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.

3pc Bamboo Cutting Board Set  from Amazon

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.

A Springtime Dinner Recipe With Chicken and Parmesan Cheese

This is a great springtime or summer main course.
We usually think of Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese as a grating or shredded cheese to be used with pasta dishes. However in Italy it is also eaten as a table cheese served with Chianti Reserva or Barolo wine. The following recipe takes this great Italian cheese into a new arena. A little extra work is involved here but the final product is well worth the effort.  

Ingredients
2 large lemons
2 ½ Tbsp of olive oil
2 cloves of crushed garlic
2 Tbsp of finely chopped parsley
1 ½ Tbsp of dry bread crumbs
2oz . of Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese finely shredded
divided (2/3 cups)
¼ tsp. of salt and black pepper
8 large bone-in chicken thighs with the skin on
12oz. of baby red potatoes cut in half
1 cup of fresh peas or string beans

Setup and Cooking
1) Preheat your oven to 425. Grate enough lemon zest to equal 2 tsp. Cut the ends off each lemon and then slice them into 4 pieces. Arrange them in a large (18”x12”) non-stick baking pan.

2) In a small bowl combine the lemon zest 2 Tbsp of olive oil, garlic, parsley, bread crumbs and 1/3 cup of shredded cheese.

3) Trim any excess fat from the chicken and loosen the skin but do not detach it. Spread the mixture from the bowl under the skin. Place the chicken skin side and place a lemon slice on each piece piece on top. Brush the chicken with the remaining 1/2tsp of olive oil and add the salt and pepper.

4) Arrange potatoes around the chicken and bake for 20 minutes then turn the potatoes. Reduce the heat to 400 and bake for 10 min. Remove the pan from thr oven, spoon out any excess fat from the pan. Add the peas or string beans to the pan and top the chicken with the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and serve hot.

Wine Pairing: Serve with a Chianti Reserva, Barolo, Barbaresco or Salice Salentino wine

A Unique Recipe For Manchego And Shrimp Appetizer

                                                  Manchego And Shrimp Appetizer

This is a great shrimp appetizer that will work with many main courses. The Latin American method of cooking seafood with citric acid is the basis here and the aged Manchego cheese is bold enough to stand up to the tart citrus juice. The shrimp need to be "cooked" in the refrigerator for 24 hrs. before serving so prepare them the day before this appetizer will be served.

Prep Time 35 min. Serves 6

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups of fresh lime juice

1 1/4 cups of fresh orange juice

2/3 cup of coarsely chopped cilantro

1/2 of a large Jalapeno pepper chopped

4 tsp. of salt

2 tsp. of sugar

1 1/2 lb of large shrimp shelled and deveined

1 med. carrot thinly sliced

6 small radishes thinly sliced

3 oz. of snap peas or beans cut into 1/2 in. slices

1 med. Mango peeled, pitted and cubed ( about 1 1/2 cups)

4 - 5 oz of aged Manchego cheese diced into 1/4 in cubes

1 15oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 large clove of garlic

1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes in oil

3/4 tsp of chili powder

Setup

1) In a large bowl add the lime juice, orange juice, cilantro, Jalapeno, salt, and sugar, then stir until completely mixed. Then add the shrimp. Make sure that all of the shrimp are completely submerged in the liquid. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 24 hrs.

2) Combine fire-roasted diced tomatoes, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and chili powder in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth. This makes about 1 cup.
3) Drain the shrimp and discard the liquid. Add the carrot, radishes, snap peas, mango, and Manchego cheese to the shrimp then mix all the ingredients together until they are evenly distributed.

4) Pour the tomato mixture onto 6 serving plates and then spoon the shrimp mixture on top. Pour any leftover tomato mixture on top of each salad. Serve cold.

Wine pairing: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc or Pinot Blanc


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