The BelGioioso Family of Cheeses – Part Two – The Hard Cheeses of BelGioioso

T Minus Four Days and Counting…You can still vote and comment about whether you think The Lady should take me to Wisconsin by clicking here…cast your votes…

Mathilda, my new love, has voted that I stay in Vancouver and let The Lady do her own thing in Wisconsin. Your caring is causing me great distress…what to do??? What to do??? The Lady says the voting is close and she will continue to review the votes and comments through Monday before she makes her final decision. (I am already packed and ready to go…Mathilda…please understand that if I do go, I shall return to you…you can trust me…)

In 1979 Errico Auricchio moved his family from Italy to the United States with the single goal of making great Italian cheeses in the tradition that his family had honored for over a century.

In Part One, I reviewed Provolone, American Grana, Mascarpone and Fontina. In Part Two, I will review the other Hard Italian cheeses that Errico makes at BelGioioso.

Asiago

 

 

Asiago

 

 

This is a favorite of The Lady. She takes a couple of bones (the rind) of Asiago and tosses them into her marinara sauce to take it to a new level. She has a customer at the kiosk who buys both Asiago and Parmesan bones to add to sauces and soups. This client and his wife are adopting a vegetarian life style and the flavor from the bones helps them make the transition.

Asiago is aged at least five months and has a sweet and nutty flavor. It is made from part skim milk. In 2008 this Belgioioso cheese won third Place at the American Cheese Society Awards.

I give Asiago 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: As mentioned above, toss some of the rind into your favorite marinara sauce or soup for added flavor. This cheese makes an excellent table cheese and is perfect for snacking. Cube this cheese and toss it with pasta. You can top it with crusty Italian bread with charcuterie, artichoke hearts, olives and sprinkle with olive oil for a tasty Italian sandwich. You can shred it on pizza, bagels, breadsticks and broil to melt the cheese. You can add Asiago to dips and serve with your favorite crudités. Grill veggies and sprinkle Asiago on top with a little olive oil. I find that tossing Asiago with a little sautéed Mustela nivalis (not to be confused the two-legged species that populate too many workplaces, particularly the US Congress, according to The Lady…certainly not by this feline…) and it is simply bellissimo.

Wine Pairings: Full-bodies red wine.

Beer Pairings: Nut Brown Ale, Malty Brown Ale

Source: Wisconsin Cows’ Milk

Awards: Several since the 1990s including the Third Place noted above.

 

Parmesan

 

 

Parmesan

 

 

Made from skim milk and aged over ten months, this hard cheese is one of the great cheeses of the world. It is used in everyday cooking and also is absolutely the best as a table cheese. The Lady loves to let it sit out for an hour and then serve it with grapes and pears. Like Asiago, it is sweet, buttery and nutty to taste. Even though it is hard, it crumbles well when sitting at room temperature.

I give Parmesan 4 Paws out of Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: The best known sauce is Alfredo and before the diet, The Lady made an Alfredo sauce that brought tears to The Man’s eyes. She tossed pasta, frozen peas (which warm up enough from the heats of the pasta and the sauce and require NO cooking before adding) and julienned Boar’s Head Sweet-sliced ham with her Alfredo sauce. Easy, simple; yet elegant…I miss the good ole days before that damned diet… mix Parmesan into mashed potatoes; top asparagus and bake it; sprinkle grilled veggies; grilled chicken…just about any entrée can benefit from adding Parmesan. With fruit, it makes a terrific light dessert.

Wine pairings: Oaked merlot, Meritage blends

Beers pairings: A Marzen lager

Source: Cow juice

 

Romano

 

 

Romano

 

 

Another hard Italian cheese from BelGioioso that is aged five months and possesses a strong, sharp taste that makes it one of the more popular Italian cheeses. In 2004 and again in 2008, the American Cheese Society awarded BelGioioso Romano cheese First Place – Best of Class. Again, as with most hard Italian cheeses, Romano is a versatile cheese and makes most dishes better when added.

I give Romano 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: You haven’t lived until you have added Romano to your favorite mac n cheese. This cheese goes well in risotto; add it to your bread and pizza dough; melt it on your favorite veggies and add it to your sauces and soups. Again, you can pretty much do anything with this cheese.

Wine Pairings: Full bodied reds

Beer Pairings: Bohemian Pilsner

Source: Here’s a newsflash…Cows’ Milk

Awards: Best of Class 2004 and 2008 – American Cheese Society

 

I will conclude my reviews of the BelGioioso Family of Cheeses on Sunday.

