The World Cheese Book

Swaledale Goat Ticklemore Goat Tickton David and Mandy Reed set up their Originally conceived by Robin Congdon Tom and Tricia wallis started EngLanD cheesemaking company in 1987, using of Ticklemore Cheeses, this is now experimenting with goat’s milk on their an old recipe handed down through made by award-winning cheesemaker, farm after discovering their generations of Swaledale farmers—and Debbie Mumford, a former colleague, granddaughter was lactose intolerant. possibly back to the eleventh century, on the beautiful thousand-year-old now they make a range of cheeses in when it was introduced by Cistercian Sharpham Estate farm, alongside the small batches, including Tickton. monks from normandy. estate’s cow’s milk cheeses. TaSTing nOTES Fresh, milky, mushroomy TaSTing nOTES The firm white paste has TaSTing nOTES The stark white paste is and only mildly goaty with a smooth, a sweet taste with traces of the salty fine, crumbly, and delicate, and dotted slightly grainy texture that melts like brine in which it is soaked, and a mild with small holes. The goat flavor comes marshmallows in the mouth. The goat flavor. it develops a natural brown through as herbaceous with a hint sprinkling of pepper imparts a warm, rind, or is waxed at three days old for a of marzipan. spicy but not overpowering bite. slightly softer texture. HOw TO EnjOy This works well in soufflés HOw TO EnjOy Perfect with a crisp white HOw TO EnjOy Choose for subtle flavor in and tarts, or on the cheeseboard with a wine and as the rind is very thin it is soufflés and tarts, or serve on a plain fruity red wine, or perhaps a glass of excellent melted or baked on root cracker with a light ale. Sharpham rosé. vegetables, steak, or chicken. ENGLAND Gallowfields, North Yorkshire ENGLAND Totnes, Devon ENGLAND Cottingham, East Yorkshire 199 Age 6–12 weeks Age 2–3 months Age 2–6 weeks Weight and Shape 51⁄2lb (2.5kg), round Weight and Shape 3lb 3oz (1.5kg), basket Weight and Shape 6oz (170g), log Size D. 61⁄2in (16cm), H. 31⁄4in (8cm) Size D. 7in (18cm), H. 31⁄4in (8cm) Size L. 31⁄2in (8.5cm), H. 2in (4.5cm) Milk Goat Milk Goat Milk Goat Classification Hard Classification Hard Classification Soft white Producer Swaledale Cheese Company Producer Sharpham Partnership Producer Lowna Dairy

Yarg cornish cheese a closer look Yarg Cornish Cheese, one of the most attractive and unusual Each cheese is a labor of love, made cheeses created since the revival of British artisan cheeses started by hand in open vats by a team of in the early 1980s, was first made by Alan and Jenny Gray in dedicated cheesemakers. Every nettle Withiel on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Trying to think of a good that makes up the unique rind is local name, they eventually decided that Yarg, Gray spelled individually picked, no stems or backward, sounded Cornish and was uniquely theirs. stalks, no holes or debris, and not a sun scorch mark in sight. GrEAT BrITAIN AND IrELAND In 1984, the Horrell family, who How To enjoY Without doubt, nettles are hand picked locally in May when they farmed nearby, started making the Yarg adds style and character to any don’t sting, and are frozen to use later in the year. Yarg and later in partnership with cheeseboard. It has a low melting Catherine and Ben Mead, who built point and quickly adds a touch of a new dairy on their farm, Pengreep, glamour to crostinis, baguettes, baked in West Cornwall. The Horrells have potatoes, and pasta. Not overpowering, since retired and all the cheese is it partners well with fish and is now made at Pengreep Dairy. perfect for use in vegetable gratins. The Meads serve it with a local cider, The Meads returned to the family Perry (fermented pear juice), or mild farm, leaving behind their London ale. It also goes well with almost any careers—Catherine to work on the wine, especially fruity whites or even cheese and Ben to work with the a dessert wine. dairy herd. Since then, he has invested an enormous amount of time and resources to creating the best possible soil and diversity of pastures resulting in exceptional quality milk from their mixed herd of Ayrshire, Jersey, and Friesian cows. They are an amazing dedicated team and now make 200 tons of cheese a year in their highly sustainable bespoke dairy. TasTing noTes With age, the leaves start to break down the rind, making it very soft and creamy. As the cheese matures, the fine crumbly 200 texture has a fresh, creamy taste while the edible nettles impart a delicate, slightly mushroomy aroma and a wonderful taste, not so different from spinach or asparagus. Wild Garlic Yarg is similar but softer with a very subtle taste of garlic. ENGLAND Truro, Cornwall Age 6–12 weeks Weight and Shape 7lb (3.3kg), wheel Size D. 11in (28cm), H. 31⁄2in (9cm) Milk Cow Classification Flavor-added Producers Lynher Dairies

