Collier’s Powerful Welsh Cheddar

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Vegetarian-Suitable – Made using a microbial rennet

In Wales, the coal miners were called “Colliers”; a sturdy group of men who worked the mines in semi-darkness and hard conditions. Collier’s Powerful Welsh Cheddar is named after these brave men who daily risked their lives and considered cheese a staple of their diet; particularly their midday meal which was eaten inside the mines.

The Lady and I are big fans of cheddar; you might say we have never met a cheddar we didn’t like. In fact, many of them we fall in love with and take them home to meet The Man.

One of those cheddars is Collier’s Powerful Welsh Cheddar… some might think that a cheesemaker has big cojones to put “powerful” on the package… but when you can back it up with the goods, then I say, “If you got it; it’s time to flaunt it”.

This is one of those great, sharp cheddars; so “powerful” it’ll “take the back of your head off”, to quote, Gavin, a poker buddy of The Lady and a life-long friend of The Man. Gavin only used this term to describe food he loved and the stronger and bolder the cheese, the more he loved it.

Collier’s is made with pasteurized cow milk from local farms; using the same recipe and aged in Denbighshire for up to sixteen months. This cheese is crumbly, nutty, slightly sweet and toasty. It melts in your mouth and lingers for a long, satisfying finish. It’s robust enough to get you through a long shift in the coal mines… or the cheese mines…

You’re gonna love this cheese…

I give Collier’s Powerful Welsh Cheddar 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: A cheese board is a perfect place to showcase this cheese. With salami and crackers, you’ve got a meal that satisfies even the most discriminating cheese nerd.

Wine Pairing: You need a powerful cabernet to stand-up to this powerful cheese.

Beer Pairing: IPA

Source: Pasteurized Cow Milk

Todd Trethowan’s Gorwydd Caerphilly

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Made Using Raw Milk

All right, I admit that the first review I wrote of a Caerphilly was less than flattering and quite a few of you, my loyal readers, took the time to let me know what an ignorant jackass I was… in my defense, what The Lady and I tasted was a slimy, cryovaced, rindless, white cheese that tasted like grade school paste.

This week The Lady returned from New York and she brought home a wedge of Todd Trethowan’s Gorwydd Caerphilly… holy smokes… this Caerphilly is nothing like what we tasted back in the day…

Originally, Caerphilly was made back in the 18^th Century as a way to use leftover milk. In the 1830’s it became a viable source of income for English Dairy Farmers and somewhere along the way, the Caerphilly train fell off the tracks and became what I tasted and hated.

Caerphilly, with its thick, natural rind was a favorite of Welsh coal miners because it could be eaten with dirty hands. Not only did it make a nutritious lunch in the mines, but the miners believed that the cheese absorbed some of the toxic fumes that often were present in the tunnels. This belief was so widely assumed, that the cheese became an export to other coal mining areas of England.

In 1996, Todd Trethowan returned Caerphilly cheesemaking to the way it is supposed to be… Now Maugan and Kim Trethowan carry on his tradition.

This raw cow milk cheese with its natural velvety rind resembles in no way the cheese I hated… under the natural rind, is a breakdown layer that is creamy and mushroomy. This creamy layer surrounds a crumbly paste that is tart with a pronounced lemon tang. The rind is earthy, chewy and edible; don’t throw it away.

We love this cheese; this cheese is one that I hope The Lady will bring home often and in large wedges. I could die happily with Caerphilly grasped in my paws…

I give Todd Trethowan’s Gorwydd Caerphilly 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got). 

Serving Suggestion: This cheese deserves an honored place on your cheese plate. Serve it with a few grapes and a little rustic bread and you have a delightful meal.

Wine Pairing: A fruity red is an excellent choice.

Beer Pairing: Try a golden wheat beer; it’ll make the lemon really zing…

Source: Raw Cow Milk

Awards: This cheese has won at least one award every year since Todd began making this cheese.

Trivia: The cheese is named after the farm where the Trethowans make it. The farm is located near the Village of Llanddewi Brefi, in Ceredigion, West Wales.