Tomorrow I will review Beecher’s Flagship Reserve, which The Lady began selling and sampling in the Cheese Kiosk today. She is so in love with this cheese. She brought a piece home for The Man and me. We will have it tomorrow with a glass of appropriate adult beverages and then I will review it.

Mithilda, sleep well tonight and sweet dreams…

If You Build It, They Will Shop

The Lady has a new job. She’s still a Cheese Steward; but she was promoted to “Lead” at another store that recently added a Cheese Kiosk. She had the task, along with her friend, Amy, the Queen of Cheese, to build the kiosk from the risers up. Craig, who is working with The Lady, assisted them. They had two weeks to bring the kiosk to life and get it ready for the “Grand Opening” on January 30^th. It was a lot of work; but they did it and the kiosk is beautiful. (I only viewed pictures. Cats are not allowed inside grocery stores here on earth, not even one as sophisticated as this feline foodie. We are considered unclean…I spend half my waking time bathing. How many humankinds can say the same, other than perhaps Felix Unger??? But I digress…)

Here’s the skinny on the new Kiosk. It is the same design as the one where The Lady had worked since July. Amy set the same schematic beginning with the Italian cheeses, moving to the Spanish cheeses; followed by the English and French cheeses and ending with the blues. The air screen contains the more fragile cheeses such as Bries and Triple Creams.

In addition to the Cheese and the Antipasti Bar, this Kiosk has a Salsa Bar that offers up fifteen varieties of salsas, dips and spreads including a divine, locally made Baba ghanoush. Another friend, Kim, set the Antipasti and Salsa Bar schematics for The Lady.

 

The Kiosk before the Cheese is added

The Cheese Arrives

Ready for the Grand Opening

Another first for The Lady is Sea Salts; several gourmet salts from around the world. There are French Grey Sea Salts, Hawaiian Salts, Smoked Salts, Flaked Salts, Blending Salts and Mineral Salts. Who knew??? And the colors are marvelous; peach, chocolate, bright white, grey and burnt orange. The display, which was designed by Debbie, another of The Lady’s friends, who works with Amy, is beyond beautiful and showcases the salts dramatically. Some of the salts retail for $30.00 a pound; but you only need to buy a small container, which will last a year or more, depending on your consumption. You can also buy blocks of salt and use a rasp to grate it yourself as needed. The blocks of the peach-colored Murray River Salts from Australia are quite eye-catching and would look great in any gourmand’s kitchen.

Gourmet Sea Salts

Blues, Blues and More Blues…

According to wikipedia.org, “blue cheese” is a “general classification of cow’s milk, sheep’s milk or goat’s milk cheeses that have had Penicillium cultures added so that the final product is spotted or veined throughout with blue, blue-gray or blue-green mold and carries a distinct smell.”

 

As I mentioned when I reviewed the Rogue Creamery Blue Cheeses, these cheeses don’t do much for this feline foodie but The Lady and The Man are big fans and The Lady suggested I review a few for you. I have agreed but will not give any of the cheeses my signature “Paw” designation…similar to the AOC, PDO, DOP designations given to European cheeses…but better, of course…

 

First a brief history of blue cheese.

 

It is believed that “blue” cheese was discovered by accident (as was cheese in general). Cheese was aged in caves, which were temperature and moisture controlled. The moisture, in particular, was conducive to the growth of many molds and “blue” most likely was one that grew well in that environment. The earliest known blue cheese was Gorgonzola in the 9^th century AD; followed by Roquefort in the 12^th century. Stilton is a “late-comer”; having come along in the 18^th century.

 

Gorgonzola, Roquefort and Stilton are blue cheeses, which like wine and other agricultural products carry the “PDO” (protected designation of origin) stamp of the EU. Additionally, France protects Roquefort; Italy protects Gorgonzola and England protects Stilton. As I have discussed elsewhere in this blog, protected cheeses can only bear the name if they are made in a particular region or a country following strict guidelines for production.

 

An interesting bit of trivia: The bacterium brevibacterium linens which gives blue cheese its pungent smell is the same bacteria that causes human foot odor…who knew??? Every once in a while The Lady says that customers make the comment that certain cheeses smell like dirty socks…now you know why…

 

In alphabetical order, here are many of the blues that The Lady sells at the Cheese Kiosk:

 

Bleu d’Auvergne.

