiano, then you actually can get a faint hint of Argentine Parmigiano. The texture is somewhere between farmhouse cheddar and Argentine Parmigiano. According to their site (step nine), the cheese must have been aged 10-12 months. I’d say more like 4-6. The taste is somewhere between Argentine Parmigiano (nutty), Farmhouse Cheddar and Ubriaco (tangy), which is basically like an Italian version of farmhouse cheddar. Sareanah is fine, but it’s not as good as any of the cheeses it resembles, if anything because it’s an amalgamation, and the only time that’s better is metallurgy and—nope, just metallurgy.

Thomasville Sweetgrass Tomme
Good. nice, fairly mildly woodsy/nutty flavor. Pâte is a little firmer than some tommes. Late palate offers a hint of young gouda.

Twig Hill (single curd)
Awesome. The guy that they brought in to make the Twig Hill selection really knows what he’s doing. Like, wow.

Veldhuizen Farms English-style Cheddar (TX)
It’s made in the same style as English farmhouse cheddar, but the reality is it’s much more on the earthy than tangy side (the best English cheddars are either tangy or grassy). The texture is weighty and dense, but fairly crumbly, just as you would expect with two year ageing a clothbound. It’s a nice cheese. Fairly flavorful. Kind of reminds me of Pennsylvania Noble a little, although I think Noble may be a bit more intense in flavor. But I’d like to try them side by side. Rind is a little too musty to eat (again, unlike its clothbound inspirations from Somerset, in which the rind is the best part.)

Paladin Blue
Ordinary blue cheese? Or am I missing something? Seems to have about half the flavor as the more serious blues. And unlike the crumbly or creamy texture you associate with the more upscale blues, this one has kind of a sticky feel. Not worth the bother.

Rogue Blue
If you let in warm > 4 hrs, it’s got decently strong flavor. Otherwise, it doesn’t show too much more than an ordinary mild blue. Grape leaves are a nice touch.

Shepherd’s Wheel (sheep’s milk)
Similar flavor to other sheep’s milk but just smoother texture. [cc]

Texas Hill Country Goat Cheese
Good. Tangy. Nice and dry, but not unbearably chalky like montrachet. Try it on Bush Baked Beans (Original).

Twig Hill Goat Tomme (goat’s milk)
Very very rich, strong, earthy flavor. Great Tomme from America.

Vermont Ayr (VT)
Sticky smooth Tomme-style pâte with a slightly piquant start to the flavor, which is sort of like a young Ubriaco. Fungal, mold earthy late palate. It’s a peculiar cheese to be sure.

Belgian Wynendale
Kind of a soft, Port Salut texture, but the middle bud flavor steadily increases in a crescendo of sharp/sour/tangy (really seems to kind of have all of them mixed in) deep bud rapture. This combination of the initial innocence and late stick and strong finish makes this a very interesting cheese indeed.

Official: Primarily a desert cheese, sweet and well accompanied by seasonal fruits—the juicier the better. A sparkling appellation goes best for such a sensational gastronomic incident, but don’t be afraid to counter the sweetness with a randy Medoc or stately Burgundy.

What the _____, the people there (i.e. Flanderians) are saying have it with the local “Thouroutenaere” beer. I’d go with that.

Bruny Island’s C²
Wow that’s a salty cheddar. It’s actually not as cheddary as I thought it would be. It just has the exact same pâte as any good farmhouse—holy crap. I just found out this cheese is made in Tasmania. Tasmania! Holy crap! God damn it’s salty. Almost moving toward a pecorino. Montgomery’s farmhouse pecorino. I like it. I just noticed someone googled to see what to drink with this cheese. Man. That's a good question. I'd have to think about it. That's a tough one. I mean, besides just a sharp beer of course. But more specific. I'd have to think.

Official: C2 is the sort of cheese found throughout the mountains of France and northern Italy. A classic cooked curd cheese made in traditional wooden hoops. C2 matures for 6-12 months, during which time it develops a sweet aroma and a mildly nutty flavor. The rind is wiped every week to encourage the surface bacteria that provide this cheese with much of its integrity.

Cheese
Oh, fantastic. No, this really is one of God’s creations. Delicious. Highly recommended.

