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