Copyright dotgourmet.com 2009

Well-respected French Cheesemaker, Antoine Roussel in the middle part of the 19th Century, created this cheese. Again, it was an “accident” that helped Roussel develop this cheese. He noticed that blue molds on his curds created a pleasant taste. He began experimenting with methods to give his cheese blue veins. After several failures, he discovered that rye bread mold did the trick and when he pricked the curd with a needle, the mold entered the cheese and grew successfully.

 

This cheese boasts the French AOC protection.

 

Today it is pricked using mechanical needles and is aged in wet, cool caves for between four to eight weeks.

 

The Man likes this blue better than The Lady as it is stronger than she prefers.

 

Source: Cow’s Milk

 

Black River Gorgonzola.

Vegetarian – Suitable

 

Winner: 2009 Feline Foodie Awards: Best Everyday Blue/Gorgonzola

 

Award-winning Black River Gorgonzola

An Award-Winning Gorgonzola from Wisconsin. The North Hendren Co-op Dairy that manufactures this cheese uses fresh milk and is certified rBGH free.

 

This is the most affordable blue cheese offered at the Kiosk and The Lady will crumble it for customers for $1.00 more per pound. As previously discussed on this blog, even with the “surcharge”, buying the crumbled cheese from the Kiosk is cheaper than the pre-packaged product offered elsewhere in the store.

 

This is a wonderful cheese; especially for the price. It is a medium flavor and The Lady likes this one more than the stronger blues.

 

Source: Cow’s Milk

 

Fourme d’Ambert.

Copyright frenchcheese.co.uk 2009

This cheese dates from Roman times and is presented in a tall cylindrical shape. Penicillium roqueforti is injected into this cheese and aged for at least 28 days. Also, during the aging process, the cheese is injected weekly with Vouvray moelleux, a sweet, white wine. This cheese has the AOC protection.

 

A bit of trivia about Fourme d’Ambert. A likeness of this cheese is sculpted above the entrance to the medieval chapel Chaulme.

 

Although this blue cheese is generally manufactured with pasteurized milk, an artisan version using raw milk is becoming more prevalent. There is also a rumor that a farm production of this milk is also being made; but I was unable to confirm the rumor.

 

Source: Cow’s Milk

 

Gorgonzola Dolce:

Copyright kirkfoods.com.uk 2009

A sweet, young Gorgonzola from Italy, this cheese has both the DOC and PDO protection designations. Gorgonzola is made in both the Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Italy from unskimmed milk. This version is sweet and buttery. It spreads easily and its veins are pale blue-green in color. The Lady particularly likes this cheese because it is milder and creamier that other blues she sells.

 

This cheese has metal rods inserted into it during the aging process, which creates channels for the mold spores to germinate and create the desired veining.

 

Most Gorgonzolas are wrapped in foil. Dolce is wrapped in a green foil.

 

Gorgonzola Picante:

Copyright idealcheese.com 2009

This blue is from the same manufacturer and is the same cheese except that is aged for a longer period of time, which makes it more crumbly and less creamy. It also has a stronger Taste. The Man prefers this cheese to the milder Dolce. The Picante version is wrapped in blue foil.

Source: Cow’s Milk

 

Kerrygold Blue.

New from this respected manufacturer of Irish cheeses, including Dubliner, a cheddar loved world-wide. Kerrygold Blue is a mild lemon-yellow cheddar with blue veining. It has been a wonderful addition to the Kiosk and The Lady likes to pair it with South African Peppadews from the Antipasti Bar.

 

Source: Cow’s Milk

 

Maytag Blue.

Vegetarian Suitable

Copyright roadfood.com 2009

By many, this is the “standard” by which all American Blue Cheeses are judged. The Lady disagrees. This cheese was developed in the early 1940s at the Maytag Dairy Farm near Newton, Iowa (home of the Maytag Corporation). Third and fourth generation members of the Maytag Family still own and run the Dairy Farm.

 

This cheese is made from homogenized milk, a process developed by two Iowa State University microbiologists in the late 1930s.

 

Source: Homogenized Cow’s Milk.

 

Roquefort.

Copyright eurogrocer.com 2009

This cheese, by many, is THE blue cheese. It is made from sheep’s milk and is cave-aged. It is the first cheese in France to receive the AOC protection in the 1920s.

