Cheese 101: The Eight Faces of Cheese

The Lady has discovered that Customers are often reluctant to ask in-depth questions about cheese and instead either ask her to recommend a cheese she (or I) like or they’ll just pick a cheese that sounds or looks “familiar”.

Your favorite Feline Foodie and Tillamook Cheese Fan of the Month for November (that would be me) thought it might be a good time to start short tutorials about the basics of cheese.

First up: the eight basic styles of cheese – all cheeses fall into one of the following categories and understanding what each style is can help make your next cheese-buying trip anxiety-free and more enjoyable.

Fresh Cheese:  Any cheese that does not undergo any ripening period is a fresh cheese. These cheeses have high moisture content; are mild in taste and have a creamy texture. Fresh cheeses include cottage cheese, cream cheese, and ricotta. While mostly bland, they improve, taste-wise, when mixed with other flavors such as herbs, fruit and sweeteners. These cheeses often have acidic or citrus taste and also the taste of fresh milk. Most of these cheeses should be eaten within a few days to a couple weeks of when the package is opened. These cheeses have a short “Use-by” date.

Other fresh cheeses include Cotija, some Mozzarellas, Queso Fresco, Mascarpone, Feta, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Fromage Blanc, Fresh Goat Cheese aka Chevre, Bel Gioioso Burrata, Crave Brothers Mascarpone, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Crottin, Valencay, Cabecous Feuilles, Bel Gioioso Crescenza-Stracchino and BelGioioso Tiramisu Mascarpone.

Soft-Ripened Cheese: These are cheeses that ripen from the outside in and are soft even when chilled and can be runny when out at room temperature. The outside rind is often a white, bloomy rind that has been sprayed with a mold, usually penicillium candidum, before a short aging period. The most common cheeses in this category are Brie, Camembert and Triple Creams. In the United States most of these cheeses are made from pasteurized milk; whereas in Europe many of these cheeses are still made from raw milk. Because of the FDA Regulation requiring that raw milk cheeses be aged at least sixty days, most European Cheesemakers make both raw milk and pasteurized versions of their cheeses that fall into this category. I have addressed this issue in a separate posting that you might like to read.

Included in this category are Brie de Nangis, Humboldt Fog, St. Andre, Delice de Bourgogne, St. Albray, Champignon, Cambozola, Pierre Robert, Formager d’Affinois, Crave Brothers Les Freres, Florette, Explorateur, St. Maure, Le Chatelain, Soignon Chevrion Buche, Fourgerus.

 Semi-Soft Cheese:  Cheeses in this category have a smooth and mostly creamy interior with little or no rind. Like fresh cheeses, semi-soft cheeses usually have high moisture content and often are very pungent; but can also be quite mild. Raw milk and pasteurized milk are both used in this category. Blues and washed-rind category cheeses can also be in this category.

Semi-soft cheeses include Chaumes, Bel Gioioso Fontina, Havarti, Tillamook Monterey Jack, Bleu D’Auvergne, St. Agur, Bellwether Farms’ Carmody, Roth Kase Petit Swiss, Jarlsberg, Roth Kase ButterKase and young Goudas.

 Washed-Rind Cheese: These cheeses are surface-ripened by washing the cheeses with brine, wine, brandy, beer or other ingredients throughout the aging process. The washing encourages the growth of bacteria and promotes pungent, sometimes very pungent, aromas and are therefore sometimes known as “stinky cheese”. While at Roth-Kase last spring, one of the duties The Lady completed in her Cheesemaking Class was to wash the ripening Gruyere. Also in my review of Taleggio, I state that it is also known as “My Father’s Smelly Feet”. In contrast to their smelly rinds, many of these cheeses are quite mellow and mild in taste such as Epoisses and Taleggio. Both taste absolutely nothing like the way they smell…and that’s a good thing…who would eat cheese that tasted like smelly feet???

Washed-Rind Cheeses include Raclette, Morbier, Epoisses, Taleggio, Pont l’Eveque, Livarot, Le Timanoix, Abondance, Bel Gioioso Italico, Winey Goat and Roth Kase Raclette.

Blue Cheeses: These cheeses have distinctive blue or green veining which is created by injecting penicillium roqueforti mold. This mold adds an easily recognized flavor that ranges from mild to bold and pungent. In Italy these cheeses are called “Gorgonzola”, in France “Bleu” or Roquefort – a protected name and style and in Britain and the US “Blue”.

