6 Frequently Asked Questions About Cheese

It seems that many of customers and blog readers are asking the same questions on several topics so I will address them in this post.

1) What are the names or brands of Brie?
Ans) All of the Brie sold in the US is pasteurized so the only differences are the quality and the producer. Not to sound snobbish but I feel that the best Brie is made in France and the best imported brands to purchase here in the US are (in order of quality) Rouzaire Fromage DeMeaux, Rouzaire Brie Nangis, Chatelain Brie, Isigny Brie, Tour de Marze Brie and Bellerive Brie. For Brie made in the US definitely stay away from all the factory made brands like President, Supreme and Valembert. These brands may be cheaper but they are cheap for very obvious reasons. Treat yourselves right by purchasing gourmet quality Brie.

2) Should I use separate knives for cutting different cheeses?
Ans) ALWAYS use separate knives ! The reason is that you do not want to "contaminate" one cheese with the flavor of another cheese. By contaminate we do not mean ruin, but alter the flavor. You may not think that this is important but it is. This is true especially when serving blue cheese with a soft or mild cheese because the strong flavor and the mold of the blue cheese will contaminate the other cheese. Also any blue cheese residue that is left on another cheese will begin to alter it while stored in the refrigerator. Strong flavored cheeses can and do impart a bit of themselves on their less flavorful or milder cousins by using the same cutting knife. In this way any taste comparison can be altered. So take a bit more time at setup and clean-up and use separate cutting knives your gourmet cheeses will thank you.

3) Is it OK to eat the white rind on Brie?
Ans) YES! The bloomy rind on brie is edible and will cause no harm. If you are new to Brie first try scooping out the cheese and as you become more familiar with its flavor then move on to eating it with the rind and see if it appeals to you. Only you can decide whether you like it with the rind or not but do not be afraid to try it.

4) Are Organic cheeses worth the higher price?
Ans) In our opinion the answer is a strong Yes. What cows, goats, and sheep consume as food has a direct effect on the milk they produce. If these animals are feed purely Organic foods they produce milk of higher nutritional value and without any added chemicals or hormones. Many progressive dairies in Europe and some in the US are growing their own Organic feed for their herds. By doing this they are able to lower their production costs by not adding hormones their feed and toxic chemicals to their soil. Hormones that are added to feed stocks or injected directly into the animal may increase the volume of milk produced but they also leave residues in the milk which are then transferred to you the consumer. I personally do not need nor do I want bovine growth hormone in my dairy products. In Europe many more farms and dairies are going natural if not totally organic and nearly all refuse to use rBGH ( bovine growth hormone) . It is unfortunate that this movement has not gained stronger traction in the US.

5) Why do sheep milk cheeses seem oily?
Ans) The reason is the sheep milk has a much higher fat content than both cow milk and goat milk. This higher fat content is desirable because it produces a richer and more buttery flavor cheese.

6) What is the difference between a cheese board and a cheese plate?
Ans) Simply stated a cheese plate is usually served with or after a main course meal or as an appetizer. A cheese board is served as a stand alone course, like at a wine tasting, a setting where no other food course will be served or cheese party. Portions are always smaller for a cheese plate than a cheese board.

Spanish Iberico Cheese

Iberico is one of the best known and most purchased cheeses in Spain, but it does not have very much exposure in the United States. Here in the states Manchego is the most familiar Spanish cheese followed by Mahon and Idiazabal. So we hope to shed a little light on this wonderful cheese and expose our readers to it.

Iberico cheese is produced only in the province of Valladolid in central Spain. In order to maintain some semblance of order and control of its large cheese production the Spanish government created the Denominations of Origin Certification. This designation controls the name, area, and standards of production to insure a consistent quality product. Iberico is not yet DOC certified but it has applied for certification and hopes to receive it soon. However the dairies that produce this cheese have maintained their own high standards and guidelines since 1987.

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Details: Iberico is made with a blend of pasteurized milk from cows, goats and sheep. The combination of these three milks varies from season to season based on the weather and the breeding patterns of the goats and sheep. However the following minimum guidelines are strictly adhered to by the producing dairies. The blend minimums are: cow's milk 50%, goat milk 30% and sheep's milk 10% In general the cow milk provides the flavor and acidity while the goats’ milk provides the slightly tart flavor and the whiter color and the sheep milk adds the richness and buttery consistency due to its higher fat content. With that said, the fact is that the higher the content of the sheep’s milk the better the cheese. 

