Fine cheeses, those with evocative odors and distinctive flavors, have a limited life and, like fine wine, they evolve in flavor and character as they age. Often heralded by a distinctive, sometimes overpowering, aroma, these “specialty” cheeses may be pure white or gnarled and ugly on the outside; inside, they may be hard or soft or somewhere in between. At their peak, the taste will be complex, with nuances that can suggest herbs, nuts, damp earth, salt, cream, butter or other sensory elements in nature’s flavor arsenal.
These characters put off some people while captivating others. Few other foods have the flexibility to be served before dinner or as part of any course that follows.
The fall entertaining season is a good time to become acquainted with a range of specialty cheeses and learn how best to use those that please you.
We provide here an introduction to the international family of specialty cheeses.
Per capita consumption of cheese in this country increased nearly 60 percent between 1980 and 1997 with a sharp upturn in 1999 that has continued into this year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Most cheese merchants agree with Chicago wholesaler Sofia Solomon of Tekla Inc. that consumers and restaurant chefs all have become more knowledgeable, more experimental and more willing to take on strongly flavored cheeses.
Giles Schnierle, whose Heartland Trading Co. in Chicago specializes in domestic cheese, thinks of himself as a missionary, making converts a few at a time.
“We have artisanal cheeses as good as anything from other parts of the world,” he says.
THE CONFUSING WORLD OF CHEESE. There is no single system for identifying and categorizing cheese, and types often overlap. But in general cheese is identified by its milk type, firmness, fat content and special features.
Important sources of milk for cheesemaking are the cow, the goat and the sheep. Too simple? Then keep in mind some of our finest cheeses are blends of two or all three of these milks.
Cow’s milk products dominate the international cheese roster. The popularity of goat cheese (“chevre” in French) continues to grow in this country. In addition to the lightly tangy fresh goat cheese such as Montrachet, there are firm cheeses such as Valencay (also known as pyramid) and strongly flavored, hard, aged goats such as crottin de Chavignol. Sheep cheeses are seen in specialty shops more often, but sales are way behind the other two. Look for pecorino from Italy, manchego from Spain, feta and kasseri from Greece and a pair of sheep’s milk blues, French Roquefort and Spanish cabrales.
Firmness depends on the amount of water remaining in a finished cheese, which may be extra-hard (Parmesan), hard (gruyere), semi-hard (cantal), semi-soft (Monterey Jack) or soft (ricotta).
Fat content also varies. The richest are the double-creams and triple-creams, meaning soft, creamy cheeses that are 60 to 74 percent butterfat (petit-Suisse) or more than 75 percent butterfat (explorateur, Saint Andre).
Special features may include a washed rind, bloomy (soft white) rind, ash rind, or cheeses that are smoked, brined, blue-veined or wrapped in leaves.
BUYING THE CHEESE. Taste, look for artisan producers, and understand that cheese changes: Factor in how long after purchase it will be served. Seek out the cheese store or department that provides personalized service; cheese is a complicated subject and to find a guide and advisor is only common sense, especially considering the price of fine cheese.
Mitchell Cobey, owner of Mitchell Cobey Cuisine in Old Town, says he asks the customer when he or she plans to serve the cheeseAt a party? Before dinner? With what accompaniment? A salad perhaps, or wine?
Ari Weinzweig, co-owner of Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Mich., a market with a notable cheese selection, asks his customers: “What do you like, mild or strongly flavored? Young or aged? Is it for eating or for cooking?
“For a cheese board I recommend a range of flavors and textures,” Weinzweig says. “Rather than buying a single cheese, a large wedge of brie, I encourage the customer to try smaller portions of two or three cheeses that provide new flavors and textures. Price is a factor, of course. In general, cheeses at the high end of the flavor spectrum are at the high end of the price spectrum too.”
Weinzweig often suggests a three-cheese selection of Vermont Cheddar, gruyere and Stilton. “I give tastes of everything until the customer is happy. No matter how much the salesperson knows, you’re playing roulette if you buy without tasting.”
