The Cheese Course: Cheese - Enjoy something extraordinary every day By Stacey Adams-Zier
Everybody loves cheese. Some call it the next great culinary revolution in the United States. It is a passion for many. But for me, it is a downright obsession. I could talk about cheese until the cows come home and then some. Cheese can be simple or complex, everyday or luxurious, mild or stinky, and subtle or assertive. What's true is that the world of cheese is never boring, which is why I am excited to introduce our newest column, The Cheese Course.
Here we will explore the world of artisan cheeses. There will be articles about how to taste cheese; how to buy, store, and serve cheeses; tips and recipes on cooking with cheese; and reference guides that I hope you'll find interesting. "If only our voracious appetite for cheese and our knowledge of it could find a peaceful intersection," says Laura Werlin, author of Cheese Essentials, a book dedicated to buying and serving cheese.
The makers of real cheese are artisans in the true sense of the word. They have a passion for their product and a vision for quality versus quantity. Each wheel of cheese is unique, hand-crafted and cared for. It leaves a lasting memory on our palate and yet remains a humble food. In many cases, artisan cheeses are also considered "farmstead" - they are made with milk (cow, goat, or sheep) or a blend of milks from the farmer's own herd or flock that he has raised. Keep in mind though, that owning one's animals does not make one a better cheesemaker than purchasing one's milk.
I'm overjoyed that the past several years have seen an explosion in the selection of fine cheeses in this country. Domestic artisanal cheese production has dramatically improved and European cheeses that were rarely seen in this country have found their way into gourmet markets and specialty cheese shops. Prior to
1981, goat cheeses were non-existent here and now there are more than two hundred being produced. Many American cheesemakers traveled to Europe to learn the traditional recipes for cheesemaking, then returned to the U.S. to set up their own farms and cheesemaking operations. Today we have such amazing choices: Cypress Grove's Truffle Tremor from northern California, Haystack Mountain's Red Cloud from Colorado, The Wehner family's Green Hill of Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia, Jasper Hill Farm's Constant Bliss and Bayley Hazen Blue from Vermont.
The choices are dizzying and without a cheese primer in your back pocket, the lingo can be as overwhelming as deciphering a wine label. My goal is to make you as comfortable navigating the cheese counter and buying a wedge of Spanish Garrotxa (pronounced gah-ROTCH-ah) as you are selecting a bottle of Albarino. In case you are not comfortable with that either, do not fret because I will also include wine and cheese pairing principles in this column. The first time I married cheese and wine it instantly shook my world. Pierre Androuet, Master Fromager in Paris, was quoted as saying, "Man has yet to find a better companion to cheese than wine."
Many have asked me what the single most important factor is in becoming a cheese connoisseur or Fromager. My answer is simply that you must taste as many different cheeses as possible. At the 2006 American Cheese Society Conference in Portland, Oregon, I must have sampled over seven hundred cheeses within a five day period. On day one, eleven beautiful wedges of cheese were arranged on my first tasting plate at eight o'clock in the morning. What followed was a parade of cheeseplates that lasted until six in the afternoon. I was in cheese heaven but clearly, I was going to need to pace myself. By day five, I could confidently distinguish between my bloomy and wash rinds, differentiate between cow, goat and sheep's milk cheeses, and taste the different nuances between raw and pasteurized milk. In the end, one thing remains clear: the best way to learn about cheese is to examine it carefully and then put it in your mouth. You will either like it or you won't.
Our nose plays a very important role in the taste of cheese. The way a cheese smells can either be thoroughly alluring or simply dreadful. Hopefully a dreadful smell is not because the cheese has gone bad, but if you are unsure ask your cheesemonger for help. Similar to describing the notes in wine, we cheese professionals have our own vocabulary for describing the aromas in cheese. We like to use the terms earthy, floral, fresh, musty, sweet and pungent. The majority of the time, the smell of a cheese will be closely aligned with the taste. However, some of the worst-smelling cheeses actually taste the best. Learning all the cues to describe cheese - mouthfeel, texture, appearance and flavor - will heighten your enjoyment and appreciation of it.
Whether you are planning a formal dinner party, a casual evening with friends, or a simple light fare for yourself, a cheese course will make it more enjoyable. I encourage you to be inspired to try new cheeses and remember that cheese is a near perfect food. When paired with a chunk of bread, some olives, dried fruit and a glass of wine, what could be easier or more delicious?
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Stacey Adams-Zier is the Owner and Fromager of Tastings Gourmet Market and Artisanal Cheese Center located in Clock Tower Place, Annapolis, Md. She can be reached at 410.263.1324 www.TastingsGourmetMarket.com