 

This cheese is chalky white, crumbly and moist. The veins of mold are a unique green color and the characteristic odor and flavor are from the butyric acid. The flavor has many layers. It starts mild, becomes sweet, changes to smoky and ends with a salty finish. The Lady claims that fans of Roquefort will not consider buying any other blue cheese.

 

From wikipedia.org, the following are the AOC regulations that govern the production of Roquefort cheese:

 

1. All milk use must be delivered at least 20 days after lambing has taken place.
2. The addition of rennet must occur within 48 hours of milking.
3. The Penicillium roqueforti used in the production must be produced in France from the natural caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
4. The salting process must be performed using dry salt.
5. The whole process of maturation, cutting, packaging and refrigeration of the cheese must take place in the commune of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.

Source: Raw Sheep’s Milk.

 

Shropshire Blue.

Copyright freewebs.com 2009

This cheese is made in England and is a cheddar cheese injected with blue mold. The Cheese Kiosk carries the version made by Long Clawson. This cheese was first made in the 1970s at the Castle Stuart Dairy in Inverness. It was originally called “Blue Stuart” but for some strange (and unknown) reason, it was marketed as “Shropshire Blue” despite the fact that is has no link, whatsoever, to the county of Shropshire.

 

The Man loves to melt this blue on his Angus Burgers rather than using the more standard faire of plain cheddar.

 

Source: Cow’s Milk

 

Saint Agur Blue.

Copyright thehouseofcheese.ca 2009

The cheese company Bongrain developed this cheese in 1988. In addition to the milk used to produce this cheese, it also is enriched with cream and contains about 60% butterfat. This qualifies it as a double cream cheese. This cheese is soft, creamy with a much more subtle and mild flavor than that of Roquefort. It also has olive green veins of mold. It also melts well in addition to being easily spreadable.

This cheese is a favorite of The Lady.

 

Source: Pasteurized Cow’s Milk.

 

Stilton Blue.

Vegetarian Suitable

Copyright grantgoodmorrow.com 2009

This cheese is a EU PDO cheese. It is only manufactured in three counties of England and according to a very strict code. Only eight dairies are currently producing the cheese. The Cheese Kiosk carries the Stilton made by The Thomas Hoe Stevenson Dairy, which is a part of the Long Clawson Dairy Co-op.

 

According to wikipedia.org, in 1936 the Stilton Cheesemakers’ Association was formed to lobby for regulations to protect the quality and origin of the cheese, and in 1966 Stilton was granted legal protection via a certification trademark, the only British cheese to have received this status.

 

Bit of trivia about Stilton cheese. This cheese cannot legally be produced in the village of Stilton.

 

Source: Cow’s Milk.

  

Tholstrup’s Blue Castello.

Copyright igourmet.com 2009

This is a triple cream cheese from Denmark that was developed in the 1960’s. It has a fat content of 70% and its smooth, rich texture is similar to Brie, and other Triple-Cremes, especially Cambozola. The rind is washed like Brie and hosts various molds that add to the mild, spicy flavor.

 

Source: Cow’s Milk

 

Valdeon Blue.

Copyright hotpaella.com 2009

This is a Spanish Blue Cheese that The Lady does not like; but The Man is a big fan. And the reason is quite simple; it contains some goat’s milk and The Lady just doesn’t like it because…yep…you guessed it…”It’s too goaty!!”

 

Source: Cow’s, Sheep’s and Goat’s Milks

Serving Suggestions for Blues: The creamier blues spread well on bread, especially French Baguettes. Blues go well with fruit, especially pears. You can melt it; you can crumble it on salads; you can add it to salad dressings; you can cook with it.

Wine Suggestions: Blues stand up well with more robust wines and ports.

Cheese and Antipasti Pairings

Antipasti or Antipasto means “before the meal” and is generally the first course of the formal Italian dinner. The Lady’s good friend, Carol, comes from a traditional Italian Family where holiday meals always include Antipasti and a course of pasta. She also serves Italian Wedding Soup, which has nothing to do with weddings. The name comes from the concept of “marrying” flavors…who knew??? According to The Lady, Carol is very particular about the size of the miniature meatballs that go into this wonderful soup.

 

Traditional antipasto includes olives, roasted garlic, mushrooms, grilled eggplant, marinated bell peppers, roasted tomato strips, artichoke hearts, charcuterie, pepperoncini, provolone and mozzarella cheeses. It is usually drizzled with olive oil as well. Unlike hors d’oeuvre, antipasto is served at the table and signifies the beginning of the meal.