In this category are Rogue River Blue, Bleu D’Auvergne, Forme d’Ambert, Maytag and Black River Gorgonzola.

Hard/Firm Cheeses: This is a broad category that covers cheeses that may be elastic at room temperature or are hard enough to grate like a Parmesan. Most of the Beemster Premium Goudas fall into this category as do most Cheddars, Swiss-style and Gruyere-style cheeses.

Specific cheeses in the hard category include Beecher’s Flagship Reserve, Comte, Rembrandt Gouda, Parrano, Piave, Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego, Idiazabal, Roth Kase Grand Kru, Emmenthal, Tillamook 2-Year Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar,  Beemster XO and Beemster Vlaskaas.

Natural Rind Cheeses: These are cheeses that develop a natural rind during the aging process without the addition of molds and without washing of the rind. Because they age over several weeks, many of these cheeses are made using raw milk. Many “Tomme” style cheese including Tomme de Savoie are in this category. The rind is usually edible but not necessarily tasty and is often gritty – try a nibble before going full steam ahead with the rind.

Other cheeses in this category include Mimolette, Cantalet, Brillat Savarin, Garroxta, English Stilton (also a blue), Shropshire Blue (another blue), Testun and St. Nectaire.

Spun Cheeses: Often called “Pasta Filata”; these cheeses are usually Italian in origin. As the name says, they are cooked and then kneaded (spun). They can be fresh or very hard grating cheeses depending on the producer. The cooking occurs when the curd is exposed to warm water which in turn makes the curd silky and elastic. The softer cheeses are then brined and the harder cheeses are air-dried.

This category includes BelGioioso Burrata, Mozzarella and Scamorza which all have a high moisture content and BelGioiosos Provolone and Caciocovallo with lower moisture content.

(There is a ninth category sometimes included in a list of cheeses but since your humble feline foodie does not consider it cheese, I refuse to really include it here: processed cheese such as Velveeta, “American Cheese” and other cheeses that can withstand a nuclear war…)

Up Next: Cheese 101: What is a Cheesemonger and other Cheese Vocations

Trouble Brews for Wine; Cheese Chooses Beer

From the Wall Street Journal  (Copyrighted by the wsj.com):

SEPTEMBER 25, 2009

Food & Drink

By DAVIDE BERRETTA

Bra, Italy

After wrestling for a spot on the gourmet drink list, beer is trying to push deeper into wine territory: right by the cheese platter.

“Some cheeses are considered to be jewels. And for now wine is a more prestigious partner,” says Leonardo Di Vincenzo, owner of Birra del Borgo, a young Italian artisanal brewery that has recently begun exporting to the U.S. But once they try beer with cheese, he says, “People are struck by how easily the two go together.”

The combination has long been a staple in Belgian cuisine, but in recent years, the pairing of beer and cheese has gained legitimacy even in wine-obsessed Italy — where beer is hardly the default drink to accompany fine dining. Similarly, in New York, at gourmet beer spots such as the Beer Table, serving cheese with a $10 brew no longer raises eyebrows.

For brewers, teaming up with cheese is part of a campaign to show that beer is as sophisticated as Bordeaux, not just a tipple associated with student parties and sports bars. The idea is to “bring it up at the same level as wine,” says Marc Stroobandt, a master beer sommelier and consultant at U.K.-based F&B Partnership, a company that trains restaurateurs on the best way to pair beer with food. Mr. Stroobandt says he sees “a lot of interest in experimenting” with pairing beer and cheese across Europe and in the U.S.

Slow Food, for one, is putting its clout behind the beer-and-cheese combo. At the nonprofit group’s Cheese 2009 — a biannual international fair held last week in Piedmont, the northern Italian region that shares a border with another cheese superpower, France — cheese lovers and producers from around the world tasted dozens of varieties, with beer helping wash down the food in addition to the usual wine.

Alberto Farinasso, events coordinator for the fair, says Slow Food is eager to give more attention to artisanal brews, and has elevated beer’s role from bit player to supporting actor. In previous editions of the fair, beer was present, but wine was recognized as the default partner for cheese tasting.