MATURING The cheeses are matured and carefully monitored to ensure even distribution of the white mold, so each cheese emerges as a unique masterpiece and an example of human’s ingenuity working alongside Mother Nature. NETTLING The freshly formed, pale ivory cheese is taken to the nettling room where the nettles are applied by hand ensuring every leaf overlaps and no cheese is exposed. Mild, crumbly, THE RIND As the cheese ripens, a fine The combination of nettles and and has a subtle gray mist appears around the jagged molds speed up the breakdown of the curd near the rind. flavor from edges of the green leaves making a very the nettles. attractive eye-catching surface. eNglANd 201 Interior

Tunworth Tymsboro Village Green GreAT briTAin AnD ireLAnD Good friends Stacey Hedges and Julie Former archaeologist Mary Holbrook Green by name, green by nature, the Cheyney use milk from a local herd of developed this cheese, using milk from brightly colored wax contains a Holstein cows that graze on the her own herd, which grazes the Mendip brilliant white cheese made by Cornish Hampshire Downs to make this highly Hills. Following tradition, the goats are Country Larder at its dairy farm in acclaimed Camembert-style cheese. milked only from spring through to the Somerset. with its sweet nuttiness, it’s Although they started their venture in fall, their period of outdoor grazing. A the perfect introduction for those their own kitchens, they have now coating of charcoal and salt gives this unsure about goat’s cheese. progressed to a converted cowshed cheese an attractive gray-white rind. TASTinG noTeS Pure white, dense, and dairy on the family farm. TASTinG noTeS This is creamy at the edge slightly crumbly, Village Green has a TASTinG noTeS A wrinkled, mold-dusted and drier, dense and more flavorful in the refreshing, lemony zing, with the rind conceals a sumptuous, creamy middle. Tymsboro has a subtle flavor of subtle, aromatic character of the goat’s paste with a warm mushroom flavor. lemon and almonds, which strengthens milk coming through on the finish. How To enJoy For complete melt-in-the- and deepens as the cheese matures. How To enJoy A very versatile choice for mouth indulgence, warm in the oven How To enJoy eat as it comes, with fresh cooking, it is also a great alternative to until gooey soft, or transport it whole, fruit, or melted over poached pears. Cheddar on the cheeseboard, with a in its wooden packaging, for a picnic. slice of apple and a glass of port. 202 ENGLAND Herriard, Hampshire ENGLAND Timsbury, Somerset ENGLAND North Bradon, Somerset Age 6–8 weeks Age 3–8 weeks Age 3–18 months Weight and Shape 9oz (250g), round Weight and Shape 9oz (250g), truncated Weight and Shape 23⁄4lb (1.25kg ), block Size D. 41⁄2in (11cm), H. 11⁄4in (3cm) pyramid Size D. 31⁄2in (9cm), H. 23⁄4in (7cm) Milk Cow Size D. 31⁄4in (8cm) base; 11⁄2in (4cm) top, Milk Goat Classification Soft white H. 3in (7.5cm) Classification Hard Producer Hampshire Cheeses Milk Goat Producer Cornish Country Larder Classification Aged Fresh Producer Sleight Farm

