France's Tomme De Savoie Is An Alpine Delight

 

Tomme De Savoie (Tum-duh-sav-wah) is produced the Haute Savoie region of France which borders Switzerland and Italy. It is an area that is defined my towering mountains and deep valleys that are dotted with quaint villages. The cheese production here is strictly seasonal. During the winter months the dairy herds are housed in barns located in the valleys and are fed silage. This type of food does not produce the high grade of milk needed to produce top quality cheeses therefore cheese is not produced during this time. When spring arrives the dairy herds are walked up into the mountains to graze on the mountain flowers and grasses throughout the summer and into very early fall. During this time the milk that is produced is at its finest quality. In the late fall and winter the cheeses made from the spring and summer milk  have been aging and are ready to be sold. The great cheese Reblochon is also produced in this region.

Details: Tomme De Savoie is available as both pasteurized and raw milk versions, when found always choose the raw milk version. Tomme De Savoie is a semi-firm pressed cow's milk cheese that has an inedible fuzzy natural hard rind which came be somewhat thick. The new cheeses are aged from 3 to 6 months. The interior paste will usually have small holes throughout and will vary in color from straw to light beige. The forms that are produced range in size from 3 to 12lbs. The flavor of Tomme De Savoie will present a slight hint of salt along with mild raw beef and hazlenut undertones. This is a wonderful rustic cheese and well worth its purchase price.

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Shopping tor Tomme De Savoie: as with most firm cheeses avoid any that have a dry or cracked rind, and gray or red tinged interior paste as they are signs of a cheese gone bad. There are many non authentic Tomme De Savoie cheeses being imported to the US now. When shopping for this cheese be sure to read the label it should clearly say made (fabrique) in Savoie and raw milk (au lait cru). The inferior quality brands will say aged (affine) in Savoie. These brands are made elsewhere and are only aged in Savoie. They are less expensive but are really not worth the money you would pay for them so once again CHECK THE LABLES. The Perrin brand is the best importer of authentic Tomme De Savoie to the United States and can usually be found in Whole Foods or Wegmans.

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Wine Paring: since Tomme De Savoie is not an assertive cheese so it will go very well with both light or fruity reds and whites.

Reblochon A Great French Cheese From The Savoie Region

Reblochon (reh-blo-shaw) is produced in the Haute Savoie region of France. The Haute Savoie is a region nestled in the mountains near the Swiss border and has abundant lush valleys where the dairy cattle graze. Reblochon has received its Appellation D'Origine Controlle (AOC) so you can be sure that its producers maintain its strict methods of production. Most cheese making in the Savoie stops between November and February due to the lack of fresh grass and flowers for grazing, during this time the cows are fed silage which tends to not produce high quality milk.

Details: Reblochon is a pressed, cooked curd cow's milk cheese. It is available in both pasteurized and unpasteurized versions in the United States The unpasteurized version is allowed in the US provided it is aged at least 61 days before being imported into the country. After being pressed into 1 pound disks the new cheeses are washed in brine to aid in creating the rind. A thin rind is produced which is considered edible but many find it unappealing due to its velvety texture and appearance. Be aware this is definitely a stinky cheese but it is not overpowering like French Muenster or Epoisses.
The interior paste will have a bone color and a soft consistency like Brie. Reblochon will have a flavor that is sweet and an undertone of hazelnuts accompanied by a barnyard like aroma.

The Reblochon disks are packaged between two very thin wooden disks and then wrapped in thin paper. There are some coming packaged between thin waxed cardboard disks however this does not affect the quality or flavor of the cheese.

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Shopping for Reblochon:  look for ones that are printed with Haute Savoie on the paper wrapping. Some will also have the name of of the town or area where they were produced and the words au lait cru on the wrapping.  Some retailers sell half cuts, be sure to look for smooth rinds and white inner paste. Do not purchase any that look slimy, dried out or have a gray tinge to them. Also, the aroma should smell like a barnyard but not rank. Avoid any that are sitting in the cheese case wrapped in plastic. Reblochon can be found in most really good good local cheese shops, Wegmans and some Whole Foods Markets. It is worth the time spent looking for this great cheese.