This time, the fair’s program and the crowds around the beer stands made it clear that beer no longer plays second fiddle to wine. Of 37 “taste workshops,” six were dedicated to pairing beer with cheeses. On Monday, the last day of the fair, one section dedicated to artisanal beers had to shut down because it had run out of beer to sell.

“It is a very valid union, both in terms of sensory experience and in terms of stories it can narrate,” says Mr. Farinasso.

At the fair, Parmigiano Reggiano, known in Italy as the “king of cheeses,” was paired with Italian artisanal beers. In other workshops, American and Italian microbrews accompanied U.S. cheeses such as Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Wisconsin and Rogue River Blue from Oregon. At another session, 39 people sat for more than an hour, tasting five raw-milk cheeses from central Italy paired with four unpasteurized Italian beers, guided by the cheese and beer producers.

Mr. Di Vincenzo, who led two of the beer workshops, says pairing beer and cheese is a no-brainer — “like bread and cheese. Beer is a bit like liquid bread.”

“The bitter note of hops gives a skimming strength that allows to cleanse the mouth from the fat” in cheeses, allowing for a better savoring of the flavors, he says.

Part of the appeal comes from the fact that beer and cheese are part of a common farm cycle. In the 19th century, Belgian monks would brew beer, feeding their cows the leftover barley husks. The cows’ milk yielded cheese that the monks — many of them vegetarians — liked to munch while enjoying their beers.

“You will often hear the argument that cows don’t eat grapes,” says Justin Philips, owner of New York’s Beer Table, a gourmet beer bar in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood. Mr. Philips, who has been serving beer and cheese since opening the bar a year and a half ago, says palates have warmed quickly to the pairing, such as his proposed meeting of Swiss cheese with Swiss Rebetez beer.

“A year ago, it was a new experience for everybody we presented it to,” Mr. Philips says. “Now just one in 10 are surprised.”

But beer fans still have a long way to go if they want to convince the public that suds are a worthy partner for cheese, especially in France.

“Have you ever seen anyone drink beer in Bordeaux?” asks Emeric Sauty de Chalon, president of 1855, France’s largest online wine shop. Mr. Sauty de Chalon agrees that the most flavorful cheeses have a flavor that is too strong for some red wines, but doesn’t think beer and cheese is necessarily the right alternative.

“With some lower quality cheese, why not?” he says. “But with the most high-quality cheeses from Italy or from France I really would not recommend it. Try something else.”

Mr. Stroobandt, though, thinks consumers just need a little hand-holding. “So far, wine people have been so much better at education and marketing,” he says. “They give people the confidence to try new things, telling them this is how you taste it and appreciate it.”

Write to Davide Berretta at davide.berretta@wsj.com

2009 World Cheese Awards – Categories 53 and 54 – Parmagiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano and Provolone Cheeses

2009 World Cheese Awards

You can view all 2009 World Cheese Award Winners at the official website by clicking here.

53a: Parmigiano Reggiano made before 01/02/2008

award	entry	entered by	phone number
BRONZE	30-month Parmigiano Reggiano – produced by Gennari	Avilton Foods Ltd.	01392 822219

 

53c: Grana Padano made before 01/02/2008

award	entry	entered by	phone number
BRONZE	PDO Grana Reserva	Futura Foods UK Ltd	01666 890500

 

54a: Provolone – mild

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Provolone Cheese	Joseph Gallo Farms	001 209 394 7984
SILVER	Mild Provolone	Sorrento Lactalis	001 7168236262
BRONZE	Mild Provolone	Sorrento Lactalis	001 7168236262

 

54b: Provolone – aged

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Aged Provolone	Bel Gioioso Cheese Inc	001 920 863 2123
SILVER	Aged Provolone	Futura Foods UK Ltd	01666 890500
BRONZE	Provolone Piccante Valpadana PDO – Unpast	Baselica Ltd t/a Fine Italian Foods	020 8671 6622

Stretching Fresh Mozzarella

The Lady made fresh stretched mozzarella on Tuesday at her kiosk and it was all sold by end of business yesterday. In order to improve her skills she watched several videos on how to stretch mozzarella curd today and tells me this one is her favorite and gave her several ideas to use the next time she makes mozzarella:

Saying Goodbye to Piave Vecchio

Piave Vecchio

Certain cheeses are good and yet, for whatever reason (usually money and marketing) they just don’t sell well. Piave Vecchio is one of those cheeses that The Lady can’t seem to make popular. Even with aggressive sampling, Piave just doesn’t fly out the door the way Parmigano-Reggiano does.