Bayley Hazen Blue

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Made Using Raw Milk

Let’s face it; the good folks of Vermont, for the most part, travel to the beat of a different drum. Despite their unbridled sense of independence, Vermont citizens also possess a great responsibility to each other and the land they call “The Kingdom of Vermont”. .. This attitude has also spilled over to my fellow observers who watch over that Quadrant in the NE United States and SE Canada. The Brain constantly finds himself spending precious time whipping those pesky, independently-thinking felines into line… not unlike herding cats… but I digress…

In the mid-1990s, Andy and Mateo Kehler, just out of college, headed to Vermont, land of many pleasant summer childhood memories spent at their grandparents’ home, with just one dream… to grow hops and make beer. What newly-graduated college guys don’t dream of making beer? In my younger days, I dreamt of my own endless fields of catnip, organically grown using sustainable farming practices… ah the good ole days…

The Brothers Kehler bought two hundred acres of farmland near Greensboro, Vermont and began studying the practicality of making beer. It just wasn’t there. Then came tofu; again it was a no go. They looked around and bam!! The light went on; they were in the middle of Dairyland. So… what do you do in the middle of Dairyland? You buy cows and become dairy farmers. Luckily for cheese lovers everywhere, that’s just what they did.

In 1998, Jasper Hills Farm was born and the brothers began to educate themselves on sustainable farming. Mateo, who had a degree in economic development, spent three years working with farmstead cheesemakers in the U.S., England, France and Spain. One of those years was spent working at Neal’s Yard Dairy in England. He also began to develop recipes for making cheeses appropriate for their dairy in the Northeast corner of the Kingdom of Vermont.

Andy has a degree in poli sci and philosophy… philosophy, now I finally know how you use a degree in philosophy… you make cheese… did I say that out loud??? (Andy, no disrespect… please forgive my free association… J) In 1993, Andy worked on a sustainable agriculture project in Chile, which included dairy operations. He is a building inspector and contractor which provided him with the knowledge and skills to design and build a state of the art dairy facility. And that’s exactly what he has done.

In 2002, the brothers bought a herd of 15 Ayrshire heifers and began their adventure making some great cheeses. And then another dream became reality… The Cellars at Jasper Hills… state of the art aging caves where the brothers take the young cheeses of their fellow cheesemakers, age them and prepare them for the consumer.

The Lady and I greatly admire the accomplishments of these two brothers who truly care for the land, the animals and also for other dairy farmers.

The brothers make two cheeses and one is Bayley Hazen Blue. This natural rind blue cheese, made from whole raw Ayrshire milk, primarily uses morning milk with less fat.

The Lady, The Man and I love this cheese. Because it is made with raw milk, the tastes of grass and hints of nuts are stronger than the blue mold making a well-balanced cheese. You get the best of both worlds; raw milk delight and kick from the blue. This cheese is a little drier than many blues and crumbles well. Your next cheese plate should finish with Bayley Hazen Blue.

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

Serving Suggestions: Even though it crumbles well, I would be reluctant to “waste” this wonderful cheese on a salad… of course, that being said, you’d be talking a superior salad. The Lady served it naked with a warm baguette. The Man swooned and while he was swooning I pawed off an extra serving for myself. The Lady noticed the paw marks but thankfully she was still feeling guilt at leaving me home while she was gallivanting in New York… so she merely smiled… You might drizzle a little honey on this cheese and serve with hazelnuts.

Wine Pairing: Tawny Port or a sweet, chilled dessert wine.

Beer Pairing: A chocolate stout would pair well with Bayley Hazen Blue.

Awards: 2007 ACS 2^nd Place in the Open Farmstead Category.

Trivia: Bayley Hazen is an old military road that traverses Northern Vermont. Our first U.S. President, still a General, commissioned the road to carry troops to fight the British on the Canadian front, should one open up. No battle ever took place, but the road carried the first settlers into the Greensboro, Vermont area. The road is still used today.

Start Spreading the Curd… Beecher’s Opens in Manhattan and The Lady Attend Murray’s Boot Camp

Follow @cheesemonger Here I sit in the Pacific Northwest doing the heavy lifting while The Lady sits in Manhattan at Murray’s Cheese Boot Camp tasting 75 cheeses in 3 days; rubbing elbows with the cheese swells and my favorite cheesemakers in the world open their doors in the Flatiron District of New York… there is no cheese god…

Beecher’s opened yesterday in Manhattan and The Lady saw the lines as she rode by in a cab on her way to an intensive 3-day Boot Camp at Murray’s Cheese in the west Village…

There had better be cheese in that suitcase tomorrow night… just saying…

La Tur

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Recently, when asked what her favorite cheese is, The Lady replied, “Usually the last one I tasted.”  And this is the last one I tasted and it’s now a new favorite around the manse.

La Tur is a small, dense, creamy wheel of bloomy rind heaven made from a combination of cow, sheep and goat milks. The snowy rind resembles a brain… not to be confused with The Brain… and just inside is a cream line of gooey, decadent tang surrounding an earthy, lactic paste. The lingering after-taste is satisfying and remains long after the entire wheel has been devoured.