Vulscombe Waterloo Wealden Created in 1982 by josephine and The name is no coincidence, as this was Nut Knowle Farm was established in eNGLaND Graham Townsend, this was one of the originally made on the Duke of 1979. it now makes a wide variety of first english goat’s milk cheeses on the Wellington’s estate from Guernsey cheeses using vegetarian rennet and market. Made by lactic fermentation milk. Nowadays, the Wigmores make it produced by their herd of pedigree rather than with rennet, Vulscombe with locally sourced milk from behind British Toggenburg and British saanen has a slightly thicker feel than other, their home, which hides a wonderful goats, which live on a natural diet of similar cheeses. dairy, once a workshop and stables. cereals and lush meadow hay. TasTiNG NoTes Unlike most fresh TasTiNG NoTes Bite through the soft, TasTiNG NoTes Wealden comes in two cheeses, it feels thick rather than light lightly molded rind into the pale, soft forms: a soft, fresh cheese with a in the mouth, but it has a citrussy paste for a mild, creamy taste when creamy, mild goat tang or aged for freshness and a barely discernible young that matures to a rich, buttery 3–4 weeks, when it has a pungent, herbaceous goaty tang. flavor as the cheese ages. earthy flavor and wrinkly, edible rind. HoW To eNjoy With its decorative bay HoW To eNjoy This is delicious at room HoW To eNjoy Cut the cheese in half, and leaf, it looks good a cheeseboard. easy temperature with some cold green dip in egg wash and breadcrumb, then to spread on crackers or bread, or try it grapes, or warm it through and serve deep-fry and serve with some seared in a twice-baked soufflé. with a tangy red onion chutney. young venison, chilli jam, and salad. ENGLAND Cruwys Morchard, Devon ENGLAND Riseley, Berkshire ENGLAND Gun Hill, East Sussex 203 Age Up to 5 weeks Age 4–10 weeks Age 1–4 weeks Weight and Shape 6oz (170g), round Weight and Shape 11⁄2lb (675g), round Weight and Shape 23⁄4oz (80g), round Size D. 3in (7.5cm), H. 11⁄2in (4cm) Size D. 61⁄2in (16cm), H. 13⁄4in (4.5cm) Size D. 2in (5cm), H. 2in (5cm) Milk Goat Milk Cow Milk Goat Classification Fresh Classification Soft white Classification Soft white Producer Vulscombe Cheese Producer Village Maid Cheese Producer Nut Knowle Farm

Wealdway Wedmore Wensleydale greAT briTAiN AND irelAND Another cheese from Nut Knowle Created by Chris Duckett, famous for introduced by French monks in the Farm’s goats, Wealdway is a small log his authentic Caerphilly, Wedmore is a 11th century and immortalized by that comes either plain or coated in Caerphilly matured with a thin layer of Wallace and gromit in the 20th, it was herbs and seeds, or as a larger, mature finely chopped chives. originally made originally made with ewe’s milk, but version coated in charcoal. The curds at the Duckett’s farm in Wedmore replaced with cow’s milk by the 17th are hand-ladled into molds and drained village, it is now made by jemima century. Wensleydale Dairy Products is under their own weight. Cordle at Westcombe Dairy, with equal the only yorkshire-based producer. TAsTiNg NoTes The basic Wealdway is care and passion for quality. They use both cow or ewe milk. soft and fairly dry in texture, with a TAsTiNg NoTes Wedmore is ready to eat TAsTiNg NoTes Pale white with a firm mild goat flavor, but because it is eaten after just two weeks, when it is waxy but dense slightly flaky texture, it has young, the cheese also possesses a on the surface, but crumbly and moist a subtle wild honey flavor balanced by sharp piquancy. inside. The mild saltiness is balanced the cheese’s refreshing acidity. HoW To eNjoy To make the most of the by the tang of chives. HoW To eNjoy With crackers, of course! log shape (very attractive for dinner HoW To eNjoy great either on its own or in yorkshire, they also like to pair that parties), cut into medallions and serve paired with a local cider, or sweeten sweetness with a piece of apple pie. grilled as an entrée. with slices of crisp apple. 204 ENGLAND Gun Hill, East Sussex ENGLAND Westcombe, Somerset ENGLAND Wensleydale, North Yorkshire Age 3 weeks Age 2 weeks Age 6–12 weeks Weight and Shape 51⁄2oz (150g), log Weight and Shape 41⁄2lb (2kg), wheel Weight and Shape 11lb (5kg), cylinder Size D. 21⁄4in (5.5cm), L. 51⁄2in (14cm) Size D. 63⁄4in (17cm), H. 3in (7.5cm) Size D. 7in (18cm), H. 7in (18cm) Milk Goat Milk Cow Milk Cow Classification Fresh Classification Flavor-added Classification Hard Producer Nut Knowle Farm Producer Duckett’s Caerphilly Producer Wensleydale Dairy Products