Made by a dairy cooperative in the Piave River Valley of Italy, this hard cheese is made from pasteurized cow’s milk and shaped into wheels. It has a dense texture and is straw-colored. Once it is aged, it becomes hard, suitable for grating and tastes slightly sweet, much like a young Parmesan.

Because it is a grating cheese, The Lady likes to use it as an alternative to Grana Padano or Asiago.

Saying goodbye is the result of the cheese being removed from inventory by the corporate “folks” and while The Lady hates to say goodbye to this fine Italian cheese, she understands the reasons.

Arrivedeci, Piave Vecchio, Lei sarà mancato.

This feline foodie gives Piave Vecchio 4 Paws out of 4 Paws.

Serving Suggestons: Grated on Pasta dishes and excellent in risotto and polenta.

Wine  Pairings: Full-bodied white such as a Chardonnay and medium-bodies reds such as Merlot or Zinfandel.

Beer Pairings: Belgium Fat Tire Ale

Source: Cow’s Milk

Goat Cheese: Chevre and Other Incarnations of Ovine Persuasions

The Lady, bless her little cheese soul, handed me a list of cheeses from her kiosk that I had yet to sample and review.

She asked that I look it over and give her a written schedule of when she could expect to have reviews uploaded to the blog.  Those of you who know The Lady, know how bossy she can be (think: IS) and in her lexicon “when” means “right now”…but I digress with my catty comments…

If you have read some of my goat cheese reviews, such as Hard Goat Cheddar, know that goat cheese is not among my favorites, although there are exceptions such as Cablanca Goat Gouda and Vermont Butter and Cheese Company’s Bijou. Therefore it should come as no surprise to many of you that there is no snowball’s chance in Dante’s Inferno, that I’ll be sampling a “list” of goat cheeses, even if the list did come from The Lady.

In order to please (think: appease) The Lady and to protect my taste buds, I decided to post “The List” as an informational guide for those of you foodies who are more adventurous and want to venture into the goat cheese waters.

In alphabetical order:

Banon AOC:

Banon AOC

Banon, aka Banon de Feuilles, is a soft-ripened, French cheese from Provence (of the “herbs de Provence” fame) and is made from raw, goats’ milk. It is circular and wrapped in vinegar-dipped chestnut leaves and tied with raffia prior to shipping. It will fit in the palm of your hand. Banon is a pungent, uncooked, unpressed cheese with a soft white pate. The cheese is aged for about two weeks in an earthen jar and then seasoned with salt and pepper prior to wrapping. It can literally last for years and becomes fiercer in taste as it ages…which means I would be inclined to just toss it into the litter box and cut out the middle cat…just a guess…

Cabecous Feuilles:

Cabecous Feuilles

Cabecous Feuilles is a small disc of fresh goat cheese that is dipped in plum brandy and sprinkled with coarse-ground fresh black pepper from the Perigord region of France. The Lady has tasted this cheese and it goes into the “not my favorite” column of cheeses but she tells me it sells like hot cakes. Like Banon, this cheese is wrapped in chestnut leaves to mature. It is smooth and creamy and pleasantly fragrant with the smell of the brandy. Each disc weighs about one ounce.

Capretta:

Capretta

Capretta is sometimes made from a combination of both goat and cows’ milk (which might make it bearable, but I am not making any guarantees…) in the Canavese area of Piedmonte (Italy) and is aged in natural caves. When young, this cheese is moist and open; as it ages it becomes dense and rich. The Sweet Flavor is accented by the bracing flavor of the Bay Laurel Leaf that usually adorns the top of this cheese.

Florette:

Florette

The Lady sells a lot of this cheese at the kiosk. It is similar in texture and consistency to Brie. Because it is made by Fromagerie Guilloteau, it feels and tastes as rich as a Triple Crème due to the use of “ultrafiltration”, a process that removes water from the milk before the cheesemaking process begins. It is especially soft and creamy at room temperature and retains these characteristics as it ripens and matures.

