News From The Cheese Caves

One of the questions people ask me the most is, “do you prefer to pair cheeses with a wine from the same place?”

I would say NO. The pastoral idea that wine and cheese from the same location always match perfectly with one another is…a pastoral idea.

What I usually say to people is only to look for the flavor profile of each product and try to match them or to clash them. Look for harmony, in an another word.

At Artisanal I am proud to say we’ve found an easy way to pair wines with cheeses. The Cheeseclock takes the guess work out and puts back the fun in putting a party together. And because it’s so versatile, you can start with either a preferred cheese or wine, and go from there.

Our color-coded clock is easy to use, and informative enough you can make your own decision. So come on our site, explore our cheeses and put out the wine you always wanted to drink.
Enjoy Your Summer!

Toni Amira
Director of Sales

I recently came across an article in Gourmet Magazine about one of Artisanal’s favorite Affineur known as the Cheese Pope, Rolf Beeler, Maitre Fromage. Because of his exceptional skills that he has been perfecting for more than 30 years, Rolf Beeler has revolutionized the way cheesemakers think and practice the art of Affinage. Affinage, a word that is derived from the Latin finus, meaning “end” or ultimate point,” is the process of the curing or ripening process to “finish” a particular cheese. This is arguably the most crucial step in cheese making and is what we focus on at Artisanal.

What makes Rolf Beelers cheeses so special is besides advising the cheesemaker on the length of time to age their cheese, how often to rotate or wash it, and suggestion of different bacteria to flavor them, he will go as far as to modify the animals diet. He may also steer them to a different field where they may encounter foods that are more beneficial to produce a specific milk flavor profile which he believes is critical to begin the cheese making process.

His end product is one that all affineurs strive to produce, a unique flavor, texture and long finish. His cheeses explode with flavor the second you taste them and always seem to please everyone’s palate.

Rolf Beeler’s Gruyere, for example is aged for at least 18 months and produces a unique taste, one you can tell is full flavored with a granular texture that speaks to you instantly, similar to an experience you wold have with a high quality Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Beeler never mixes milk from different dairies or uses milk that has to travel because, “when milk is shipped from hundreds of miles away, it loses its, how you say…terroir. I like the farmer to know the name of each cow.”

Here are some great Rolf Beeler cheeses to try right now:

• Gruyere
• Hoch Ybrig
• Appenzeller
• Prattigauer

-Chris Farris
Culinary Advisor

Artisanal Premium Cheese can be excellently paired with a number of great cocktails. Here are several recommendations.

1. Los Beyos with a Gin Martini – The crumbly texture of this Spanish cow’s milk cheese will bring out the taste of a dry Gin Martini.

2. Parmigian Reggianao with a Bloody Mary – Parmigiano has a long history of tomato pairings, and stands true with this tomato juice based cocktail.

3. Aged Gouda and Scotch – The salty caramel tones enhance the smokiness of a good scotch.

4. Pierre Robert with a Tequila Sunrise – Fruit based drinks match well with this triple-crème cow’s milk cheese.

5. Rockie Sage and a Long Island Iced Tea – Pair this savory goat cheese with a refreshing Long Island Iced Tea.

Looking for more cheese and cocktail pairings? Take a look at a number of gin and cheese pairings that were created with Bombay-Sapphire.

The summer is a time to stay away from heavy foods. We have a preconception that cheese is a fatty food that is more appropriate for the cooler months, but this is entirely wrong. The summer is a time when animals are going through a natural lactation process which produces some of the best young fresh cheeses which can be enjoyed with a fine glass of crispy white or light red.

My favorite cheeses during July and August are the Loire valley and Vermont Goat cheeses. They have beautiful acidity with grassy undertones which are very enjoyable with a light Albarino from Galicia or Muscat from Alsace. Try the Saint Maure.

The other cheeses which are really at their peak right now are the soft Torta‘s from Spain and the Serra’s from Portugal which work with one of the few reds which should be drank chilled, fruity Beaujolais from Southern Burgundy. Artisan cheeses are seasonal products which have time and place throughout the year, so don’t spend a summer with out some chilled wine and great cheese!