Whitehaven White Nancy White Stilton PDO Whitehaven is now owned by Ravens Pete Humphries worked for Bath Soft White Stilton has a Protected engLanD oak Dairy, which was bought by Cheese Company before setting up in Designation of origin (PDo), meaning Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses. it is partnership with Roger Longman and it can be made only in Derbyshire, still made by hand at the dairy, handmaking cheeses using milk from nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire; however, in small batches to ensure Roger’s 600-strong herd of goats. This other requirements are that it is made that it retains its smooth, soft texture is a cheese made by thermization, a from locally produced milk, which must and farmhouse character. process that involves heat, but not to be pasteurized. a popular base for TaSTing noTeS Smooth and soft with a the same extent as that involved in the many blended or flavor-added cheeses. white mold rind, Whitehaven has a process of pasteurization. TaSTing noTeS Much underrated, White subtle almond flavor when young, TaSTing noTeS Moist and crumbly, White Stilton has a fresh, creamy mild flavor which develops into a deeper goaty nancy has a fresh, lemony taste, with allied with a fine, crumbly moist texture. tang as the cheese ripens. hints of tarragon and almonds. HoW To enjoy Savor as it comes, or HoW To enjoy Try baking it until creamy HoW To enjoy Try it cut into cubes and crumbled into salad. White Stilton on the outside, but still cool on the dropped like croutons into a hot soup, with apricot goes very well with a inside; if you want the untainted hit of such as leek and potato, or crumble it sweet dessert wine. goat, leave to ripen until gooey. into a salad. ENGLAND Burland, Cheshire ENGLAND Pylle, Somerset ENGLAND Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and 205 Age 6–8 weeks Age 2 months Leicestershire Weight and Shape 51⁄2oz (150g), round Weight and Shape 1lb 2oz (500g), round Age 3–4 weeks Size D. 3in (7.5cm), H. 11⁄2in (4cm) Size D. 41⁄2in (11cm), H. 23⁄4in (7cm) Weight and Shape 171⁄2lb (8kg), cylinder Milk Goat Milk Goat Size D. 8in (20cm), H. 10in (25cm) Classification Soft white Classification Soft white Milk Cow Producer Ravens Oak Dairy Producer White Lake Cheeses Classification Hard Producer Various