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Serving Reblochon: This cheese goes well with crusty breads and dry French salami or thinly sliced French ham or with fresh fruit as a snack. Wrap any leftovers in wax paper, place in the refrigerator and try to finish them  within a day or two.

Wine paring: Fruity whites and young reds from the Savoie region. If you are uncertain about this ask your wine merchant for assistance in finding the appropriate wine.

Ossau-Iraty The Pride Of The Pyrenees Mountains

If you are looking for something different than Manchego then try this great French sheep's milk cheese. Ossau-Iraty received it’s Appellation D'Origne Controlle (A.O.C) in 1980 for the unpasteurized sheep’s milk version of this cheese. This wonderful sheep's milk  cheese is produced in the area in and around the Pyrenees Mountains which form the border with Spain. Unfortunately the unpasteurized milk version is not allowed to be imported into the United States. Luckily the pasteurized versions that are imported to the United States are excellent. So with that said we will be discussing the pasteurized version as we proceed.

Details: Ossau-Iraty is produced from mid to late December, which is the birthing season, until mid July when the fertility cycle begins again and all milking and cheese making ends.The local sheep herds are brought up into the mountains to eat the aromatic wild grasses and flowers during this time. Ossau-Iraty is usually produced in small village cooperatives according to an ancient recipe that has been passed down for centuries. Brebis is the French word for sheep so you may see the words "fromage de brebis"  printed on the labels of Ossau-Iraty.

 First the freshly made curds are pressed into plastic molds to remove the water and whey. The new cheeses are then stacked on top of each other to press out any remaining water. They are then placed in a brine bath for two hours. Once the brine bath is complete the cheeses are placed in cold rooms or caves to start the aging process. The new cheeses are turned and hand rubbed with salt for about two months. As the cheeses continue to age they will then be rubbed with brine soaked cloths for another four months. 

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 Flavor: Aged Ossau-Iraty will have a natural rind that is inedible. The inner paste will be semi firm and have a slight yellow hue, it may also weep some of its butterfat (this is not a bad thing). Ossau-Iraty will  have a flavor that is nutty, fruity and a hint of olives.

When shopping for Ossau-Iraty avoid any that have a cracked rind, fissures in the paste or a gray tinge. If you see butterfat pooling or weeping out of it, as noted above, this not a cheese that has gone bad, but it is a sign that it is quite ripe. If you purchase it in this condition you should eat it quickly and do not store it the refrigerator for too long. You should be able to readily find the pasteurized version of Ossau-Iraty in any good local cheese shop, Wegmans or Whole Foods  Try to find the following brands Etorki, Onetik, Prince de Claverolle  or Ishtara they are always consistently excellent. If you can not find Ossau-Iraty good substitutes are Idiazabal or Roncal if you are looking for great sheep milk cheeses

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Serving Ossau-Iraty: This wonderful cheese does well being served with raw vegetables, sweet peppers, French Ham and crusty breads. It is also nice slivered and tossed with tomatoes ground black pepper then drizzled with a good olive oil. Try serving it with sliced apples and pears as an after dinner treat.

Wine Pairing: Ossau-Iraty pairs well with a good Bordeaux and Rhone reds.

Fourme d'Ambert A Bold French Blue Cheese

Well my friends it has been a while since I posted anything so I am going to try and make it up to you by reviewing Fourme d'Ambert another great French blue cheese. If you are tired of Roquefort try this one !

 

Fourme d'Ambert is an exceptional French blue cheese that is made in the area around the town of Ambert in the Auvergne region of France.  Fourme Ambert has been given its much deserved  Appelation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) certification. This certification ensures that the production of the cheese  meets the standards set forth by the commission.  

Details: Fourme d'Ambert  is produced using pasteurized  cow's milk. When the curds have formed, and the whey has been drained, they are pressed to remove any left over water. After this process the dried curds are placed into wooden molds that will form the eight inch high cylinders. The new cheeses are then pierced to allow for the growth of bacteria that create the wonderful bluing. The aging process can last from 2 to 4 months and will produce a brownish or grayish rind. Some purists say the natural rind is edible however my personal opinion is it is inedible. Some of the Fourme d'Ambert that is wrapped in foil will have a smooth or very thin rind which can be more palatable.  So it is basically each individual's choice.