Gjetost:

Gjetost

Gjetost, which means “brown cheese” in Norwegian, is a (surprise!!) brown whey goats’ cheese from Norway. It has a strong, sweet sharp flavor with notes of caramel. It is very popular as a breakfast spread on toast. It is also used in game sauces for more exotic meats such as elk and reindeer (Holy Smoke, they’re eating Rudolph in Norway…tsk…tsk…I bet he tastes like chicken…)

Soignon Chevrion Buche:

Vegetarian – Suitable Cheese

Soignon Chevrion Buche

Again, The Lady tells me this is a very popular cheese at her kiosk. She sells 5-7 logs of this cheese every week. Buche is made in the traditional log shape with a delicate white penicillium mold rind. It ripens from the outside toward the center with a rich, creamy flavor. The outside is creamier and the center is more of a pate. The outside tastes goatier than the center.  Hmmm…wonder why The Lady hasn’t brought this cheese home…

St. Maure:

St. Maure

This cheese is a smaller version of the Buche above with more citrus flavors that intensify with age.

Valencay:

Valencay

This pyramid shaped cheese is made in the Loire Valley of France and when young has citrus overtones and develops a nuttier taste as it matures. Lore has it that Napoleon, returning from a tough campaign in Egypt, stopped in the City of Valencay and when he saw this pyramid-shaped cheese, he took out his sword and chopped off the top. To this day, the cheese is made with a flat top. Now that’s my kind of man…

 

Again, these are cheeses that I have not tasted and have absolutely no plans to sample them in the near or far future…nada…zip…not gonna happen…but if you like goat cheese, you probably will want to try one or more of these…

Vegetarian Suitable Cheese & Raw Milk Cheese Chart

The Lady gets a lot of requests for cheeses that meet specific dietary needs. After goat cheese (ych…) the next two most requested cheese categories are “Vegetarian Suitable” and cheeses made from raw milk for those following the raw food lifestyle.

The Lady decided to build a chart to help these two lifestyle enthusiasts enjoy cheese more.