Windrush Woolsery English Goat Wyfe of Bath gReAT BRITAIn AnD IReLAnD Modelled on traditional French Woolsery english goat is the result named after Chaucer’s pilgrim, methods, Windrush is made by two of Annette Lee’s dedication to unique this is made by graham Padfield, a Australians, Renee and Richard artisan cheesemaking as well as the third-generation farmer and a family Loveridge, who moved to the Windrush lush green slopes of Dorset that allow pioneer in the cheese world. He has Valley in 2003 and quickly established the goats to graze on an abundance of established an excellent reputation in a dedicated local following. It is also grass and hay. the region for cheesemaking skills. available flavored with herbs, peppercorns, or garlic. TAsTIng noTes Moist and open-textured TAsTIng noTes The yellow paste, TAsTIng noTes Windrush is only made with a subtle but distinct goaty taste bounded by a natural brown rind, is in small batches. It has a luxurious that hints of pine nuts and green grass. smooth and springy with a mild flavor creamy texture and a lemon fresh tang It has a sea-breeze salty finish. redolent of buttercups and meadows. with hints of fruitiness and white wine. HoW To enjoy Crumble it into tarts HoW To enjoy eat on the cheeseboard, HoW To enjoy It seems a waste to cook or eaten simply as it is with a cool together with some apple or pear. with this excellent award-winning sauvignon Blanc. It is perfect for a cheese omelet or cheese, instead serve it on a grated and used in cooking in place cheeseboard with crusty bread and of Cheddar. a fruity Beaujolais. 206 ENGLAND Windrush, Oxfordshire ENGLAND Up Sydling, Dorset ENGLAND Bath, Somerset Age 5 days Age 8–12 weeks Age 4 months Weight and Shape 4oz (115g), round Weight and Shape 5lb (2.2kg), cylinder Weight and Shape 61⁄2lb (3kg), basket Size D. 21⁄2in (6cm), H. 11⁄4in (3cm) Size D. 21⁄2in (6cm), H.21⁄2in (6cm) Size D. 10in (25cm), H. 15in (38cm) Milk Goat Milk Goat Milk Cow Classification Fresh Classification Hard Classification Semi-soft Producer Windrush Valley Goat Dairy Producer Woolsery Cheese Producer Bath Soft Cheese

scotland Bishop Kennedy Blue Monday Cairnsmore Ewes Now made by Inverloch Cheese, Bishop Named after the New Order song, Made with milk from the farm’s own sCOtlANd Kennedy was created in 1992 by Blue Monday was created by Alex flock of ewes, Cairnsmore ewes is Howgate Creamery. It was modelled on James of British band Blur and cheese aromatic, with a rusty-red sandpaper Reblochon, but is dowsed in whisky and expert, Juliet Harbutt. It is the only rind that resembles the landscape of named after the bishop who founded cube shaped blue cheese in the world. Mars. Clothbound and aged for a st. Andrews University in scotland. tAstINg NOtes soft and creamy with minimum of six months, it achieves tAstINg NOtes with an orange-red rind hints of gold leaf and the sea breeze a wonderful full flavor. and a velvety smooth paste, Bishop on highland pastures. It has a kick of tAstINg NOtes with hints of old-style Kennedy has a spicy, yeasty tang and malt and chocolate, yet a surprisingly caramel toffee, it is moist on the mouth the powerful aroma of warm gym socks. mild spicy blue. and has hints of boot polish developing HOw tO eNJOy Irresistible on the HOw tO eNJOy the unique shape into a salty sweetness. Very satisfying. cheeseboard, but also wonderful grated lends itself to the cheeseboard, but HOw tO eNJOy Ideal for the cheeseboard, over mashed potatoes or melted on top Blue Monday also makes a great soufflé but also good with a crisp salad with of a rare juicy steak. or blue cheese mousse, and can be used pickled onions and warm crusty in cheese caviar. bread, or in a quiche with lots of chopped chives. SCOTLAND Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute SCOTLAND Tain, Highland SCOTLAND Wigtownshire, Dumfries and 207 Age 3 months Age 3 months Gallow Weight and Shape 1.7kg (3lb 12oz), wheel Weight and Shape 11⁄2lb (675gm), cube Age 6–8 months Size D. 23cm (9in), H. 4cm (11⁄2in) Size D. 31⁄2in (9cm), H. 31⁄2in (9cm) Weight and Shape 3lb 3oz (1.5kg), Milk Cow Milk Cow truckles Classification Semi-soft Classification Blue Size D. 7in (18cm), H. 9in (23cm) Producer Inverloch Cheese Producer Highland Fine Cheese Milk Ewe Classification Hard Producer Galloway Farmhouse Cheeses