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Flavor and Appearance: Fourme d'Ambert  will have a white inner paste which shows liberal veins of bluing. The paste is compact, smooth and notably not crumbly. The cheese will present a semi sharp flavor that is not salty and will  have a woody and big fruity aroma. Try to find an longer aged cheese if you prefer the sharper blue cheese flavor and a younger version if you prefer a bit milder flavor, either way you will not be disappointed. Fourme d'Ambert would be a comparable substitute for British Stilton since they are both made from almost the same recipe however Stilton is more crumbly.

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Shopping for Fourme d'Ambert:  When looking to purchase this wonderful French blue cheese  check carefully for the following telltale signs of a cheese gone bad: a dried out appearance, a cracked rind, bitter taste or a gray interior paste.  Industrial dairies in France are now producing some of the Fourme d'Ambert that is being imported to the United States. While these are not truly bad cheeses they are notably inferior when it comes to depth of flavor and aroma. You can tell these cheeses by their low levels of bluing and a tinge of yellow in the paste. So when you are out looking for an authentic Fourme d'Ambert try to find the La Memee or Roussel brands. Your best bet to find it is in a good local cheese shop, Wegmans, or Whole Foods. Ask your cheesemonger for a small sample to taste to see if it is what you are looking for.

Serving: Fourme d'Ambert  enhances any salad or  goes well with mixed sweet fruit and especially  with fresh apples. It also works nicely as a nice after dinner treat. To add an interesting twist to your favorite pasta dish try using this blue cheese instead of Romano or Parmesan.

Wine Paring: Fourme d'Ambert goes well with bold Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux  wines.  Note that this cheese is good enough to elevate a weaker red wine.          

English Cornish Yarg Cheese

Cornish Yarg cheese is produced in the English county of Cornwall.

Details: Cornish Yarg is a pasteurized cow's milk cheese.  Animal rennet is used to form the curds which are then pressed to remove the whey and water. After this process the pressed curds are placed in to round molds to form the cheese. The newly formed cheeses, which weigh about six pounds each, are covered with the fragrant leaves from local Cornish nettle plants. The cheeses are then ready to begin the aging process which creates a natural outer rind. The aging process lasts for a minimum of two months. Some Cornish Yarg cheese is produced without the nettle leave wrapping and it will have a grayish colored natural rind. This version may be a bit less expensive but it would be worth while to purchase the wrapped version if you have a choice.

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Flavor: The inner paste of Cornish Yarg is pale yellow and the inner paste is somewhat soft around the inner rind but it should not be oozy or runny. The rind of Cornish Yarg is edible but it is quite bitter so it is best to trim it off before serving. The nettle leaves impart an complex undertone flavor to the cheese that is peppery, grassy, herbaceous and lemony all at once. The cheese itself has a pleasant herbaceous fragrance.  You can serve Cornish Yarg as table cheese with fresh fruit or as a stand alone cheese for a snack.

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When shopping for Cornish Yarg check to make sure the inner paste is not hard or looks dried out. There should be no apparent signs of mold on the inner paste and no off smelling odors.

Amazon is not carrying this cheese so you will need to search it out in a good local cheese shop, Whole Foods or Wegmans. Cornish Yarg is usually distributed by England's Neal"s Yard Dairy so you may find it easier if you ask your cheese monger what brands of Neal's Yard cheese they carry.

Wine Paring: Dry white wines like California Chardonnay or German Riesling. It also goes well with a pint of English ale.

French Bleu d'Auvergne Blue Cheese

Bleu d'Auvergne is a wonderful pasteurized cow's milk blue cheese produced in the Auvergne region of France.   Bleu d'Auvergne is an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlle) name controlled cheese and this assures the quality and production methods that are used to produce it.