CHEESE	VEGETARIANSUITABLE	RAW/PASTEURIZED	SOURCE
Applewood Ilchester	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Asiago		Pasteurized	Cow
Beechers Flagship	No	Pasteurized	Cow
Beechers Flagship Reserve	No	Pasteurized	Cow
Beechers Marco Polo	No	Pasteurized	Cow
Beemster Mustard	No	Pasteurized	Cow
Beemster Vlaskaas	No	Pasteurized	Cow
Beemster Xo	No	Pasteurized	Cow
Berthaut Epoisses		Pasteurized
Black RiverGorgonzola	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Bleu d’Auvergne		Pasteurized	Cow
BlueShropshire		Pasteurized	Cow
BlueberryStilton	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Brescianella Aged
CabecousFeuilles		Pasteurized	Goat
Cablanca Goat Gouda	Yes	Pasteurized	Goat
Caerphilly Somerdale	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Cahill’s IrishPorter	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Cambozola	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Cantalet	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Castello Blue			Cow
Capretta
Champignon	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Chaumes	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Comte	Yes	Raw	Cow
CranberryWensleydale	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Cremier deChaumes
Crottin			Goat
Delice deBourgogne		Pasteurized	Cow
Denhay FarmhouseCheddar		Pasteurized	Cow
Double GloucesterSomerdale	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Emmenthaler	Yes	Raw	Cow
Explorateur		Pasteurized	Cow
Florette		Pasteurized	Goat
Fol Epi	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Fontina d’Aosta		Raw	Cow
Fourgerus		Pasteurized	Cow
Forme d’Ambert		Raw	Cow
Fresh Mozzarella curd		Pasteurized	Cow
Fromager d’Affinois		Pasteurized	Cow
Gaperon Garmy		Pasteurized	Cow
Gorgonzola Dolce		Pasteurized	Cow
Gorgonzola Mountain Aged		Pasteurized	Cow
Grana Padano		Raw	Cow
Greens of Glastonbury	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Gruyere	Yes	Raw	Cow
Humboldt Fog	Yes	Pasteurized	Goat
Iberico		Pasteurized	Cow, Sheep, Goat
Idiazabal		Raw	Sheep
Jarlsberg		Pasteurized	Cow
Kerrygold Blue		Pasteurized	Cow
Le Chatalain		Pasteurized	Cow
Livorot			Cow
Mahon		Raw	Cow (may have up to 5% sheep)
Manchego		Pasteurized	Sheep
Maytag Blue	Yes	Raw	Cow
Mimolette		Pasteurized	Cow
Morbier		Raw	Cow
Muenster Fleur de Sur
Ossau-Iraty		Pasteurized	Sheep
Parmigano-Reggiano		Raw	Cow
Parrano	No	Pasteurized	Cow
Pecorino Romano		Raw	Sheep
Pecorino Toscano		Pasteurized	Pecorino
Piave Vecchio		Raw	Cow
Pierre Robert		Pasteurized	Cow
Pont l’Eveque		Pasteurized	Cow
Provolone (Hanging)			Cow
P’tit Basque		Raw	Sheep
Quicke’s Bad Ass Goat Cheddar		Pasteurized	Goat, really nasty goat
Raclette	Yes	Raw	Cow
Red LeicesterSomerdale	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Rembrandt Aged Gouda	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Ricotta Salata		Raw	Sheep
Robiola Di Rocc		Pasteurized	Goat
Robiola 2 Milk		Pasteurized	Goat & Sheep
Robiola 3 Milk		Pasteurized	Goat, Sheep, Cow
Rogue Crater Lake	Yes	Raw	Cow
Rogue Echo Mtn.	Yes	Raw	Cow
Rogue Grape Leaf	Yes	Raw	Cow
Rogue Oregon Blue	Yes	Raw	Cow
Oregon Smoked Blue	Yes	Raw	Cow
Roquefort Societe		Raw	Sheep
Roth Kase Grand Cru Gruyere	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Roth Kase Grand Queso	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Roth Kase Petit Swiss	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Rozaire Brie de Nangis	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Saint Agur		Pasteurized	Cow
Saint Albray	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Saint Andre	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Soignon Chevrion Buche	Yes	Pasteurized	Goat
St. Marcellin
St. Maure		Raw	Goat
Stilton Blue	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Taleggio		Pasteurized	Cow
Tomme de Savoie	Yes	Pasteurized	Cow
Valdeon		Pasteurized	Goat & Sheep
Valencay		Raw	Goat
W.V. Brindisi	Yes	Raw	Jersey Cow
W.V. Perrydale	Yes	Raw	Jersey Cow
Winey Goat		Pasteurized	Goat

 

This list is comprised primarily of the cheeses The Lady sells in her kiosk and while not yet complete (it will be updated as more information is found), it’s a start to help all those cheeselovers who are vegetarians and/or raw foodies…

The BelGioioso Family of Cheeses – Part Three – Cheeses You Don’t Use Everyday

T Minus 2 Days and Counting…The Lady isn’t sleeping…she claims it’s the excitement of traveling; but I prefer to believe it is anxiety over the repercussions she might encounter in the event she leaves The Cat behind…a feline scorned is…well anyone who has ever been owned by a cat knows what happens when you annoy him…

I thought I would review a few cheeses that most humankinds don’t encounter daily; cheeses you might want to consider the next time you are throwing a party or want to pamper yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burrata

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Winner: 2009 Feline Foodie Awards: Best of Show (tie)

Burrata

This is a rare Italian delicacy that BelGioioso thankfully decided to bring to America. Burrata is fresh mozzarella filled with cream. It is silky on the outside and…well, creamy on the inside. It is sweet and pleasing on the palate. It is made in 8 oz balls and packed in water to extend its shelf life. However, once opened, you should eat within two days for maximum flavor enjoyment.

Due to its delicate nature, BelGioioso suggests that when serving, you remove the seal from the cup, drain the water and cut your portions while the cheese is still in the cup. Remove the portions you are using and reseal the remaining pieces.

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

Serving suggestions: Cut and serve on fresh endive leaves. You can drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Use it as the mozzarella in your next Caprese salad. This is something The Lady plans to do. On an antipasti platter, it goes well with peppers, olives, herbs, melon, grapes and an array of charcuterie.

Wine Suggestions: Something light such as a rose.

Beer Suggestions: Pale Ales

Source: Cows’ Milk

 

 

 

 

Crescenza

 

 

 

Crescenza-Stracchino

Another delicate cheese that you have to hunt to find even in your high-end cheese kiosks. This cheese is a fresh, rindless cheese with a soft and creamy consistency. It is sweet with a slightly tart aftertaste that encourages you to want more.