- Gabriel Edelman
Culinary Advisor

Question: Are all blue molds good for cheese?

A short answer will say not all molds are desirable on cheese, but some are a confirmation of quality.

Most of the lactic goat’s milk cheeses will welcome Penicillium album, a mold that changes from white to blue as it slowly covers the cheese. According to the Syndicate of Pelardon from France, “this type of Penicillium is very interesting as we can conduct different types of affinage (maturing) than with the traditional Geotrichum”. Penicillium produces proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes which influence aroma and play an important role in ripening/aging. Under blue Penicillium the paste begins to become creamier and homogeneous. The aroma of the cheese becomes more subtle.

Other blue molds like Glocum and Aspergilus are undesirable in dairies. They are easy to recognize as they produce an unpleasant earthy taste. Good artisanal cheesemakers will use Penicillium album, which is much more natural than microfiltration, ultra pasteurization or additive again blue mold like antifungal E235 (a GMO).

If you are confused between good and bad blue mold, just cut off the rind and your taste buds will never know the difference. Do not ask artisan cheesemakers to manipulate their natural product to avoid these brightly colored molds, because they are a part of the natural cheese making process. Changing centuries old traditions makes the term ‘artisan’ become meaningless.

Denis Cottin
Affineur

We all know that everything tastes better with cheese – but have we considered certain combinations? Sure, we have the quintessential wine and cheese pairings, the fabulous cheeseburger and the classic grilled cheese. Yet, is that where we can limit the power of cheese?

I think not.

One of my favorite combinations is the marriage of cheese with fresh fruit. Summer is here and some fabulous combinations are now available. Take some fresh peaches, a few slices of Brie de Nangis, add a few shaved almonds and you have perfection! Then there is the combination that may not sound particularly inviting, but don’t knock it ‘till you try it: Gorgonzola and pineapple. The pineapple’s sweetness helps counter the Gorgonzola’s natural bite and talk about opposites attracting! Take it one step further and grill some pineapple slices before spreading on the blue. Make sure to be seated before you take a bite…

Plums and Zamorano are perhaps one of the loveliest combinations right now, as well as fresh berries and some triple-crème cheeses like Nettle Meadow Kunik, Pierre Robert, or Brillat Savarin. Its no wonder the French each cheese for dessert – how much more decadent can you get?

But don’t fret when the summer days turn into fall and your fruit selection starts slimming. There is a wonderful combination that can make you forget about the creeping cold and that happens to be my particular favorite: forget about shaving Parmigiano Reggiano over pasta: eat it by the chunks and pair it with apples or pears.

Diana Chiodi
Culinary Advisor

Last week, we had the opportunity to host events in our classroom for the Fancy Food Show. We divided the night events into Meet the Authors and Meet the Cheese makers with a special Artisanal breakfast held on Sunday morning. As usual we endured long days and nights of work but all with great pleasure. It was an opportunity to present to people in the industry our CheeseClock and innovative retail packaging, but it was also a time in which we could celebrate with some of the players that make a difference in the cheese world.

Sunday morning our roastmaster Keith Geter put together a beautiful event that featured our single estate coffees. Sunday night we had some of our industry’s most notable writers: Paula Lambert, Max McCalman, Jeff Roberts and Clark Wolf; they autographed copies of their books to the guests who came in big numbers.

On Monday night we had a wide array of cheese makers come in and present their cheeses, fresh from our class on Saturday, Allison Hooper and David Gremmels, the always charming Paula Lambert, Pat Ford, Jeff Jirik, Shaena Davies, Wisconsin milk Advisory Board represented by Sara Hill and so many others. Journalist, retailers, and friends alike came together during these special events to show support for the industry and our company.

Time flies when you are having fun and we take the time to thank everyone that made these magical events happen, as we gear up for next year when our doors will be open again to the cheese world at large.

-Waldemar Albrecht
Director of Business Development

A lot of people think that Summer is too hot for having cheese but it’s time to have something more refreshing.