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Iberico's flavor is herbaceous with a very mild goat tang that blends with the buttery sheep's milk to produce a very comforting flavor and aroma. The interior paste has a light yellow to slight beige color and a mild sheepy aroma. Once the two month month process ends the cheeses are covered with a plastic outer rind that is inedible. This rind is similar in appearance to the one that covers the popular Manchego so Iberico can and is sometimes confused with it, so be careful when you are shopping for it. Iberico can be found in good cheeses shops and online at Amazon. Iberico Cheese

In Spain Iberico is usually used as a table cheese served with quince paste (membrillo) but it is also a great melting cheese so it can be used in many recipes. Here are a few suggestions: shred it in an omelet, slice into your favorite salads, melt it over pasta or potatoes and rice entrees. For a tapas serve it with Chorizo or Serrano ham and a hearty bread.

Wine parings: Medium Spanish reds or a good Pinot Noir or Beaujolais or for a white wine try Souvigon Blanc.

Swiss Tete de Moine Cheese

Tete de Moine is a true masterpiece of Swiss cheese making and it is by all accounts the definition of a true gourmet cheese. It is produced by only nine dairies in the northwestern section of the Swiss Alps called the Bernese Jura where French is the predominate language. Tete de Moine is thought to have been produced by the monks at the Bellelay abbey since 1192 but it has been fully noted for production and sale since 1520. Originally the cheese was called Fromage Bellelay after the abbey where it was produced but it was renamed Tete de Moine in 1790. The English translation of Tete de Moine is "monks head" referring to the tax (paid with cheese) by the abbey to the French kings and the shaved circular bald spot on the monks heads.

The Swiss government has insured that the production of this cheese will always be in the traditional way by granting it the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). With this designation the cheese can only be produced with local milk using the traditional methods and specifications approved by the PDO board. Cows, and cheese making, remain an important part of Swiss life and practically all Swiss cheese is made from cow's milk. Switzerland prides itself on putting quality first, and their cheese is no exception. Taking the cows up to the early summer alpine pastures remains a time-honored custom however the cows do not remain in the same place throughout the summer, but move up to higher pastures as the season progresses. This procedure allows the grazed fields to regrow and be cut for winter hay. Swiss cows only graze on grass in summer and eat hay that has been cut from alpine fields before winter. NO silage and NO additives of any kind are allowed if their milk is to be made into cheese or other dairy products.

Details: Tete de Moine is an unpasteurized, pressed curd cow milk cheese that is lightly cooked. The milk is delivered to the local dairy twice daily to ensure freshness and is processed within modern facilities but by time consuming traditional methods. This is NOT a factory made cheese. The two milkings are mixed in vats and mildly heated to 100 degrees and then curdled with rennet, then reheated to 125 degrees to expel the whey. The curd is then cooled and then pressed in small wooden molds to remove any excess whey and water. The newly formed mini-wheels are then placed in a brine bath for 12 hours to expel the last of the water and to form the outer rind. After the brine bath they are allowed to dry and begin the aging process. The cheeses are aged for 4 to 6 months in cool humid caves. While aging in these caves the mini-wheels are brushed with brine and a bacteria culture to continue the formation of the sticky rind. For those who worry about such things, Tete de Moine has a fat content between 45% and 50%.

Tete de Moine mini-wheels will have sticky or hard brown outer rinds depending on the dairy and weigh about 1.5 to 2 pounds. The interior paste is firm with a straw color which will darken as it ages. Please note that the cheese ages from the outside to the inside so the area closer to the rind may look darker or browner so this is not a sign of poor quality, it is natural. The interior paste may also have small holes throughout. This cheese is very aromatic (but not stinky) even before cutting it.

Tasting: The aroma is like roasted nuts combined with earthy wine and musty wood, it is fantastic and it will fill the room! The flavor is full bodied and very complex with hints of nuts and sweet fruit. In our opinion, if you are looking for a gourmet Swiss mountain style cheese, Tete de Moine exhibits much more flavor and aroma than Emmental and Gruyere. To truly experience the full extent of the flavor and aroma it should be shaved (NOT cut) with a knife into paper thin slices while it is still cold. We suggest that any lover of this cheese should invest in a cheese curler or griolle (see picture above). This wonderful tool allows for the perfect shaving of a mini-wheel of Tete de Moine, with a minimum of effort, every time you use it. If you do not use a griolle we suggest thinly cutting the top off and shaving it with your knife. The thin, sticky rind is edible even though it looks and feels like it should be removed. Store this cheese in the refrigerator wrapped in waxed paper or aluminum foil and then placed in a zip-lock bag, however we do not think that you will have any leftovers to worry about.

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Serve Tete de Moine with fruits such as sliced apples, pears and grapes it is also fantastic with cured meats like prosciutto and thinly sliced salami. Try shaving it over a fresh salad or be like the Swiss and serve it with the top cut off, rind less and shaved, placed on caraway flavored crackers or sprinkled with pepper and powdered cumin. You can find 

Tete de Moine in most good cheese shops or online at Amazon

Wine parings: Big reds like Hermitage and Chateauneuf-du-Pape it also pairs well with Zinfandel and ales, porters and stout.