Originally this cheese was made in the Lombardy and Romagna regions of Italy only in the autumn and winter months as the cows descended from the pastures of these mountainous regions. The exertion of the cows coming down the mountains increased the butterfat content of the milk and the cooler temperatures of the mountains helped keep the cheese fresh as the shepherd guided their cattle home for the winter.

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

Serving Suggestions: Spread this cheese on a toasted baguette, sprinkle with olive oil and fresh chopped herb. You can also spread this cheese across the top of fresh pizza dough; sprinkle with your favorite pizza topping and bake at 450° for fifteen minutes until the cheese is melted and the dough is crisp. It also goes well with fresh strawberries.

Wine Pairings: Champagne

Beer Pairings: Pale Ales

Source: I’ll bet you already know it’s Cow’s milk…

 

 

 

 

Italico

 

 

 

Italico

This is the newest cheese from BelGioioso. It is an elegant, surface-ripened cheese that is aged 60 days to ensure a full, earthy flavor. It has a soft, creamy texture that is supple enough to slice, cube and it also melts easily.

I give this new cheese 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got) – this is a terrific cheese.

Serving Suggestions: Combine cubed Italico with chopped asparagus and diced Roma tomatoes with risotto. Melt this cheese over ravioli and garnish with a homemade marinara and fresh basil. This makes a great dip when melted and mixed with diced artichoke hearts. You can also put it on a cheese platter with crusty bread, pears and almonds.

Wine Pairings: Jurancon

Beer Pairings: Heineken

Source: Cows’ Milk

This concludes my series of reviews of the BelGioioso Family of Cheeses and the other hosts of The Lady’s Wisconsin trip – Roth Kase and Crave Brothers.

I am not sure what my next blog will cover; I can’t get a read on whether The Lady plans to allow me to join her on the trip…I’ll either be one happy kitty or one pissed off feline…you will get a clue tomorrow when The Lady makes her final decision…

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…

BelGioioso Family of Cheeses – Part One – American Grana, Fontina, Mascarpone Tiramisu, Provolone

T Minus 6 Days and Counting – Voting Begins Tomorrow – “Send Spaulding Gray to Wisconsin…or Not…”

 

What do American Grana, Fontina, Mascarpone Tiramisu and Provolone have in common that would cause me to combine them into one blog entry? All of these cheeses are sold by The Lady at The Cheese Island which is adjacent to The Kiosk.

 

 

American Grana

 

 

 

American Grana

Winner: 2009 Feline Foodie Awards: Best Everyday Parmesan

In Italy Grana Padano is the Number #1 Parmesan; The Lady tells her customers that it’s an “everyday Parm”. For the first time an American cheesemaker has captured the greatness of this Italian hard cheese. It is so good The American Cheese Society has honored this cheese twice in the last five years.

It is aged 18 months and has the same full-body and nuttiness of the Italian version. The Lady loves this cheese and anything The Lady loves…well…you can pretty much count on me loving it as well…interesting how that happens, don’tcha think???

I give BelGioioso’s American Grana 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got…but you already knew that…).

Serving Suggestions:  This is a very versatile cheese that can be grated over salads and soups. The Lady likes to grate it into her homemade pizza dough and breads to add an extra level of taste. She makes whole wheat breads and when she adds this cheese, The Man bellies up to the bar to get a hot slice as soon as it comes out of the oven. He claims The Lady’s culinary talents were part of his original attraction to her. She cooked dinner for him early on in their courting days and that closed the deal for The Man. She made spinach salad, BBQ baby back ribs, grits and fresh peach cobbler…a strange combination but it worked; you can’t argue with the results.

Back to American Grana…

You can also create a wonderful risotto dish using this cheese; grate it over asparagus and add it to your favorite lasagna dish. I also found this pan-seared scallops’ recipe on the Eat Wisconsin Cheese website this morning and The Lady plans to make it for dinner. I get scallops for dinner…woohoo!! You can also serve this cheese as a table cheese with fresh fruit and you’ve got an elegant dessert when you splash a little champagne into a glass.

Visit the BelGioioso website for more recipes and suggestions including an Artichoke Dip and Stuffed Vegetable Cannelloni.