At Whole Foods Market on Huron Street, cheese department manager Dannie Ray Sullins tries to keep a customer’s cheese selection to three or four. For example, Parmesan, Capriole Farms goat cheese from Indiana and brie; or, alternatively, a mild Corsican sheep cheese, Cantal (semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from the Auvergne region of France) and strong Munster from Alsace.
Experts will warn you away from pre-sliced or grated cheese because they become dry and lose flavor quickly, but if the god of convenience must be served, buy only a small amount.
CHEESE PRICES. With a product as unpredictable and fragile as cheese, it can be worth paying more in a store where the cheese is carefully tended and where samples are available. In general, larger volume specialty cheeses will sell in a supermarket for $5 to $10 a pound. Small production and special cheeses may cost $12 to $20 and beyond.
Recently the price of raw-milk aged brie at Whole Foods was $20 a pound. Treasure Island had a mass-produced brie for $8 a pound. The highest price found at Whole Foods was $26.50 for Reblochon. At Treasure Island, the high price was $16 for 3-year-old Parmesan.
SERVING CHEESE. Always bring cheese to room temperature to maximize flavor and normalize texture. As in buying, provide a selection of divergent milks, textures and intensity of flavor. Special knives, small with dull blades but good for spreading, are recommended for each diner; larger, sharper knives of various shapes are used to cut cheeses on a platter for serving.
Present small cheeses whole, cut disks of cheeses in half, slice wedge-shape pieces to the point, not across. Super-hard Parmesan can be cut into chunks away from the table with a short, very strong knife.
Before the meal: A cheese board, ideally containing two or three cheeses and crackers or thin slices of French bread, is an accepted part of the cocktail hour. Avoid cheeses that run or crumble.
Between the main course and dessert: Serve one to three cheeses with wine or present a portion of a single cheese beside a small salad.
After the meal: Traditionally, a single cheese, usually a blue veined cheese such as Stilton, is served with port. Fruit and nuts may be offered too.
STORING CHEESE. Cheeses are not meant to linger in the refrigerator. With the exception of very hard cheeses for grating, the best policy is to buy only enough for immediate needs. Inevitably, there will be leftovers, too expensive andone hopestoo good to discard. Wrap in aluminum foil, wax paper or plastic wrap. Store as near the bottom of the refrigerator as possible; the vegetable compartment, which has higher humidity, is deal, especially for soft cheeses. Hard cheeses can be wrapped in plastic wrap and may last several weeks. Wrap fresh and soft-ripened cheeses in wax paper or, briefly, in plastic wrap. They will not keep as long and should be discarded if mold appears on the surface.
COOKING WITH CHEESE. In “The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook and Guide” (to be published in November), Paula Lambert cites such cook’s problems as curdling, stringiness and toughness. “The secret,” she writes, “is to cook cheese at a low temperature and not to cook it for too long.” She counsels adding starch (flour) to prevent curdling, acid (lemon juice) or alcohol to avoid stringiness, and adding cheese toppings only at the end of cooking to avoid toughness. High-fat cheeses melt better than low-fat.
MAKING CHEESE
The craft becomes less romantic when you read Steven Jenkins’ description in “Cheese Primer.” Cheesemaking, he writes, “is a series of stages of controlled spoilage.” Stage 1. The cheesemaker warms milk and a starter so the milk’s lactose will convert to lactic acid. This allows the milk protein to coagulate into curds when rennet is added. Rennet (liquid from the lining of the appropriate animal’s stomach, or highly concentrated vegetable juice) and the starter work together until a mass forms.
Stage 2. The curd is concentrated by several methods, including cutting, cooking, salting and pressing. When the curd is cut, the liquid whey escapes. (The finer the cut, the more whey escapes and the harder the finished cheese will be.) In making firm cheeses, the curd will be reheated and shaken to cause the clumps to become filaments and, at 120 degrees, strings. Spun-curd cheeses such as mozzarella are now ready to be stretched or molded into balls. Other cheeses are salted to draw off water. Then the cheese may be placed in a mold.