 

Half of the Cheese Kiosk is the Antipasti Bar that in addition to many, many olives is also “home” to other Mediterranean delicacies. The Lady and her Co-Cheese Stewards like to come up with ways to sample the items by pairing them with the cheeses they sell. Divina, the primary distributor of the items in the Antipasti Bar has provided a couple of booklets with recipes and also suggestions for pairings. In addition, The Lady and her Co-Cheesemongers like to experiment and invent pairings of their own.

 

I rarely eat veggies and have little interest in olives, garlic and onions; but where there is cheese; you can find me sniffing around. The only things I like that grow in the ground usually have four legs or slither around. My name is Spaulding Gray and I am a carnivore by nature.

 

The first three pairings listed below are the most popular and generate terrific sales for both antipasti and cheese. The rest are in no particular order.

 

Goat Gouda and Green Halkidiki Olives with Sicilian Herbs. The Lady, as you already know, does not care for Goat Cheese but finds Cablanca Goat Gouda to be mild and not too goaty. It also pairs well with this green olive and the customers love this combination. When they pair these two items they sell lots of both items.

 

Gruyere and Balsamic Onions. This pairing consists of small onions that have been marinated in balsamic vinegar, which makes them amazingly sweet. When paired with the Gruyere, the result is a taste sensation akin to French Onion Soup.

 

Blue Cheese and Peppadews. Peppadews are a small red pepper from South Africa that is both sweet and spicy. They pair well with any blue cheese and The Lady samples these peppers with Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton and Kerry Gold Blue. There’s something about the “blue’ component that makes this pairing a winner every time.

 

Other popular pairings include:

 

Fresh Mozzarella balls with red roasted tomatoes; Almond-Stuffed Green Halkidiki Olives with Spanish Manchego; Kalamatas pair well with Feta; Blue Cheese-Stuffed Green Halkidiki Olives with Rembrandt Aged Gouda; Garlic-Stuffed Green Halkidiki Olives with Asiago; Red Pepper-Stuffed (Pimento) Green Halkidiki Olives and Fontina.

 

The “Purdy” Martini…

 

The Lady has a customer, Mr. Purdy, whom she adores. He fought in WWII and has been married to his high school sweetheart for more than sixty years. He loves the Antipasti Bar and accuses The Lady of addicting him to new tastes, including the Peppadews and the Balsamic Onions. Mr. Purdy adds a marinated garlic clove into his favorite drink, the gin martini. The Man tried it and suggests that you let the garlic further marinate in the gin (or vodka) and enjoy it last. The taste sensation is…well…sensational. And that is how you make The Purdy Martini…

New Year’s Eve with The Lady and The Man

The Lady and The Man don’t party “hearty” on New Year’s Eve but they do enjoy ringing in the New Year (via HDTV) with the million or so humankinds crowded into Time Square in New York City.

 

After the ball drops at midnight, The Lady and The Man dance to Auld Lang Syne and then feebly croon along as Frank Sinatra sings New York, New York. The Lady and The Man call it “Our Song”; something I don’t understand for two reasons: they didn’t write it and they can’t sing worth a darn, with all due respect. To say they can’t carry a tune would be disrespectful to Roseanne Barr or dogs baying at the moon…but I digress…

 

The Lady was delighted a few days ago when she received an email from Better Homes and Gardens with recipes for several appetizers that all used cheese as a main ingredient. She printed a few and shared them with her other Cheese Stewards at the Kiosk.

 

Two she decided to prepare for New Year’s Eve and “share” with The Man and The Cat.

 

The first one was Hot Artichoke and Asiago Dip. As the name implies it featured Asiago Cheese, a hard Italian Cheese that is sold at the Kiosk. The recipe also used Artichoke Hearts and Roasted Red Peppers, which came from the Antipasti Bar section of the Kiosk. (The Lady used Baby Artichoke Hearts.) Because this dip was very rich and creamy; The Lady and The Man ate only a few bites. Assuming I would react the same way; they shared a small amount with me. I do wish they would allow me to make such determinations on my own.