It’s small enough to be consumed my two humankinds and one feline foodie in one sitting… even though one of them is a bit on the selfish side and once more tried to get more than his fair share…

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

Serving Suggestions: All you need is a paw or if you’re of the humankind persuasion, a nice slice of warm baguette will do nicely. Nothing fancy, just some luscious cheese and a vessel to transport it to your mouth.

Wine Suggestion: Champagne or a Sparkling Wine

Beer Suggestion: Maybe a Dortmunder Export

Source: Pasteurized Cow, Goat and Sheep Milks

More Tumalo Farms Goat Goudas

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The lady’s kiosk now carries three of the award-winning farmstead cheeses from Tumalo Farms. One, Classico, we have reviewed in the past. The other two were new to us and have happily joined the group of goat cheeses that The Lady, The Man and I like.

To re-cap the rise to cheese fame, Tumalo Farms Owner and Cheesemaker, Flavio DeCastilhos, left the Silicon Valley fast lane and moved his family to Bend, Oregon where he and his wife built a state-of-the-art cheese making facility and began making goat gouda-style cheeses and winning awards within the first three years.

In 2009, Tumalo Farms Classico finished second in its class at the U.S. Cheese Championship Contest, stunning many in the cheese world… I could comment here… but let me just say to those stunned… get over it… this man makes cheese that deserves to win awards.

In addition to Classico, The Lady’s kiosk now carries Tumalo Farms Pondhopper and Fenacho Goat Goudas.

Fenacho has a pale yellow paste peppered with exotic fenugreek seeds which give this cheese a nutty, sweet flavor with a butterscotch finish. While some might consider this a dessert cheese, your not-so-humble Feline Foodie (that would be moi) thinks it might all be gone if you lag behind thinking you should wait for dessert.

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

Serving Suggestions: On a cheese plate, you’ll have the crowd begging for more. As a dessert cheese, you’ll be lucky to have any left by the time the entrée plates are removed…

Wine Pairing: 2008 Reserve “La Creole” Eola Hills Pinot Noir

Beer Pairing: Deschutes Brewery’s Inversion IPA

Awards: 1st Place – American Cheese Society – 2007; 2nd Place – American Cheese Society – 2009; 2nd Place – US Championship – 2007

Source: Pasteurized Tumalo Farms Farmstead Goat Milk

The third cheese on the plate was Tumalo Farms Pondhopper. This semi-hard cheese was the sharpest and most goat-like of the three. It is spiced with a local beer and while I can’t swear as to which one, my money is on the beer pairing below… We found the tang of both the goat and the beer to blend well and you can bet this cheese will appear at the manse again… to The Lady, that’s a hint…

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

Serving Suggestions: Pairing this cheese with cured meats is a slam dunk. The Lady brought home some of the Italian meats from Boar’s Head and even I swooned… normally leaving that task to The Man…

Wine Pairing: Pinot Gris

Beer Pairing: Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Awards: 1st  Place – American Cheese Society – 2006; 2nd Place – American Cheese Society – 2009; 3rd Place – American Cheese Society – 2008

Source: 100% Pasteurized Farmstead Goat Milk

The Lady, The Man and I enjoyed these three cheeses on a cheese plate with a couple of jams and while The Man was busy swooning, I was busy snagging an extra portion, thanks to The Lady… gotta love her…

Chuck’s Produce, Uniekaas Alpenhorn and Cahill’s Whiskey Cheddar

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The Lady visited a newer, independent and family owned grocer in the Vancouver area, Chuck’s Produce and Street Market. It opened last fall but The Lady rarely heads that way when she runs errands or shops. In truth, The Lady hates shopping; a trait I understand is rare in humankinds of the female persuasion. But on this particular day, she had been training a new Cheesemonger at another store in her chain and Chuck’s was on her way home to the manse… one more cynical than I might call this “spying” on the competition…

First a bit about Chuck’s. This is a really cool store. Spacious with lots of open areas and easy access to the products it sells. Lots of organic and local produce at reasonable prices. The store is clean and there’s an old flatbed Ford, which is cool, sitting in the produce area merchandised with items sold in the store… I wonder if that flatbed Ford ever drove by my corner in Winslow, Arizona?

The store is closed on Saturdays for “Family Day” – what a cool thing to do… The store has an amazing meat and seafood counter but sell no pork products and no shellfish. The ono and tuna are sushi-grade quality; the ready-to-cook chicken dishes are mouth-wateringly beautiful: flattened chicken breast wrapped around asparagus with herbs and fat-free cream cheese – The Lady was glad she wasn’t hungry… a terrible time to food shop. The bakery and the deli offer freshly baked goodies and prepared dishes with competitive prices. Did I mention that this is one cool store??? They also have a huge bulk food area loaded with interesting natural and organic selections.