Stage 3. The cheese develops its personality during ripening (or aging), which may go on for days, weeks or years in temperature– and humidity–controlled storerooms. Protein, fat and carbohydrate break down and create flavor. The Swiss cheese develops its holes, the brie its coating of mold, the Roquefort its veins of blue. Washed-rind cheeses are washed with a brine, wine, spirits or water.
ADVENTURE ON THE CHEESE BOARD
Here are details on fine cheeses to try. Descriptions are adapted from Steve Jenkins”‘Cheese Primer.”
AGED GOUDA (Dutch): cow; semi-hard; tangy and salty, nutty butterscotch flavor.
EXPLORATEUR (French): cow; soft-ripened triple-cream; rich, smooth and buttery.
GRUYERE (Swiss): cow; hard with a nutty aroma and mellow fruity flavor; one of the most versatile of cheeses, it melts well. Comte from France is a worthy alternative.
JACK (American): cow; semi-soft and mild (but not as mild as Monterey Jack); dry Jack is hard with an addicting sweet, nutty flavor.
MOZZARELLA (Italian, American): cow, water buffalo; smooth, tender, springy texture that may be rubbery in overprocessed versions used for pizza; mild, milky taste and texture. A perfect guest, fits in salads and casseroles.
PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO (Italian): cow; extra-hard; pressed, cooked curd usually aged about 2 years; golden color, nubby texture when broken off wheel; slightly sweet and salty with full, fruity aroma and long aftertaste. The ultimate grating cheese and a fine accompaniment to rich red wines.
PROVOLONE (Italian and American): cow; a chameleon, this cheese is made in various shapes and changes character as it ages; mild and buttery when young; crumbly, sharper and salty with age.
REBLOCHON (French): cow; soft with washed rind; aggressive aroma increases as cheese ripens; sweet, nutty flavor, brie-like texture.
ROQUEFORT (French): sheep; firm but crumbly texture with extensive veins of blue-green mold; intense, tangy and salty.
STILTON (English): cow; veins are bluer than Roquefort; brownish rind; firm with a moist, creamy texture; earthy aroma; tangy, rich flavor; a fine match for sweet wines, especially port.
TOMME DE SAVOIE (French): cow; semi-hard and easy to cut; mild and slightly salty with rustic, nutty nuances that linger. Good choice for a cocktail hour cheese board.
VALENCAY (French): goat; also known as pyramid, may have ash-rubbed rind; firm texture but soft in the mouth; mild goaty sharpness increases as cheese ages. An excellent place to begin an exploration of goat cheeses.
And here are some less widely known cheeses worth seeking out:
AMERICAN FARMSTEAD GOAT CHEESE: various textures, from creamy to semi-hard; flavors vary with the seasons and with age.
CABRALES (Spanish): cow and goat blue; semi-hard; crumbly; intense, nutty, tangy.
EPOISSES (French): cow; soft; rind washed with marc de Bourgogne; earthy barnyard aroma, strong flavor.
ALSATIAN MUNSTER (French): cow; 11U4 pound disks; semi-soft washed rind; rind darkens as cheese ripens; soft and creamy when ripe with pungent aroma and a nutty flavor.
FARMHOUSE CHEDDAR (English): cow; look for cloth-covered rind; firm; fruity, grassy aroma; buttery texture; nutty, sometimes sharp taste.
Fontina dOAosta (Italian): cow; perfumed floral aroma; firm texture; complex taste with notes of earth, nuts and honey; a good partner to rich red wine; not to be confused with domestic fontina or fontinella .
MANCHEGO (Spanish): sheep; hard; white interior yellows with age; mild but persistent flavor with nuances of salt and nuts. Look for La Mancha as region of production.
MASCARPONE (Italian): soft, smooth fresh triple-cream; mild, intensely creamy flavor; pour over fruit or use in desserts.
RICOTTA SALATA (Italy): sheep; firm, smooth; mild, milky and slightly sweet; use on salads and vegetables or pasta with tomato sauce.
SAINT-MARCELLIN/BANON (French): cow (Saint Marcellin), cow or goat (Banon); leaf-wrapped small disks with mold-spotted crust; creamy interior; earthy, slightly grapey flavor.