 

Woohoo, this is one tasty dip. In addition to the divine Asiago, the ingredients also included Cream Cheese, a cheese The Lady shared with me back in the day before she went on THE Diet…she liked to have cream cheese on her bagel and always give me a spoon of it to enjoy as she ate her bagel. Somedays, I miss the good ole days…

 

Please note: The Lady used shredded Asiago from the Kiosk, one of the “extra” services they offer customers. For an additional one-dollar per pound, they will shred several of the Hard Italian cheeses or Gruyere, which is used extensively in recipes, especially around the holidays. They also crumble Blue Cheeses upon request. A tip for you, it is usually cheaper to request the shredding and crumbling at the Kiosk than it is to buy the pre-packaged cheeses. One Blue that The Kiosk sells is Black River Gorgonzola, an Award-Winning Wisconsin Blue. At the Kiosk, it runs just under $10.00 per pound crumbled; however, the same cheese is sold pre-packaged elsewhere in the store and costs about $16.00 per pound.

 

The prudent shopper always checks the “per pound rate” when buying pre-packaged shredded or crumbled cheeses. In fact, it is always prudent to check the per pound price on any food item.

 

The second appetizer that The Lady made was Gourgeres, a miniature cheese puff that used Swiss Gruyere (yep, she bought the shredded Gruyere at the Kiosk). Wow, these were tasty little morsels of cheese, Grey Poupon Mustard and a hint of cayenne pepper. She piped them onto the cookie sheets using a pastry bag and star tip. In addition to being yummy, they were also very eye-pleasing. The Lady does like to cook and is becoming a passable baker, in my humble opinion. Must be that puffy white hat she likes to wear while in the kitchen. 

 

In addition to the two appetizers she prepared, The Lady also served a Pork and Champagne Pate from France. For some reason, this brought to mind the days I spent observing a farmer in the Spanish Province of Ciudad Real. The farmer and his sons were known throughout the region for their superb Jamon Iberico (they did not cross-breed his pigs; raising only 100% cerdo negro). The Lady was discussing this delicacy with The Man and I was shocked to learn that it sells here in the US for about $60 a pound and boneless for as much as $175.00 per pound. The Farmer’s Daughter fed it to me for lunch most everyday following the yearly slaughtering time…another fond memory for this feline foodie.

 

This was my fourth New Years Eve with The Lady and The Man and by far, the most enjoyable for me, despite the “singing”.

Cablanca Goat Gouda

Wheel of Cablanca Goat Gouda

Vegetarian – Suitable

As I have mentioned before, The Lady doesn’t much care for goat cheese. She says it is “too goaty”…hmm, imagine that.

But she brought one home that she likes and ta da…so do I. It is Cablanca Goat Gouda from Holland.

It is a chalky white (think houses along the Mediterranean Sea white), creamy and mild in taste. As goat cheese goes, it’s not “too goaty”. In fact to introduce yourself to goat cheese, this would be a great “entry level” cheese to get your feet wet before moving on to something like Quick’s Hard Goat Cheese.

It has a sweet and almost butterscotch flavor; something it shares with other aged goudas, which rank among the favorites of The Lady and The Man. Holland may not be the cheese capital of the world (France and Italy are duking it out for that title) but those Dutch sure know how to deliver a great Gouda.

I give Cablanca Goat Gouda 3 out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Serve it with fruit, on salads, with crusty bread. Would it be weird to pair Goat Gouda with a pate of Capra aegagrus hircus? I guess if you’re a goat it would be a form of cannibalism.

The Lady sampled it with Greek Green Halkidiki Olives from the olive bar in the kiosk and said the customers went nuts buying both the cheese and the olives.

Wine Pairings: It pairs well with a light Cote-du-Rhone.

Source: 100% Pasteurized Goat’s Milk

Spanish Cheeses

Cheese is an everyday part of the Spanish Diet and each region of the country has their own distinctive cheeses with twelve of them boasting the DO designation.

The Lady’s Kiosk offers six different Spanish Cheeses and claims that all are quite popular. In no particular order they are:

Manchego

Manchego

This DO cheese comes from the Castilla-La Mancha region and is probably the most famous of the Spanish cheeses. By regulation, it can only be made from the milk of the Manchego Sheep, Entrefino breed, thus its name. It has a piquant, buttery and nutty taste. It is soft and crumbly in texture. The wild herbs that are a staple of the sheeps’ diet, contribute to its aromatic taste.

One variety is infused with rosemary, although The Lady does not sell it. This cheese is usually aged for a minimum of one year.

It has a creamy, nutty taste and the sheep milk taste is quite pleasant and not over-powering the way goat milk can be.