Chimay
Is okay if you wolf it down with strong beer. It has a nice strong flavor. But the aftertaste is a little narshty. So it’s good, but I could never recommend over Tête de Moine.

Danish Tholstrup Marquis
Broccoli. Obnoxious at first, but then it grows on you. Broccoli.

Dutch Edam
Good. Have it with cranberries and maybe some foul (chicken/turkey) in a baguette (plain/sour side, not rustic fool)

Émissaire (goat’s milk, Quebec)
Totally forgot to write anything down.

Official: Chaput's Bouc Emissaire, made in Québec, is a fresh goat's milk cheese in the large format of a tomme. Its rind is tender and changes seasonally from green to gray. Bouc Emissaire has a fine, smooth texture and mild taste, with the lean and clean flavor of a first-class chévre. We select wheels of Bouc Emissaire for their smoothness and age them in our caves until they lose a little moisture and develop a nice, mossy fur and tighter texture. Pair it with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Albarino, Reisling, Fiano, or Tempranillo.

Aged Gouda
Very nice, delayed flavor that lasts a really long time. Strong, rich. Perhaps more mushroom flavor than all those salt, nut and ‘let’s have a look at your knickers cheeses!’

Norwegian Jarlsberger
This is very similar to gouda but perhaps softer and more like what you would expect from Norwegians.

Kasseri (Greece)

Official: This Greek cheese is made from sheep’s or goat’s milk. It has a sharp, salty flavor and hard cheddarlike texture that’s perfect for grating.* An American version is made with cow’s milk. The creamy gold-colored kasseri has a natural rind and is usually sold in blocks.* It’s delicious plain, grated over hot foods or used in cooking. Kasseri is the cheese used in the famous Greek dish saganaki, where it’s sautéed in butter, sprinkled with lemon juice and sometimes flamed with brandy.

Yeah, this is the same idea as Sin Palhais, only a little more grainy. I’d try this with a Sancerre, or again, one of those Greek white or pink wines. Oh, or how about flamed with brandy? Yeah. Now there’s an idea.

*Cheddar is not a grating cheese. This cheese is only 10 times softer than any farmhouse cheddar. This cheese is hardly golden. It’s off-white. Ivory if you insist. Never golden. I think someone has been hitting the flamed brandy.

Sternenberger Berkäse
Great with Finn-Crisp. Still, overall, would be more excited if it had as much flavor as say some Comtes or a Rolf Beeler production.

Reggianito (Zerto) (Argentina)
According to the label, it’s the “product of Italy”, that just happens to be imported from Argentina. Huh? But wow, they’ve come a long way baby—the Argentinians. This stuff really isn’t so bad for so cheap. But who cares. Just buy real Reggiano.

Black Diamond “Extra Old" Canadian Cheddar (do I really need to say cow’s milk cheddar?)
Has a that distinctive sharp cheddar flavor that goes very well with Genoa salami or in an omelet.

Oka (Quebec)
It's okay! Ha ha. No, seriously. It's good and pungent. Solid yet sticky texture. Pretty strong cheese.

The World's Gratest Cheese Shops

• Neal's Yard Dairy (Sunny London, UK)
• Formaggio Kitchen (Cambridge, MA)

This category may not expand much, unfortunately (but not surprisingly).

Recommended Books (not really but i have to put something)






French Cheeses: The Visual Guide to More Than 350 Cheeses from Every Region of France
This is a really long and ridiculous title, but it’s a good resource. To the point comments, factual information and some key wine recommendations for really just about any French cheese you’ll come across. The comments are often more historical and interesting than, for example, matter-of-fact tasting issues (like what I do). This is because they know this information. And why you buy their book. And read my comments for free online. That’s how it works. Simple. Book smells really great too actually.





Cheeses of the World
Nice, large coffee table-sized book. To be honest I haven’t gone through it word for word enough to develop a real opinion. But seems more geared for the table.





World Encyclopedia of Cheese
Good pictures and specs on many of the world’s great cheeses you’ll never eat.

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Cheese Links

• What? You can go to Google just as good as (me)
  
  
• Except this site. You have to check this site out.