Let me tell these people that they are flat out wrong. Summer IS the best time to enjoy cheese. Indeed sheep and goats have been grazing since this Spring on luscious and fresh grass. Their diet has become richer and therefore the cheeses made from their milking will be more complex in flavors. We should all be splurging on Saint-Maure, Banon de Chalais, Creme de Chevre, and Laurier.

The large wheels of cheeses such as Comte du Fort des Rousses, Hoch Ybrig, Tarentaise 1 year old made last year have now reached a certain maturity.

So here we are with the largest cheese selection available.
Let’s not forget the fresh cheeses like the Hoja Santa, aged Crottin that make your mouth water as well that you will rinse with your favorite rosé or perfectly chilled white wine. There is however one category I will stay away during Summer: the washed-rind cheeses. They are to me too strong for being part of my Summer selection. On the other hand sometimes it is hard to resist to a perfectly affine one like a Livarot or Affidelice! Have a Great Summer with cheese!

Toni Amira
Director of Sales

“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.”
(loosely translated: The more things change, the more they stay the same.)
Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr (1808-1890) French critic, journalist, and novelist.

My mother always told me to try new food once and if I didn’t like it, try it again in a few months because she explained that our bodies and minds are in a constant state of evolution, and what might taste awful today might be delicious tomorrow. Which brings me to my latest “new favorite cheese” Taleggio (pronounced: tah-LED-joh).

When I first tried this Italian “stinky cheese”, about a year ago, I was a bit put off by the smell and didn’t give it much attention. However, after tasting dozens of different cheeses over the next twelve months, my palate began to progress; trying Taleggio again last month I realized that while the cheese hadn’t changed, I had. Another favorite of mine is Robiola Bosina, and Taleggio reminds of a more mature, more complex, more interesting relative of this Robiola. They both share a similar texture, a very creamy chewyness that is quite satisfying, and are both one of the few cheeses which can be enjoyed still chilled from the caves (or refrigerator at home). And while they both have an edible skin the Taleggio’s is a washed rind that has an almost imperceptible crispiness in its texture and a taste that is surprisingly mild for one so multifaceted. As usual, I’m glad that I followed my mother’s advice and gave this fantastic cheese a second chance.

“There are always new things to experience, internalize then write about. This process is ongoing with me. It never stops.”
Graham William Nash (b.1942) British singer-songwriter

Heather
Executive Assistant

As with wine, cheese changes with age. Everything transforms: rind, paste, flavor…Without the dedicated care of the Affineur, cheeses will dry, crack and arrive at your table in poor condition. In particular cellars called “caves” the affineur watches the cheeses as they change, and makes sure they are just right when they reach your table. Here are some general guidelines to follow once the cheeses make their way from our caves to your home.

Storing
The best way to store cheeses will be in “cheese cage” (in a basement, or somewhere cool) at 10 C / 50 F. If your room is too dry, place a damp cloth on top of the cheeses to keep them at the right humidity. If you don’t have access to a cage, or a basement, store them in the vegetable tray of your refrigerator.

Serving
Cheese affine (Aged cheese):
As much as possible, take them out an hour before serving to be able to taste them around 16 to 18 C / 60 to 65 F. Of course if you do a BBQ on a very hot day, don’t put them out for an hour at 30 C / 80 F as they will arrive melted and be serve cooked. The goal is to serve them with full flavor, but not altered.

Fresh Cheese:
Serve fresh cheese, like brillat savarin or mozzarella di bufala with herbs (basil, thyme…) and spicy sauce in beginning of the meal, or with fruits and maple syrup or honey as a dessert at end of the meals. For brunch I let my guests serve themselves with fresh brillat as they like it, with a mimosa. It’s wonderful for a beautiful weekend.

Tips
If you find your goat cheese a little too goaty, then pour a little drop of extra virgin olive oil on top of them. This will offset almost all of the goat’s flavor.

You want a new flavor? Then pour a drop of argane oil instead of olive oil. This will give a hazelnut flavor to your cheese which will really complement a Chardonnay.

If you have young guest with delicate palate, mix your Roquefort with unsalted butter. It will become much milder and less salty.

Denis Cottin
Affineur