Of course, The Lady was there to see the cheese area. The store has a very respectable selection and she had a chance to chat with their cheese specialist, a friendly and helpful cheesemonger named Jodi. Jodi had just cracked a new wheel of Fontina Val d’Aosta and had The Lady sample it… rattus, one more time I was not in the right cheese place at the right cheese time… The Lady says that Chuck’s doesn’t allow pets… what’s up with that??? Another “feline restricted” establishment… but I digress…

Chuck’s also has a kitchen and classroom area where they offer free classes and events. This Tuesday, May 17^th, Jodi will be conducting a class about lesser-known Italian cheeses from 530pm to 630pm. The Lady has it on our “cheese calendar” and plans to attend. The following Tuesday (May 23^rd), Jodi will discuss “Bargain and Value Cheeses” from 530pm to 630pm. Again, you will most likely find The Lady there. That class sounds similar in concept to The Lady’s “Everyday Cheeses”. Other classes/events offered at the store include “Vegetarian Picnic Foods” (May 25^th) and Healthy Snack Foods for Kids (May 31^st – taught by Dr. Kate).

After checking out the cheese selection, The Lady brought home two wedges of cheeses she doesn’t sell for me to taste and review.

I give Chuck’s Produce and Street Market 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got). If you live in Vancouver, Washington, you really should check out this store…

Uniekaas Alpenhorn

The first cheese we tasted today was Alpenhorn, a young hybrid cheese made by Unikaas, a respected Dutch Gouda cheese manufacturer. It is a marriage between a Dutch Gouda and a Swiss Emmenthal; younger and softer than the aged version of its “parents”.  (BTW, Uniekaas also produces another cheese that we simply crave around the manse, the sublime Parrano.)

This cheese has a rich, deep yellow color (ingredients include annatto, a derivative of the achiote tree, used to produce a yellow to orange food coloring) with lots of well-formed baby eyes. It has a creamy texture and mild taste. While it works well on a cheese plate, I think it would do better paired with a nice juicy slice of Foster Farms’ Gallus gallus between two slabs of crusty bread and grilled to perfection with Golden Glen Creamery Farmstead Butter…

I give Alpenhorn, the cheese and not the musical instrument, 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: As listed above, use it in a grilled cheese. The Lady also thought it would be a great choice for fondue because of both its mild flavor and creaminess. I suppose, but I always burn my paws when I join in the “fondue fun”.

Wine Suggestion: The Lady thinks this cheese would be well served by a glass of Tawny Post.

Beer Suggestion: Helles

Source: Pasteurized Cow’s Milk

Cahill’s Irish Cheddar with Whiskey

Vegetarian-Suitable (as are all Cahill Cheeses)

The second cheese The Lady snagged at Chuck’s made The Man seriously swoon… I mean seriously swoon… Cahill’s Cheddar with Whiskey. The Lady and I have previously reviewed another Cahill’s Farmhouse cheese: their Original Irish Porter Cheese (another swooner… if you get my drift…).

Marion Cahill and her family have been making their cheeses for three generations and even though known around the world, they still craft them in the same old-fashioned way: handmade in small batches with great attention to the process. They haven’t sacrificed tradition for commercial venture. Many of their cheeses have won awards including this one we are reviewing here.

This cheddar is laced with Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey and you can smell the whiskey when you slice this cheese. The taste is more subtle than the scent; but it’s there and brings an extra dimension to an already creamy, full-flavored mature cheddar. The nutty flavor of the cheese combines with the whiskey to deliver quite a tasty savory finish. Of the two, The Man liked this one better and it was mano-a-feline to get a fair share… The Man simply doesn’t understand the concept of sharing… sheesh…

We have always been fans of Mary Cahill and her cheeses and this just solidifies our love for her cheeses all the more.

I give Cahill’s Irish Cheddar with Whiskey 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: I think this cheese should be served “Naked” to do it justice. Just pop it on top of a 34° Natural Crispbread Cracker and you’re good to go.

Wine Suggestions: This time, you gotta go with Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey and forget the vino…

Beer Suggestions: Why not Guinness and call this an Irish Cheese Boilermaker???

Source: The Cows on the Cahill Farm in County Limerick, Ireland…

Which brings to mind…

 

There is an Irish lassie named Marion

Who makes wondrous cheese; all vegetarian.

Quality cheese that’s handmade; then skillfully purveyed.

