July Poll Results

Well the results of our last poll gave slam dunk victory to the imported European cheeses over our domestic US cheeses. The results: 58% of the respondents said the our domestic cheeses were inferior to most European cheeses, 33% felt that they were equal to the European cheeses and a disheartening 8% of you thought that our US cheeses were better that their European brethren. The reason for this may be that the majority of cheese lovers think that the only cheeses being produced in the United States are the banal, lifeless and tasteless factory made cheeses that are available at the local supermarket. It also seems apparent that the Farmstead cheese industry has a great deal more advertising to do to wake up the local population. Dairies in Vermont, New York, Oregon, California and Georgia, to name just a few, are producing wonderful and creative cheeses that truly deserve to be recognized and appreciated for their flavor and craftsmanship.

So, to expose our readers to theses great cheeses I will be profiling a number of great domestic cheeses that deserve your attention. Try them and if you do not find them in your local cheese shop ask the manager if he would order them for you, they should not be hard to find. Our local dairy farmers are struggling with low prices for their milk so they have begun to create farmstead cheeses to help supplement their incomes. I think it is a great idea to purchase locally or regionally made products especially when the quality and craftsmanship remain at a high level.

Tips On How To Cut Round Cheeses

When purchasing Stilton, Cashel Blue, Tete de Moine, or any other round cheese or cylinder shaped cheese ask the salesperson to cut it like a flat disk. Most cheese shops will normally cut it in this fashion, but it is always a good idea to express your desired cut..

The following steps will explain how to cut round or cylinder shaped cheeses. If you have purchased a 1 lb piece of cheese it is probably about 1 inch thick and can be cut by hand with a good cheese knife. If you have a wire cheese cutter this will work well also. If you are familiar with cutting pizza slices this is the same concept. It is easy and will provide a nice eye appeal to your setting or cheese plate.

If you like to eat different kinds of cheese you might consider investing is good set of cheese knives.

Step 1: Cut the round piece of cheese in half

Step 2: Cut each piece in half so that you now have 4 quarters.

Step 3: Cut each quarter in half.

Proceed with this method until you have the required amount of slices that you need for each guest. Should you need more than 16 small wedges, cut your initial disk of cheese to a ½ inch thickness. This will now provide 32 wedges. Do not try to cut too many wedges from soft or creamy cheeses because as the slices get smaller you will begin to squash the cheese.

For a 2 lb or larger piece of cheese, lay it on its side and cut disks that are ¾ or 1 inch thick, as stated above, if you need more wedges cut your disks thinner. Then follow the same method described above.

It is our opinion is that it always better to buy too much cheese for your party or dinner than not enough. Leftovers will most likely not go to waste. To calculate how much cheese to buy for any occasion please read our discussion on cheese plates and cheese boards at http://aroundtheworldcheese.blogspot.com/2009/03/creating-cheese-boards-and-cheese.html
and
http://aroundtheworldcheese.blogspot.com/2009/04/few-suggestions-for-cheese-plates.html

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.