Details: The cows in the Auvergne region graze in verdant pastures and produce large quantities of top quality milk. The method and recipe for producing Bleu d'Auvergne is centuries old and has changed little over time but there are now large producers so this blue cheese is available almost everywhere. The cheese is made into six pound wheels and is wrapped in foil. The outer surface is not really considered to be a true rind so it is edible but it is quite salty The interior paste is white or tending to light beige and will have a high concentration of blue veins.

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Flavor: Bleu d"Auvergne is a mild blue cheese so it is not nearly as sharp as Roquefort or Spanish Cabrales. You will be able to pick out hints of grass and to a lesser extent a nutty undertone.

When shopping for Bleu d'Auvergne do not purchase any that show signs reddening, browning or cracks in the outer surface. In addition ask for a small sample, if the cheese feels overly soft or has a rancid or any other odor not buy it.

If you can not find Bleu d'Auvergne good sustitutes are Maytag Blue, Spanish Picon or Fourme d'Ambert.

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How to serve Bleu d'Auvergne: It is a great addition to garden salads or blended into a vinaigrette or made into a salad dressing. It is also wonderful as an after dinner cheese served with sweet fruits.

Wine Pairings: Full bodied Rhone reds, fruity whites, sweet Sauternes, Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc

French Saint Marcellin Cheese

Saint Marcellin is a magnificent cow's milk cheese produced in the Dauphine region of France which is located above Provence. There are two versions that are produced, pasteurized and unpasteurized. The finished cheeses are small round 3oz disks. Both versions are excellent but when given a choice purchase the unpasteurized one.

Details: Saint Marcellin may come wrapped in chestnut leaves that have been dipped in white wine and tied with ribbon or raffia. The leaves are used to help ripen the cheese and they impart a fruity flavor to it. Most of the Saint Marcellin you will find in the US come without the chestnut leaf wrapping. It often comes in a ceramic or earthen crock type dish covered in plastic wrap with a label. When the cheese is young it will be crumbly and if it is wrapped the chestnut leaves will still be green. Many people enjoy it at this stage but an aged cheese will produce a much more pleasurable experience. As Saint Marcellin ages its  leaf wrapping will turn darker and become somewhat wet as the whey begins to weep out of the cheese. During this process it begins to soften and liquify but does not get runny.

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Flavor: Saint Marcellin is imported to the US as fresh or aged. If eaten at its fresh stage the flavor will be tart and somewhat sour and the paste will be somewhat crumbly. As the cheese ages and the leaves lose their green color it makes an exceptional transformation.

Saint Marcellin at this stage will have developed a creamy texture and a wonderful  fruity and nutty walnut flavor. It may also have acquired a few spots of blue mold, this not a bad thing, it is a sign of a mature cheese that is ready to be enjoyed..

As wonderful as the wrapped cheeses are the unwrapped variety is truly spectacular.  They have a very slight crusty cover which may have some blue mold on it.  As noted above this is not a sign of a cheese gone bad. Some Saint Marcellin will be labeled "cremier" these are produced  by small local dairies in small batches and may be hard to find in the US. Most of the Saint Marcellin found in the US is labeled "affine" indicating that it is aged or ripened.  Always try to find these versions, you will be amazed by their silky texture and strong walnut flavor, they are cheeses to be truly savored.

Serving and Storing: Saint Marcellin is wonderful as an appetizer with French olives and ham. It also preforms well with most salad courses and  as a dessert cheese with fresh sweet fruits. 

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When purchasing Saint Marcellin in the small crock press down on the plastic wrap to see if the cheese is soft or hard and buy accordingly. Always remove the plastic wrap as soon as you get it home. If you purchased a young cheese and want to let it age you can keep it in the crock but wrap it loosely in waxed paper or tin foil and store it the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.  If it is aged follow the same procedure if you do not plan to eat it right away. Saint Marcellin is usually quite easy to find in most good cheese shops and at Wegmans or Whole Foods.

Wine Paring: Sweet dessert wines or any Rhone reds

Spanish Mahon Cheese

In Spain Mahon is second in popularity next to Manchego, Spain's most famous Cheese. Mahon has been given Denomination of Origin ( D.O.) and is produced exclusively on the small island of Menorca off the coast of Spain in the Balearic Sea.  