To eat her cheese, I’d gladly give up fresh carrion…

What??? I was a runner-up in the 2010 Cheese Underground “Cheese Limerick” Contest. In addition to all my other fine qualities, I consider myself a poet…

(The Lady has since visited Chuck’s a second time and picked up a wedge of Fiscalini’s San Joaquin Gold, a cheese I had begged her to buy… a review will follow soon…)

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Cello Riserva Artisan Parmesan

Made in Wisconsin, this domestic parmesan is sweet, nutty and just salty enough to make it a new staple around the manse.

The Lady brought home a wedge and she started by cutting samples for The Man and your favorite Feline Foodie to taste. As The Man swooned, I remained stoic and maintained my cheese dignity while quietly thanking The Brain for allowing The Lady and me to hook up for her “Cheese Years”.

After our tasting, The Lady shredded some and made our new favorite sauce: Lemon and Garlic Cream Sauce. She made this sauce last week using the Cello grated Romano. You can check out the recipe by clicking here.

Using the Cello Parmesan changes the taste of the sauce: the Romano makes a terrific sauce, but let’s face it, cream sauce and Parmesan Cheese were made for each other… just like The Lady, The Man and Moi… made for each other.

Few people realize that Parmesan at room temperature makes for a terrific snacking cheese and can be added to any cheese plate… there’s a reason the Italians call Parmesan “The King of Cheeses”… and as a grated or shredded cheese; this cheese is perfect as the main ingredient or added to round out pizza, sauces and just about any dish you might create at your manse.

I give Cello Riserva Artisan Parmesan 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Any dish that calls for cheese can only get better with Cello Riserva Artisan Parmesan. Also, pair this cheese with crisp apple slices.

Wine Pairing: Merlot or a Sangiovese.

Beer Pairing: So many beers pair well with Parmesan; IPA, Imperial Stout, Dunkles and Biere de Garde

Source: Cow’s Milk

FTC Full Disclosure – The manufacturer/distributor sent me their product, hoping I would review the product/cheese.

Up Next: The Lady visited Chuck’s Produce on Mill Plain in Vancouver, Washington; met their charming Cheesemonger, Jodi and brought home a couple of wedges which we will review after The Lady and The Man return from the Portland Farmers’ Market this morning: Unikaas Alpenhorn and Cahill Cheddar with Whiskey… stay tuned…

Coming soon: Tumalo Farms’ Pondhopper and Fenacho Aged Goat Cheeses

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Wensleydale with Cranberries

Suitable for Vegetarians

Whenever we review a cheese with “stuff” added, the comments are interesting. Some “cheese elites” tend to “poo poo” flavored cheeses; while the rest of us regular folks are inclined to go with the flow and enjoy the cheese with its added herbs, spices or fruits, etc. Now, don’t get me wrong, some of my BCFFs (Best Cheese Friends Forever) are “elites” and for the most part, they’re great folks… just a bit snobby when it comes to their cheese…

The Lady carries a Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese with cranberries added. This cheese is a huge seller during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, however, it continues to do well the rest of the winter season and tapers off as the weather warms. We have previously reviewed other Stilton cheeses with fruits.

The cheese is creamy, crumbly and mild; the cranberries are sweet, tart and pungent. The combination is not only pleasing to the palate but also eye-catching.

The Lady served this with thin slices of her homemade banana nut bread and as usual… The Man swooned… surprise…

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

Serving Suggestions: As a dessert cheese, you will win smiles. You can also crumble this cheese into salad with a simple balsamic and EVOO dressing.

Wine Pairing: Champagne or Port would pair nicely with this cheese.

Beer Pairing: A fruity ale.

Source: Pasteurized Cow’s Milk

 

Sweet Grass Dairy Celebrates All Things Italian This Weekend

Our favorite South Georgia Dairy, Sweet Grass Dairy, is celebrating all things Italian tomorrow and Saturday at their Thomasville Cheese Shop. Please stop in and visit… and be sure you tell them that “The Feline Foodie sent me!!”

What: A two-day Italian extravaganza

When: Fri. March 5 AND Sat. March 6

Time: 10am to 8pm

Where: The Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop

106 North Broad St. Thomasville, GA

Price: Free

 

Details: In conjunction with Thomsville’s monthly First Friday event, the Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop will present an “Italian Celebration.”

 

We’ll be highlighting many of the culinary delights from Italy in the cheese shop. There will be samples of Italian antipasti, cheeses, olive oils, wines, and charcuterie. The two-day event is free of charge and open to the public.

 

A few notable highlights for purchase include:

• 10-year old Balsamico Tradizionale Vinegar
• Gaeta and Castle Vetrano olives
• Italian Chestnut Honey
• Italian Forest Honey
• Bresaola Bernina Beef Top Round

For more information call at 229-228-6704.