Food Network Uber-Chef, Rachel Ray, uses this cheese in many of her recipes, which increases sales according to The Lady. According to the local lore, it was also the favorite cheese of Don Quixote.

I give this cheese 3 out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: A wonderful table cheese; it can also be used in cooking.

Wine and Beer Pairings:

Wine Pairings: Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage

Beer Pairings:

Source: Manchego Sheep, Entrefino Breed

Queso Iberico

Queso Iberico

The label on this cheese boasts that it is the Number 1 cheese in Spain. It looks a lot like Manchego both inside and out; it has a similar rind to Manchego. The flavor is smooth but aromatic and has an oily feel; it is considered a hard cheese and is usually aged up to six months. The brand sold by The Lady is a combination of cow and sheep milk; however, it can also be made using goat milk with cow milk or a combination of all three.

I give this cheese 3 out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Cured meats, Jamon Serrano and Chorizo pair well with this cheese. It is a table cheese but can also be used in cooking.

Wine and Beer Pairings:

Wine Pairings: Malbec, Spanish Red

Beer Pairings:

Source: Cow and Sheep milk blend

Fat Content: 45%

Idiazabal

Idiazabal

This smoky hard cheese from the Basque region of Spain is an excellent grating cheese. Originally it got its smoky flavor because the cheese makers often aged it in their chimneys. It was the flavor acquired from being in the chimneys that helped make it a favorite in Spain and now throughout the world. It has a buttery taste that The Lady compares to young Parmesan. It is a wonderful cheese and I especially enjoy it with a little smoked Salmonidae.

I give this cheese 3 out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Great for grilling and grating; it also pairs well with pears. It is also excellent with quince paste.

Wine and Beer Pairings:

Wine Pairings: Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon

Beer Pairings:

Source: Sheep Milk

Fat Content: Minimum of 6%

Mahon

Mahon

This is one of the few Cow Milk cheeses from Spain and this semi-hard cheese comes from the Island of Menorca. It has a certain sharp and lemony taste that is also on the salty side. Its inedible rind is often colored with paprika to give it a bright orange color. The wheels that The Lady sells are more square than round.

This is a creamy cheese with a mild, almost lemony after taste. It is yummy on the palette especially if you pair it with a slice of Aphelocoma coerulescens pate.

I give this cheese 3 out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Jamon Serrano and Olives are excellent with this cheese.

Wine and Beer Pairings:

Wine Pairings: It pairs well with Rioja, Tempranillo and Madeira.

Beer Pairings:

Source: Cow Milk

Winey Goat

Winey Goat

A semi-soft, goat milk cheese that gets its name from the red wine in which it is soaked for 1 to 3 days. The wine gives it a distinctive violet-colored rind. Mild, fruity and sweet in flavor and less “goaty” taste than many goat cheeses, this is a goat cheese that The Lady kind of likes. (She’s not a big fan of goat cheese; in fact, most of them she just doesn’t like at all…)

Even though The Lady doesn’t care for goat cheese, I find it quite enjoyable; it reminds me of the “tastes” I encountered scavenging for morsels when I was homeless and wandering the streets of Burbank.

I give this cheese 3 out of 4 Paws (because that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Olive-Orange Salsa and Smoked Chorizo go well with this cheese.

Wine and Beer Pairings:

Wine Pairings: Rioja, Cabernet, Grenache-Shiraz Rose

Beer Pairings:

Source: Goat Milk

Valdeon

Valdeon Blue

This blue cheese is strong in flavor, perhaps enhanced by the goat milk element, and is wrapped in either maple or oak leaves and then aged in caves. It is drier than most blues that The Lady sells.

For a blue cheese, this really is the cat’s meow; it’s got a real blue taste that jumps out at you. The Lady likes to pair it (and other blues) with Peppadews; a small South African pepper that is both sweet and spicy.

I give this cheese 3 out of 4 Paws (because that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Goes well with smoked meats and melted on a steak. It also pairs well with Peppadew Peppers from South Africa.

Wine and Beer Pairings:

Wine Pairings: Wines made from the Gamay Grapes such as Beaujolais cru and Muscat.

Beer Pairings:

Source: Cow and Goat Milk

Olive Bar Now Open at the Cheese Kiosk

The Lady has made another video; this time highlighting the new Olive Bar just added to her Cheese Kiosk.

Olives, Schmolives…they don’t do a thing for me; I prefer catnip with my cheese.