Wine Pairings: The general rule of thumb for pairing cheese and wine is “the bigger the cheese is the more robust should be the wine”. Therefore with this “big cheese”, pair it with robust Chianti and other sangiovese-grape wines. If you want to choose an American wine, go with any big California Cab, or an Oregon Pinot Noir.

Beer Pairings: Pair America Grana with moderately hoppy Pale Ales and Amber Ales like Harpoon Ale, Stone Cat Ale, Ipswich Ale, Shoal’s Pale Ale, and Magic Hat Bob’s 1st Ale.

Source: Cow’s Milk…I’m still wondering if sheep and goat are allowed to hang out in the green, green pastures of Wisconsin…

Awards: Second Place 2004 and 2005 – American Cheese Society

 

 

Fontina

 

 

 

 

Fontina

BelGioioso Fontina is aged more than sixty days and has an appealing silky texture with a sweet, buttery and slightly earthy taste. This cheese melts beautifully and can work as the base of most fondue recipes. The Lady likes it on sandwiches. She uses it in mac n cheese on occasion as well.

I give Fontina 3 Paws out of 4 Paws.

Serving Suggestions: Fontina, because it melts so well, you can use it in many Italian recipes both that call for pasta and risotto. You can slice it on artisan bread along with tomatoes and basil for a nice appetizer. On a cheese tray, Fontina is always a hit along with fruits and nuts. You can cube it and add it to pasta salad along with Black Cerignolas and capers. You can also use it to make a quick and creamy Alfredo Sauce.

Wine Pairings: Chianti or Rose

Beer Pairings: English Brown Ale or Porter, Flanders Red Ale, Flanders Oud Bruin, Belgian Dark Ale, Pale Lager, Pale Wheat Ale

Source: Cows’ Milk

Awards: 1999 Wisconsin State Fair Seal of Excellence

 

 

Tiramisu Mascarpone

 

 

 

 

Tiramisu Mascarpone

The Lady LOVES this cheese because it’s the base of her favorite dessert, Tiramisu. She doesn’t make it very often (since the diet, she hasn’t made it once…and that makes The Man very sad) because it takes a lot of time and effort. She puts making tiramisu in the same category as making tamales; when she makes tamales it takes all day. She makes at least one hundred tamales at a time and freezes them. Her friend, Lupe, taught her using an old family recipe from Mexico. Wow…from tiramisu to tamales…now that really is a stretch.

Mascarpone is a rich Italian cream cheese and is used in many dessert recipes.

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

Serving Suggestions: You can combine this cheese mixture with a coffee liqueur and alternate layers of this concoction with layers of fresh fruit; particularly with strawberries or raspberries. As mentioned above, it is the base for Tiramisu, the dessert. You can use it to stuff waffles or crepes. So many ways to use this cheese…so little time to enjoy those desserts…

 

 

 

The Lady's Favorite Dessert

 

 

 

Wine Pairings: Champagne

Beer Pairings: Being a snob, I have to laugh at the concept of beer and tiramisu mascarpone.

Source: Cows’ Milk

 

 

Provolone

 

 

 

 

Provolone

If The Man could only eat one cheese the remainder of his days, he would pick Provolone.

In 2007, the American Cheese Society named this cheese “Best of Class”. In addition to this great honor, BelGioioso Provolone has won many other awards over the last two decades.

Depending of its age, it may be sweet (Dolce) as a young cheese to piquant (sharp) in a more aged cheese. It also comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The Lady brought a bell-shaped piece of Provolone that had a rope for hanging.

In honor of The Man, I give Provolone 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: The Man loves to put Provolone on a Hoagie roll with slices of various cured Italian Boar’s Head meats. He also melts it on his burgers…who knew? The Lady likes to stuff pasta shells with Provolone and top with her homemade marinara sauce. On a cheese platter, it goes well with pears, figs, cashews and olives.

Wine Pairings: Chardonnay

Beer Pairings: Robust Ales

Source: Cows’ Milk

 

There will be no reviews tomorrow…tomorrow will be reserved for voting to send this feline foodie to Wisconsin with The Lady. IF the voting does not go my way, I will still consider a stowaway contingency plan…

And I sign off with a smoochy hello to Mathilda…

Provolone

Tiramisu Mascarpone

Fontina