Swiss Raclette The Famous Swiss Melting Cheese

The name Raclette traces its name back to the French word racler meaning "to scrape". Swiss Raclette in essence is really a group of similar cheeses that are produced in small towns and dairies. The names of the cheeses reflect the names of these towns and dairies . Raclette cheeses are made from raw unpasteurized cows milk although there are some pasteurized versions available. The milk for Raclette comes from cows that graze on grass and flowers in the high alpine meadows of Switzerland and is considered a mountain style cheese. 

 Details: The production of Raclette is localized and is made using time honored traditions. The fresh curds are gathered and placed into hand carved wooden molds and pressed to expel the excess water and whey. The newly formed cheeses are then soaked in a brine solution and brushed with a yeast solution which helps to form the hard outer rind. They are then placed on wooden benches and left to age for three to six months in local cellars. The aged cheeses do not have any holes and will have a faint yellow inner paste that is semi-firm and an inedible dark beige rind. The wooden molds used to age the cheeses leave impressions of the name of the town or dairy where they were produced on the rind.

Flavor: Raclette has a stronger flavor and is smoother and less hard than Gruyere. The flavor is  nutty and not too salty however longer aged versions are sharper and more pronounced.

When shopping for Raclette look for a dark beige rind that does not look dry and is not cracked or shows signs of reddening or mold. Try to find cheeses from the canton of Valais with the names Bagnes, Conches, Gomser, and Orsieres on the rind. Swiss Raclette is more difficult to find than the French version but it is worth looking for. Raclette can be found in most cheese shops or on line at Amazon. Raclette Cheese

Since Raclette is produced as a 12 pound wheel it is usually bought in smaller wedges and heated in the oven or on a Raclette grill. When the cheese is melted in the rind it is shaved onto casseroles or hot vegetable dishes. Raclette is often a component of cheese blends for fondue along with Gruyere, Emmental or Appenzeller and is also a wonderful table cheese  served with fresh fruit.

Wine Pairings: white Swiss Fendant or light fruity reds or any Beaujolais.

Alpha Tolma Vermont Alpine Style Cheese

Over the recent extended Memorial Day weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the Jasper Hill Cellars and Creamery in Greensboro Vermont.The facility is state of the art and simply quite amazing. I was truly impressed by the attention to detail throughout all the stages of production and aging  of their cheeses and the mandatory sanitary procedures throughout the facility.

I will be reviewing all of the cheeses that are produced or aged at Jasper Hill. I would like to note that all of these cheeses are wonderful examples of artisan cheese production and affinage.

The Cellars at Jasper Hill is an innovative 22,00 sq ft underground facility. The Cellars were constructed for the purpose of providing affinage, or aging expertise, as well as distribution and marketing services for local cheesemakers so that they may access the burgeoning market for artisan cheese nationwide.

I would like to thank the marketing team at Jasper Hill for allowing me to liberally use their ad copy and photos.

ALPHA TOLMAN is named for a philanthropic dairy farmer who built the Greensboro library in 1900. Alpha's grandfather, Enoch, was one of the town's original settlers. Alpha's namesake cheese is made in a satellite creamery, located within the Vermont Food Venture Center in Hardwick, VT - a facility designed to incubate value-added projects and enrich our agricultural economy.

Details: True to the Alpine cheese making tradition Alpha Tolman is a cooked raw milk cheese. Rennet is added to the milk to form the curd, which is then pressed into molds to expel any whey that is left. The newly formed cheeses are then washed in brine which helps to form the rind and gives them a funky edge. The formed cheeses are then set to age between 8 to 11 months in the Cellars humidity and temperature controlled cave.. Alpha Tolman has a buttery, nutty and fruity flavor when young, developing bold meaty, caramelized onion flavors as it matures. The inner paste has a light straw color and has a thin outer rind. The texture is dense and pliant, easy to cut and ideal for melting.

When shopping for Alpha Tolman look for a cheese that is not dry or cracked as this is a sign of a wonderful cheese past it's prime. Alpha Tolman can be found in good specialty cheese shops and possibly in Whole Foods.  The texture, aesthetic, and flavor make Alpha Tolman an ideal choice for fans of Appenzeller (or fondue!).For a satisfying meal, follow the lead of Swiss/French raclette – melt onto a serving of fingerling potatoes, cured meat and natural sour pickles.

Wine Pairing: Big jammy New York reds with a younger version or a locally brewed porter or ale with a more mature cheese.

Maytag Blue A Classic American Blue Cheese

Maytag Blue Cheese is made on the Maytag family farm in Newton Iowa and has been a prized American farmstead cheese since the early 1940's. 

 Details: Maytag Blue is made from unpasteurized cow's milk  from the Holstein - Friesian cows that graze on the farm. Each step of its production is still done by hand. The raw milk is entered into vats and rennet is added to form the curd. The curd is then ladled into hoops and formed into four pound wheels. The cheese wheels are then pierced and seeded with Penicillium Roqueforti  mold and left to age for six months in cellars on the farm. When the cheeses are fully aged they are wrapped in Maytag's iconic blue and silver foil.

 Flavor:The finished cheeses have a light straw colored paste and ample blue veining, a nice peppery zing and wonderful crumbly but creamy texture. Maytag Blue's flavor will become more assertive as it ages and this cheese holds up well so this is not a bad thing. If you enjoy Roquefort, Cabrales or Stilton give this American classic a try and I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Keurig K-Cafe Coffee Maker  from Amazon

When shopping for Maytag Blue do not purchase any that have a grayish or pinkish tint to the paste or are excessively runny. These are signs of excessive aging and will make for a very unpleasant purchase . As noted above this cheese will hold up pretty well so wrap it in wax paper or tin foil and place it in the refrigerator but remember to keep it separated from other foods and cheeses. Maytag Blue can be found in most good cheese shops, Whole Foods and online at Amazon.

You can serve Maytag Blue crumbled over salads or melt it over grilled burgers. It also makes a great blue cheese dressing.

Wine pairing: Strong domestic reds or sweet whites like Sauternes. It also goes well with medium bodied ales.