cheeseman
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Oh dear, it has been a while.
I do have excuses but they're not interesting.
Anyway, we need to get back to Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week.
This week, Italy. Love this one.
Pecorino Romano
Pecorino is a term used to define Italian cheeses made from 100% sheep’s milk. However, the American counterpart of the cheese is made from cow’s milk. Of the four Pecorino cheeses that have received Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status under European Union law, Pecorino Romano is one of the most ancient types of cheese as well as the most famous outside of Italy. As per legislation, production of Pecorino Romano is allowed only on the islands of Sardinia, Lazio and in the Tuscan Province of Grosseto. All these varieties differ from each other, depending on how much they have aged.
As the name suggests, the history of Pecorino Romano dates back to the Roman times when it was a part of the staple diet of soldiers at war. Roman authors, including Varro, Pliny the Elder, Hippocrates and Columella have mentioned about the cheese & its production technique, in their works. Even today, the cheese is made using only traditional methods in the unique areas of origin. Dry-salted by hand, the wheels get a salting numerous times, to deliver a fabulous taste. Its lengthy aging time from eight to 12 months results in a dry and granular texture and a strong taste. When young, the cheese has a soft and rubbery texture with sweet and aromatic flavor. The flavor becomes sharper and smokier when aged for eight months or longer.
Pecorino Romano is one of most widely used, sharper alternatives to Parmesan cheeses. Because of the hard texture and sharp & salty flavor, Pecorino Romano is an excellent grating cheese over pasta dishes, breads and baking casseroles. Although, the use of the cheese is limited because of its extreme saltiness. Pair it with a glass of big, bold Italian red wine or a light beer.
[*]Made from cow's or sheep's milk
[*]Country of origin: Italy
[*]Region: Lazio, Sardinia
[*]Type: hard
[*]Fat content: 50%
[*]Texture: crumbly, dense and grainy
[*]Rind: natural
[*]Color: pale yellow
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Time for a new Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week.
This week, Italy. How about this one, I really like:
Fontina Val d'Aosta
Fontina is a classic Italian cheese made in the Aosta Valley since the 12th century. There are many Fontina cheeses made with alternative names such as "Fontinella", "Fontal", and "Fontella" but the Italian Fontina, Fontina Val d'Aosta, identified by a Consorzio (Consortium) stamp is the original and most famous. The other versions are much milder than the original Fontina. There is also a Danish version which can be recognized by the red wax rind. Italian Fontina has a natural rind that turns tan to orange-brown with aging.
Fontina Val d'Aosta is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk of the Valdaostan Red Spotted cows grazing on the plains of Aosta Valley. The texture and flavor of Fontina depends on how long it has been aged. The texture can vary from semi-soft to firm and the flavors from mild and rich to more robust and overpowering. Usually, fontina is aged for 90 days.
The interior of fontina is pale cream in color and riddled with holes known as "eyes". With a fat content of 45%, the cheese is very rich and creamy which gets nuttier with aging. This versatile cheese can be used to make fondues, and similar Italian dishes. Nebbiolo, a red wine with wild cherry and truffles is a match for Fontina.
Made from cow's milk
Country of origin: Italy
Region: Aosta Valley
Synonyms: Fontinella, Fontal
Alternative spellings: Fontina DOP, Fontina PDO
Type: semi-soft, artisan
Fat content: 45%
Texture: creamy, dense, firm, open, smooth and supple
Rind: washed
Color: pale yellow
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And remember, if you get to this landmark, remember the cheese and upload photos here:
http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/16348-cheesemans-cheese-at-resorts-gallery/
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Morning Cheesefans!
It's time for a new Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week.
And this week lets go over to.... France.
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Abbaye de Belloc
Abbaye de Belloc is also known as 'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Belloc' since it was produced by the Benedictine monks at the 'Abbaye de Notre Dame de Belloc' in the Pays Basque region of Aquitaine, France. They used sheep milk available in the locality and followed a cheese making process that dates back to 3000 years.