Details: Mahon is produced in two versions, pasteurized which is factory made and unpasteurized which is farm made and considered to be artisanal. The fresh curd is chopped, then pressed to remove the whey and placed on square sheets of cloth. Each cloth is then gathered up by the corners and tied up in the center. This process forms a distinctive shaped square cheese with rounded edges. The newly formed cheeses are then ready to begin the aging process which can last up to two years. Mahon can be found in various stages of aging. Fresco is aged about two to three weeks, semi Curado is aged for two to three months, Viejo is aged for six months and Anejo is aged from eighteen months to two years. The aging process produces an inedible hard smooth light golden rind which darkens as it ages.  The inner paste is light amber when young and progresses to dark gold at the Viejo and Anejo stages. Older versions with also have many small holes throughout the paste.

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Flavor, Serving and Storing: The overall flavor of Mahon is determined by its age. The fresco version has a mild nutty flavor and  is very aromatic. As its age progresses its flavor will become bolder and more complex and gives off a sharp, salty, buttery flavor with a hint of nuts. Mahon has a pleasant fruity aroma at all ages. A young Mahon should be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator's vegetable bin, aged Mahon can be wrapped in tin foil and kept refrigerated where it should last at least two weeks. Mahon can be served thinly sliced, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with tarragon and black pepper. It can also be served sliced with thinly sliced smoked ham in a sandwich or as an appetizer with fresh sweet fruit.

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Purchasing: When buying Mahon try to find ones that are aged at least two months. If you can find a Viejo or Anejo version do not hesitate to purchase it because they are quite uncommon and you will be in for tasty surprise. Do not purchase Mahon if it is overly soft, discolored, looks dried with a cracked rind, or has mold on the inner paste. You can buy Mahon in most good local cheese shops, Whole Foods, Wegmans or online at Amazon.

Wine Paring: Mahon pairs well with all red Spanish wines and surprisingly well with beer.

Swiss Emmental Cheese

SwissEmmental is an unpasteurized partially skimmed cow's milk cheese that produced in both France and Switzerland. Both of these cheeses are world renowned for their excellent flavor and the iconic holes in their paste. The holes are created by bacteria that give off carbon dioxide gas which expands during the aging process forming pockets within the paste.

Details: Swiss Emmental is made in the Emme River valley in the Canton of Bern and is known as an alpine style cheese.  Animal rennet is used to form the curds which are heated to create the desired texture. After draining, the curds are manually pressed to remove any remaining water and whey. They are then placed in molds and aged for at least six months. The cheeses that are produced are massive with weights ranging between 175lbs to 220lbs and are about 9 inches thick. The rind will be flat and smooth and  have a beige or slight yellow color and the red Swizerland trademark stamped on its top.Swiss Emmental has a low salt content and no salt is added to the curds during production. Any saltiness that may be noticed is produced by the brine bath which helps to form the rind. The interior paste will be a pale yellow and have random and various sized holes throughout. The flavor of Swiss Emmental expands on the palate and will reveal a nice nutty flavor and mild bite on the finish.

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Details: French Emmental is produced in the Jura mountains and is also considered an alpine style cheese. It is made  with partially skimmed raw cow's milk. The methods of production for French and Swiss Emmental are identical the main difference is that French Emmental has varying ages and has a more complex flavor The young age is mild and is best for fondue, mid-aged has more complex flavor and the extra aged version has a full bodied nutty flavor and works well melted over gratins or potatoes and is an excellent table cheese.  Authentic French Emmental will be stamped with "Emmental Francais Grand Cru on its rind but it is much less common in the United States than its Swiss sister.


Overall Emmental is a great cheese when thinly sliced and used on sandwiches or shaved over salads. It also goes well with most fruits, meats and crusty breads. It is often the major cheese used in fondue.

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When shopping for Emmental do not purchase any that are significantly weeping its butterfat or that has any mold on the rind or the interior paste. Emmental dries out fast when sliced thin so try to avoid any that has been pre-sliced and left to sit out. It is best to keep it in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Try to find  authentic Emmental and stay away from the banal pasteurized domestic versions like and other pasteurized imposters. Keep in mind that authentic Emmental is not sold by brand names.