Clava Brie Crowdie Cuillin Goats gReAT BRiTAiN AND iRelAND At Connage Highland Dairy, the Clark Believed to have been introduced by Named after the mountains on the family is making some truly wonderful the Vikings, Crowdie was traditionally isle of skye that rise majestically cheeses using their own Jersey Cross, made by crofters—tenant farmers— behind the West Highland Dairy, Holstein Friesian, and Norwegian with skimmed milk. in gaelic, it is Cuillin goat is the creation of Kathy Red cows. They graze on the lush known as Gruth. Biss, an old-school cheesemaker, who pastures of clover and wild herbs at TAsTiNg NoTes A fresh lemon acidity has also written books and teaches the the banks of the Moray Firth. and the taste of crushed almonds on art of cheesemaking. TAsTiNg NoTes Under the crusty white the top of the mouth. The crumbly and TAsTiNg NoTes Fresh, soft, and slightly rind, the paste is soft and creamy with creamy finish hints of freshly baked sharp on the tongue, it has a somewhat the subtle taste of sweet meadows and yeasty bread. citrus nose, mild goaty taste, and the mushrooms. With age, the taste becomes HoW To eNJoy A great alternative to subtle smell of highland grazing. more complex and slightly bitter. heavy cream in the scottish dessert, HoW To eNJoy great in summer salads HoW To eNJoy serve alongside a hard Cranachan, or spread on oatcakes with with olives and red onions, it also sits cheese on a cheeseboard, or melt it fine smoked salmon. well on a cheeseboard, or simply onto smoked ham and toasted bread crumbled over oatcakes with a dusting smeared with english mustard. of black pepper and sea salt. 208 SCOTLAND Ardersier, Inverness SCOTLAND Tain, Highland SCOTLAND Achmore, Higland Age 3 weeks Age From 2 days Age 1–2 weeks Weight and Shape 9oz (250g) and 2 1⁄4lb Weight and Shape 41⁄2oz (120g), log Weight and Shape 7oz (210g), round (1.5kg), round Size L. 3in (8cm), H. 11⁄2in (4cm) Size D. 31⁄2in (9cm), H. 1in (3.5cm) Size D. 41⁄2in (11cm) and 10in (25cm), Milk Cow Milk Goat H. 1in (3cm) Classification Fresh Classification Fresh Milk Cow Producer Highland Fine Cheese Dairy Producer West Highland Dairy Classification Soft white Producer Connage Highland Dairy

Dunlop Iona Cromag Kebbuck Revived in the mid-1980s by anne Made by the Reade family on the Made by the wonderful people of Dorward, Dunlop is now made by a Isle of Mull, Iona Cromag has a Camphill Trust near Dumfries, this handful of cheesemakers across sticky pink-orange rind that is washed fine distinctive cheese is washed then scotland. The best are made with in whisky from the nearby Tobermory literally hung out to dry in a cloth. traditional ayrshire milk. Distillery. after two months, the rind develops a brown, prehistoric appearance. TasTIng noTes sweet and mild to taste, it TasTIng noTes supple and sticky, the TasTIng noTes a sponge-like center with sCoTlanD has a pale primrose yellow rind and a buttery flavor is balanced with the a crispy outer crust, Kebbuck has a buttery Cheddar paste. at six months, whisky, achieving an enticing, hot, subtle sweet to peppery taste with a the texture is similar to soft fudge; at creamy finish, and a taste reminiscent mild finish of bees wax. you can almost 12 months it is firm and fragrant. of wild mushrooms baking under taste the cows trampling the grass in How To enjoy an afternoon tea favorite, the autumn sun. the morning dew. enjoy it with hot scones and assam How To enjoy a real player on the How To enjoy great on a British tea. alternatively, add slices to oatcakes cheeseboard, serve it with Muscat cheeseboard, or simply on its own with with mustard and a dram of whisky. grapes or ripe Turkish figs and a scrumpy cider. It can also be added to Children love it on toast with dram of whisky. the topping of a buttery apple crumble. warm milk. SCOTLAND All over SCOTLAND Tobermory, Isle of Mull SCOTLAND Dumfries, Dumfriesshire 209 Age 6–12 months Age 4–6 months Age 2 months Weight and Shape 44lb (20kg), cylinder Weight and Shape 1lb 2oz (500g) and Weight and Shape 13⁄4lb (800g), teardrop Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 12in (30cm) 41⁄2lb (2kg), drum Size D. 5in (12cm), H. 21⁄2in (6cm) Milk Cow Size D. 41⁄2in (11cm) and 9in (23cm), Milk Cow Classification Hard H. 11⁄2in (4cm) Classification Semi-soft Producer Various Milk Ewe Producer Loch Arthur Creamery Classification Semi-soft Producer Isle of Mull Cheese