Abbaye de Belloc is a flat wheel shaped traditional, farmhouse, unpasteurized, semi-hard cheese made from sheep's milk. It has a natural, crusty, brownish rind with patches of red, orange and yellow. The rind is marked with tiny craters.
The cheese has a firm, dense, rich and creamy texture. The taste resembles burnt caramel and there is a distinctive lanolin aroma. Ageing process of the cheese ranges from four to ten months. The younger wheels are made in December while the older in July. Both types of cheese wheels are sent to the market in April.
Made from sheep's milk
Country of origin: France
Region: Pays Basque
Synonyms: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Belloc
Type: semi-hard, artisan
Fat content: 60%
Texture: creamy, dense and firm
Rind: natural
Color: yellow
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Remember folks:
Remember to take your cheese to ski resorts (many don't sell cheese, so you need to take);
Take photos of said cheese at ski resorts;
Upload here!
I look forward to lots of new contributors this season.
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OK new Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week, and this week lets go over to Scotland!
Dunsyre Blue
Dunsyre Blue is a mould ripened, handmade cheese from H.J. Errington farms in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Made using unpasteurized milk of Ayrshire cows, it is named after a small village near Lanark in the Clyde Valley.
An aged Dunsyre Blue has chunky blue-green moulds intercepting the smooth, creamy colored interior. When fully developed the cheese imparts a complex flavor that is slightly rich, a little salty, sweet, sharp and spicy. Each flavor has a character of its own and leaves behind a strikingly long aftertaste. The farm has been making this traditional cheese for the last 25 years. Dunsyre Blue is great with either Whisky or a Rhone wine.
- Made from cow's milk
- Country of origin: Scotlan and United Kingdom
- Region: Carnwath, Lanarkshire
- Type: soft, artisan, blue-veined
- Texture: creamy, crumbly and smooth
- Rind: mold ripened
- Color: cream
- Made from cow's milk
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Less saidthe etter perhaps!
It's time for a new Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week!
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Time for a new Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week.
This time, it's over to...... America! For some good (?) old processed cheese! Hey, it is still called cheese and we need to cover all bases. We can't be snobby!
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"American Cheese"
American cheese is processed cheese made from a blend of milk, milk fats and solids, with other fats and whey protein concentrates. At first it was made from a mixture of cheeses, more often than not Colby and Cheddar. Since blended cheeses are no longer used, it cannot be legally called “cheese” and has to be labeled as “processed cheese”, “cheese product“, etc. Sometimes, instead of the word cheese, it is called as "American slices" or "American singles". Under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, American cheese is a type of pasteurized processed cheese.
Depending on the percentage of cheese versus additives, the taste and texture of American cheese may vary. Also, the color may change from orange, yellow to white as decided by the food manufacturer.
Processed American cheese is sold in three varieties – individually wrapped cheese slices, small pre-sliced blocks and large blocks. Before cheese slices were invented, block American cheese was the only one available and hence is also considered "classic" or "traditional" American cheese.
American cheese though criticized for its high fat and sodium content is still used in regular cooking as it melts well and contains a good amount of calcium and protein.
- Made from cow's milk
- Country of origin: United States
- Type: semi-soft, processed
- Texture: creamy and smooth
- Rind: rindless
- Color: yellow
- Made from cow's milk
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Hi Cheesefans!
It's time for another Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week.
This week, our Cheesequest takes us to France.
Abbaye du Mont des Cats
The Abbaye du Mont des Cats cheese is made by monks in a monastery of the same name in the town of Godewaersvelde, in Northern France. Cow's milk from local farms is used and the milk is gently pasteurised for cheese production. The maturation process takes about 4 to 5 weeks. During this process it is washed with brine solution to encourage the Bacterium Linens mold. It is then dyed with roucou, a red dye, gained from anatto seeds. The texture is smooth and supple, with occasional holes in the cheese. The rind is orange-red in colour. The flavour is mild with subtle hints of milk and hay.