Wine Paring: Light fruity reds like Beaujolais and Rhone reds or spicy whites like any Alsace and dry Vouray for French Emmental.

Swiss Emmental pairs well with light fruity reds like French Bandolor big reds like Saint-Joseph and light fruity whites like Swiss Fendant or Muscadet.

Garrotxa: A Superb Goat Cheese From Spain

Garrotxa  (ga-ROW-sha) is an exceptional goat cheese from the Catalonian region of Spain. Garrotxa is produced by using pasteurized milk from free range goat herds that feed on the local grasses and herbs. It is normally aged for three weeks but can be aged up to seven weeks. Since it is pasteurized there are no United States importing restrictions on it, however, it is somewhat difficult to find in the US. It should be able to be purchased from  a good cheese shop that carries a wide variety of Spanish cheeses or check out Whole Foods or Wegmans markets.

Details and Flavor: Garrotxa is a small cheese, about 2lbs, with a very thin  gray moldy micro-fiber like inedible rind that should be removed. The interior has white paste that is somewhat moist, and dense but not hard, older versions will be drier. The flavor is mild and not overtly goaty but does possess  nice herb flavors that represent Thyme and Rosemary with a nutty overtone. Garrotxa melts well so you can experiment with it in your recipes. Try spreading some Spanish quince paste (membrillo) or honey on a slice of Garrotxa as an afternoon snack.

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Notes: When shopping for Garrotxa do not purchase any that are cracked or have any mold on the INTERIOR  paste. Garrotxa will stay fresh once it is cut for about two weeks if kept alone wrapped in paper and covered with tin foil in a vegetable bin of the refrigerator. Garottax can be served with crusty bread, cured meats, sweet fruits and soft nuts. It is also a great table cheese eaten by itself, saved over salads or melted over potatoes or other vegetables.

Wine Pairings: Spanish red wines like Rioja or white wines like Pinot Gris or Chardonnay

Italian Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan is one of the world's best known cheeses and is officially known as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. I will using it's more common name throughout this discussion.  Parmesan production dates back to the 13th century when it was made by Benedectine and Cistercian monks. Thankfully modern methods of cheese production have not altered this traditional hand crafted masterpiece and it is considered, by most cheese experts, to be the world's best cheese. Parmesan is DOP certified and can only be produced in the small area bordered by the provinces of Bologna, Mantua, Modena, Parma and Reggio Emilia. Therefore the total production is moderate in relative terms but is of an extraordinarily high quality and consistency. The wheels that are produced usually weigh in at 80lbs.

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 The Santa Rita Co-op Dairy, which is located near Modena, produces only DOP Certified Organic Parmesan cheese. The following description of production relates to this particular Dairy. There are eight family farms incorporated into the Santa Rita Dairy Co-op. These farms are in the towns of Pompenno and Selva which are located in the Modena Appennini mountains. The altitude here varies from 2000 feet to 2400 feet and provides warm days, cool nights and lush farmland for grazing cows and goats. Parmigiano Reggiano is know also as a hard mountain style cheese. The Santa Rita Co-op was certified Organic 10 years ago and has been exclusively producing high quality hand crafted organic Parmesan cheese. The Co-op produces ten 80 pound wheels of organic cheese per day that are marked with the Consorzio de Parmigiano-Reggiano registration number 2895, this number identifies and certifies the producer. All of the cows in the co-op are fed only certified Organic grass and hay that is grown on the eight individual farms. The processing plant is centrally located near all of the farms so the milk does not  travel long distances to be processed. All of these factors contribute to a superior final product.