caboc a cloSer look While the Romans played a significant role in improving Like many artisan cheeses, Caboc’s cheesemaking in England, their influence did not cross the development was due to the raw borders into Scotland. Instead, most cheese was made by crofters, materials available—an abundance most likely introduced by the Vikings. of milk and Scottish oats. GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND Caboc is similar to Crowdie (see Using raw milk from their own farm, milk churnS The cream is skimmed p208), a traditional Scottish cheese she set about recreating the recipe. from the milk, having been collected from two made from milk that has curdled Today it is made in exactly the same dairy farms in Caithness, and poured into a small naturally without rennet. While way at Highland Fine Cheese round vat where starter cultures are added, then Crowdie is made with skimmed milk, Company, owned and run by her son stirred and left to slowly ripen in milk churns for Caboc is made with extra cream. It is Ruaraidh. The milk comes from the upward of 3 months. said to have been created in the 15th most northerly herds on mainland century by Mariota de Ile, daughter Scotland in Caithness, a barren, of The Macdonald, Lord of the Isles. treeless area that is fairly flat and Forced to flee to Ireland to avoid exposed to the cold northerly winds. abduction and marriage by the As a result, the cows are of sturdy Campbells. When she returned home stock, traditional friesian with some to the Isle of Skye, she brought with Ayrshire, and store more fat to protect her the recipe for Caboc, turning the them from the harsh elements; this rich milk of the island into a richer gives the protein and solids rich milk, and more fitting cheese for the Lord ideal for cheesemaking. of the Isle and his clan. TaSTing noTeS Made with cream Like so many great recipes, it enriched milk, it feels very rich, survived by being passed on, smooth, and buttery with a nutty taste generation to generation, although but slightly sharp on the finish like it had all but disappeared until its sour cream, while the toasted pinhead revival in 1962 by Susannah Stone, oats give it a nutty yeasty flavor and a a distant descendant of the creator. pleasant gentle crunchy feel. 210 how To enjoy Caboc is at home on any grand dining room cheese table, Sturdy Highland cattle but is also versatile in the kitchen. Slice onto a blood orange or clementine salad with a handful of bitter salad leaves, or stir into fluffy mashed potatoes served with sliced roast ham and onion relish. A Stone family favorite is to grill some on haggis from the excellent local butcher served with a glass of Glenmorangie whisky made just down the road. SCOTLAND Tain, Ross-shire Age 3+ months Weight and Shape 33⁄4oz (110g), logs Size D. 11⁄2in (4cm), L. 31⁄4in (8cm) Milk Cow Classification Fresh Producers Highland Fine Cheeses

manual pressing The cream shaping The soft curd is very malleable and milk sours and is poured into bags hung and is easily shaped into logs. to drain. the oatmeal Rolling the small cheese in toasted pinhead oatmeal was an invention of Susannah’s. She felt the flavor was enhanced with the addition of the meal and that it added a nice texture. Log, sliced SCOTLAND The texture is more 211 like cream cheese than cheese. The crunchy oatmeal is the perfect counterbalance to the soft, creamy interior.