TALEGGIO (Italian): cow; soft or semi-soft, washed rind; bold and earthy, becomes very runny and aromatic when fully ripe.
TRAPPIST-STYLE: cow; semi-sweet made from uncooked curds with a washed rind. Pronounced flavor and considerable aroma.
VACHERIN MONT DOOR (Swiss) or VACHERIN DU HAUT-DOUBES (French): cow; very soft; woodsy flavor; a truly mature Vacherin is so runny it is eaten with a spoon; a worthy stand-in is the French Edel de Cleron.
ESCAROLE AND GRUYERE SALAD WITH WALNUT OIL DRESSING
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Standing time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Adapted from “The Cheese Course,” by Janet Fletcher.
1 1/2 tablespoons each: olive oil, walnut oil, sherry vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup walnuts
2 heads escarole, pale heart only, torn into bite-size pieces
1/3 pound Gruyere, Comte or Emmental cheese, rind trimmed, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1/4 cup minced Italian parsley
1. For dressing, whisk together oils, vinegar, shallot and salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Taste; adjust vinegar and oil as needed.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts on baking sheet until fragrant and lightly colored, about 15 minutes; cool. Break up large pieces. Combine escarole, walnuts, Gruyere and parsley in large serving bowl. Pour dressing over salad; toss. Season with salt and pepper; toss again.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 235 Fat ………… 21 g Saturated fat … 6 g
% calories from fat .. 76 Cholesterol … 25 mg Sodium …….. 95 mg
Carbohydrates ….. 3.9 g Protein …….. 11 g Fiber ……… 1.8 g
TOMATO AND FONTINA CHEESE PANINI
Preparation time: 7 minutes
Cooking time: 9 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This simple recipe was developed by test kitchen director Raeanne Sarazen.
5 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt, freshly ground pepper
8 slices rustic or country-style bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
8 thin slices fontina cheese
2 large tomatoes, seeded, thinly sliced
1/2 cup arugula or spinach leaves
1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat in small saucepan. Add garlic; cook until garlic softens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool. Place 3 tablespoons of the butter in small dish. Mix in melted garlic butter, and salt and pepper to taste until creamy. Set aside.
2. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Brush one side of each slice of bread with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Spread other side with garlic butter, leaving this side facing up. Place 1 slice of the cheese, 2 slices of tomato, a few leaves of arugula and 1 additional slice of cheese on garlic-butter side of bread. Top with bread slice, plain butter side up.
3. Place sandwich in skillet. Cook until bottom is browned, about 4 minutes. Press down gently on sandwiches with spatula. Turn; press down again. Cook until other side is browned and cheese is melted, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Cut in half with serrated knife.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 435 Fat ………… 25 g Saturated fat .. 14 g
% calories from fat .. 51 Cholesterol … 65 mg Sodium ……. 770 mg
Carbohydrates …… 42 g Protein …….. 13 g Fiber ……… 3.2 g
TOAST WITH STILTON AND PORT WINE PEARS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 16 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from “The Cheese Bible.”
2 medium-ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored
1 1/2 cups port wine
1 cup water
4 slices whole-wheat bread
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
8 slices Stilton cheese
Fresh mint leaves
Green peppercorns, optional
1. Place pears in single layer in saucepan. Add port and water to completely cover. Heat liquid to low simmer; poach until pears are easily pierced with knife, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly in liquid. Drain on paper towels.
2. Heat broiler. Toast bread; remove crusts. Spread butter on toast while still warm. Place toast on baking sheet. Cut 1/4-inch slices in pears, leaving stem end intact. Separate slices to form fan shape. Place pear half on each slice of toast. Top with 2 slices Stilton. Broil until cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Garnish each with mint and green peppercorns.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 270 Fat ……….. 15 g Saturated fat … 9 g
% calories from fat .. 50 Cholesterol .. 35 mg Sodium ……. 600 mg
Carbohydrates …… 26 g Protein …….. 9 g Fiber ……… 3.9 g