Details:  Each wheel of Parmesan is made from two separate milkings. The evening milking is poured into large containers and allowed to rest. In the morning the cream that has risen to the top is skimmed off and the remaining milk is then combined with the morning milk and allowed to form curds. This combination of milk is then heated at 90 degrees and the whey is separated out by a vigorous turning action. The remaining curds are then reheated and then allowed to rest and cool for 30 minutes. Next the curds are placed in cloth bags to cool and drain. The cooled curds are then placed in the traditionally shaped wooden molds and pressed to expel any leftover whey and to form the cheese. The pressed cheeses are then immersed in a brine bath for 21 days. The brine bath allows the outer rind to form and harden and starts the aging process. The new cheeses are then rinsed and cleaned and then allowed to age for 30 months in climate controlled "warehouses". This long aging process allows the cheese to fully develop its legendary flavor.The finished cheese will have a hard outer rind that is considered inedible, however it can be cut up and added to soups or broths to add extra body and flavor to them. Once cut open the interior will have a straw color that is hard and somewhat flinty. 

 Flavor: An aged Parmesan cheese will have a mild aroma but an extraordinary full and complex flavor. Subtle flavors such as the spices nutmeg and ginger, a mild salty hint, and a nutty flavor like walnuts, can be noted. Parmesan is considered to be a "grana" or granular cheese meaning that when grated it will produce fines grains. Parmesan is normally thought of and used for grating over pasta dishes but it is also a great table cheese that when well aged will melt in your mouth and allow its full flavor to expand. In Italy it is often served at the beginning of a main meal with figs, ripe melon or grapes. As an antipasto try it with prosciutto drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, it also works well sliced in garden or vegetable salads. The fat content of Parmigiano is quite low at about 28% to 32%.

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When shopping for Parmesan look for large portions of the whole wheel and ask that your piece be cut from there. Try to avoid Parmesan that is pre-cut into smaller pieces and wrapped in plastic wrap. Although it is hard to ruin this cheese it is always better to get the freshest piece possible. However if allowed to dry out it will become rock hard and will have little or no flavor. Ask for a sample if you are unsure of its quality. Do not grate this cheese and then store it in the refrigerator because it will rapidly lose its flavor, therefore you should only grate what you know you will use. Store your larger pieces in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp piece of cheese cloth and aluminum foil. Any mold that may form can be scrapped off without any damage to the rest of the cheese. You can rub a little olive oil on the exposed faces of the cut cheese to inhibit the formation of mold on the surface of the cheese itself. Any mold that may form will only be on the oil and can simply be rubbed or washed off.

Substitutes for Parmesan cheese: In reality there is no true substitute for true Italian Parmesan cheese. However, if you are looking for acceptable alternatives try Grana Padano which is less expensive and somewhat less flavorful or
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Wine parings: Chianti Reserva, Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, Salice Salentino, Valpolicella or with a dessert wine like Moscato or Vin Santo.

Mascarpone Flavor And Uses

Mascarpone in the strictest sense is not  really a cheese since it is not made with rennet or any other starter to form curds. It's production is quite simple. The cream from cow's milk is poured into cheese cloth or muslin bags and lemon juice is poured over the cream and it is left to drain. The lemon juice contains citric acid which removes the whey in the cream. After the whey has been expelled the coagulated mass of high lactose heavy cream is left in a cool room for 2 days. The result is a milky white soft and smooth cream.

Mascarpone owes a lot of it's popularity from being the main ingredient in the ever popular dessert tiramisu. It's  production began in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy but it is such a simple "cheese" to make that it is now made almost everywhere.

Flavor and uses: Mascarpone has a buttery lactic sweet taste, and is not salty or acidic. As in it's production it has a simple almost neutral flavor that does not overpower a recipe. However mascarpone shines as an ingredient and it can be used to thicken soups or pasta sauces. It can also be blended with fresh herbs to be used as a dip, spread on croissants or crusty bread or as a simple dessert dolloped on top of sweet fruits and drizzled with honey. Mascarpone has a very short shelf life after it's container has been opened so plan on trying to use it as quickly as possible.

 Substitutes for Mascarpone that would work in similar ways are English clotted cream and crème fraiche. Clotted cream might need to be thickened to work in some recipes and crème fraiche has a slight acidic tang so be aware of that when planning on using it in recipes that tend to be sweet.

Mascarpone can be purchased in almost every supermarket or any local specialty food store. When shopping for it do not buy any that are near or past the expiration date. If you open the container and it tastes bitter discard it because it is past it's usability.