<p class="summary">
- Made from cow's milk
- Country of origin: France
- Region: Nord-Pas-de-Calais
- Type: semi-soft, artisan, brined
- Fat content: 50%
- Texture: smooth and supple
- Rind: washed
- Color: pale yellow
- Made from cow's milk
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This week, over to the Netherlands and a nice hard cheese called Leyden.
Leyden
Leyden cheese (Leidse kaas in Dutch) is firm, yellow cumin spiced cheese made in the Netherlands. It is produced both in factories and traditionally on farms in this historic area of Leiden.
Made from pasteurized skimmed cow's milk, Leyden is very similar to Gouda in shape (round and flat), but has lower fat percentage, about 30 to 40%.
The addition of cumin seeds gives the cheese a distinctive dry, tangy and spicy flavour, very unlike of other Dutch cheeses. Cloves and Caraway seeds are also added occasionally for that extra boost. The wax-coated Leyden is a perfect addition to any cheese platter. Pairing it with an ice-cold beer or a Shiraz and dark malty bread will do wonders.<p class="summary">
- Made from cow's milk
- Country of origin: Holland and Netherlands
- Region: Leiden
- Synonyms: Leidse Kaas
- Type: hard, artisan
- Fat content: 30-40%
- Texture: firm
- Rind: waxed
- Color: yellow
- Made from cow's milk
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It is great indeed.
Anyway, nearly time for a new Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week!
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Kohaku goes well with a strong mature cheddar-like cheese.
Try it.
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Let's go back to some basics to get the Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week ball back rolling.
Cheddar.
Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, pale yellow to off-white (unless artificially coloured), and sometimes sharp-tasting, cheese. Originating in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, cheeses of this style are produced beyond this region and in several countries around the world.
The style is the most popular cheese in the United Kingdom, accounting for 51 percent of the country's £1.9 billion annual cheese market, and the second most popular cheese in the United States, behind mozzarella, with an average annual consumption of 10 lb (4.5 kg) per capita. The United States produced 3,233,380,000 lb (1,443,470 long tons; 1,466,640 tonnes) in 2010, and the UK 258,000 long tons (262,000 tonnes) in 2008. The name "cheddar cheese" is widely used and has no Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) within the European Union, but only cheddar produced from local milk within four counties of South West England may use the name "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar."
The cheese originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. Cheddar Gorge on the edge of the village contains a number of caves, which provided the ideal humidity and constant temperature for maturing the cheese. Cheddar cheese traditionally had to be made within 30 miles (48 km) of Wells Cathedral.
Cheddar has been produced since at least the 12th century. A pipe rol of King Henry II from 1170 records the purchase of 10,240 lb (4,640 kg) at a farthing per pound (totaling £10.13s.4d., about £10.67 in decimal currency). Charles I (1600–1649) also bought cheese from the village. Romans may have brought the recipe to Britain from the Canta region of France.
Central to the modernisation and standardisation of cheddar cheese was the nineteenth century Somerset dairyman Joseph Harding. For his technical developments, promotion of dairy hygiene and unremunerated propagation of modern cheese-making techniques he has been described as the father of cheddar cheese. Harding introduced new equipment into the process of cheese making, including his "revolving breaker" for curd cutting, saving much manual effort. The "Joseph Harding method" was the first modern system for cheddar production based upon scientific principles. Harding stated that cheddar cheese is "not made in the field, nor in the byre, nor even in the cow, it is made in the dairy". He and his wife were behind the introduction of the cheese into Scotland and North America. Joseph Harding's sons, Henry and William Harding, were responsible for introducing cheddar cheese production to Australia and facilitating the establishment of the cheese industry in New Zealand respectively.
During World War II, and for nearly a decade after the war, most milk in Britain was used for the making of one single kind of cheese nicknamed "Government cheddar" as part of war economies and rationing. This nearly resulted in wiping out all other cheese production in the country. Before World War I there were more than 3,500 cheese producers in Britain, while fewer than 100 remained after the Second World War.
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The Cheddar cheese name is used internationally; its name does not have a protected designation of origin (PDO) but the use of the name West Country Farmhouse Cheddar does. Countries making cheddar cheese include Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. 'Cheddars' can be industrial or artisan cheeses. The flavour, colour, and quality of industrial cheese varies significantly, and food packaging will usually indicate a strength, such as mild, medium, strong, tasty, sharp, extra sharp, mature, old, or vintage; this may indicate the maturation period, or food additives used to enhance the flavour. Artisan varieties develop strong and diverse flavours over time.
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Well, if Tokyo do win and host the Olympics, I hope they sort out the cheese situation by then.
Affordable cheese, and lots of it, will be important not only for the competitors (cheese is not only delicious, but highly nutritious too!), but for all of the visitors.
I was somewhat concerned that this was not touched upon in the presentation.
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Everyone loves cheese.
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Thanks Cheesefans.
A new Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week coming later today.
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Many apologies, I have been somewhat absent for a while due to family issues.
But back now and intend to get some the Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week thread going again.
And looking forward to lots of Cheese at Resorts shots this coming season too.
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Weekdays are just so much more fun aren't they.
IF the skijo fully opens that is.
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Wonderful, thank you to those contributing and uploading to the gallery.
Got back myself with hopefully a variety of cheese shots. Will get round to posting.
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Perhaps I should start a Cheese in bucket thread.....
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SirArthur!
Keep them coming!
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Hi Cheesefans
Time for this week's Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week!
How about some English cheese?
Derby
The cheese has a shape of cylinder with natural rind. It is the first cheese in Britain to be made in factory. This cheese is very similar to Cheddar, but has a softer, flakier curd and a butter taste. Derby ripens in one to six months. A herb-flavored version is called Sage Derby.
- Made from cow's milk
- Country of origin: England
- Type: hard
- Made from cow's milk
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Hi Cheesefans!
Time for the first Cheeseman's Cheese of the Week for 2013!
Where to go?
How about France?
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Aisy Cendre
<p class="summary">
Aisy Cendre is a traditional French farmhouse cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. The semi-soft cheese produced in Burgundy region of France is coated with a thick layer of ash that gives a distinctive flavor and aroma. Also known as Cendre d'Aisy, the ash or cendre in French, gives the cheese its name.
A washed rind cheese, mostly an Époisses, is matured by covering with oak or grapevine ash. Before and after rolling it with a coat of ash, the cheese is washed in marc de Bourgogne wine. Aisy Cendre takes a longer time to mature than normal cheeses, at least a month. As it ripens the pate softens but most cheese lovers enjoy a somewhat firm version of the produce.
The aroma of Aisy Cendre is strong and the flavor is aggresive. It is a very rich & creamy cheese with 50% fat content. The centre of the cheese is salty, chalky and almost white in color. As it moves towards the ash covered rind, the cheese assumes a smoky flavor and smoother, creamier texture. The cheese is sold in small wheels, weighing 8 ounces each.
Aisy Cendre works well with fruits like apples and pears, celery sticks. It enhances the tasting experience for fruity, full-bodied Burgundy wine, Hautes Cotes de Nuits Villages or even a full-rounded beer.
- Made from cow's milk
- Country of origin: France
- Region: Burgundy
- Synonyms: Cendre d'Aisy, Ashen Aisy
- Type: semi-soft, smear-ripened
- Fat content: 50%
- Texture: creamy and smooth
- Rind: washed
- Color: white
- Made from cow's milk
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Good work guys.
My first ones coming up in about a week.
Cheeseman's "Cheese at Resorts" Gallery
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
Fine work, gang.