Lanark Blue Orkney Strathdon Blue gREat BRitain anD iRElanD Humphrey Errington uses Roquefort Made by Hilda seator on her farm on Made in tain on the east coast of mold, then ages the cheese for three the isolated, windswept orkney island, scotland by Rory stone, makers of months. During this time, it develops it has the consistency, but not the taste Caboc (see p210–211), one of scotland’s into a cheese with a complex flavor due of, wensleydale. it is a lactic cheese, so oldest cheeses, and Blue Monday (see to the wild heather and natural no rennet is used. p207), it develops smudges of silver- pastures on which the ewe’s graze. tasting notEs Pale with a chewy bite gray mold, and patches of sky blue on tasting notEs it is soft as putty in the and a lemony zest. there is a hint of the sticky golden rind. center, has a crumbly outer crust, and is butternut squash, and a yeasty breathe tasting notEs well-spread blue veining sharp as grapefruit with the meatiness like an old brewing room, on the finish. and a slight peppery taste and spicy of aged rib of highland beef. it can have How to Enjoy it can be enjoyed with a tang. it can sometimes finish with the elements of sweetness and be steely blue. single malt whiskey when crumbled essence of mousse-like milky chocolate. How to Enjoy great on a cheeseboard onto cornbread, or alongside traditional How to Enjoy outstanding in twice- alongside stalks of celery and crisp fruit cake with a cup of afternoon tea. baked soufflés or with walnuts and crackers or grated over a substantial a good breakfast cheese, it goes well dressed salad leaves, it sits well on warm winter salad with hot roasted with grilled ham, and warm, lightly- raisin bread, and is great melted onions and winter squash. cooked eggs. on steaks. 212 SCOTLAND Carnwath, Lanarkshire SCOTLAND Kirkwall, Orkney Islands SCOTLAND Tain, Highland Age 3 months Age 4 weeks Age 3 months Weight and Shape 4lb (1.8kg), drum Weight and Shape7lb 7oz (3.5kg), Weight and Shape 6lb (2.8kg), wheel Size D. 6in (16cm), H. 5in (12cm) pressed rounds Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 4in (10cm) Milk Ewe Size D. 5in (12cm), H. 2in (5cm) Milk Cow Classification Blue Milk Cow Classification Blue Producer H J Errington Classification Hard Producer Highland Fine Cheese Producer Grimbister Farm

wales Cerwyn Dragons Back Ffetys Cerwyn is produced on Pant Mawr Caws Mynydd Du means “Black nigel jefferies and his wife Rhian waLes Farm, situated in the heart of the Mountains Cheese” and was set up by established a creamery in 2008 to Preseli Mountains, and was established the Meredith family to use the ewe’s manufacture soft cheeses from their in 1983 when the jennings family milk from their own farm that nestles herd of 50 goats. their cheeses include returned from setting up a dairy at the foot of the Black Mountains. Ffetys, a Feta-type cheese, and a enterprise in Libya and north yemen. Dragons Back is based on a traditional variety of curd cheeses called Peli Pabo. tasting notes Hard but unpressed with Caerphilly recipe. tasting notes soft and crumbly with a smooth, velvety texture and buttery tasting notes attractive rustic rind, the a creamy consistency, it has a classic color, its mature flavor has a slight raw rich ewe’s milk provides the firm, yet salty, lemony tang, a slight peppery onion tang, and nutty aftertaste. creamy texture, and sweet flavor with a quality, and just a hint of goat. How to enjoy it is perfect for the slight citrus aftertaste. How to enjoy excellent in salads; baked cheeseboard, served with a rich How to enjoy ideal for cheeseboards in savory tarts with red onions and Bordeaux. it is also delicious with fresh with soave, or late-harvest Riesling. it thyme; in pasta and omelets; or stuffed fruit and preserves, and excellent in grates well, and melts perfectly. grate into home baked bread with rosemary. sauces for dishes such as macaroni and it into a piping hot bowl of leek and serve with a new Zealand sauvignon cheese, and for melting on toast. potato soup. Blanc or dry Riesling. WALES Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire WALES Brecon, Powys WALES Dulas, Isle of Anglesey 213 Age 6 months Age 8 weeks Age 3 months Weight and Shape 3lb (1.4kg), wheel Weight and Shape 2lb (900g), truckle, or Weight and Shape 7oz (200g), blocks Size D. 7in (18cm), H. 2in (5cm) 6½lb (3kg), wheel Size L. 9in (23cm), W. 6in (15cm), Milk Cow Size D. 4½in (11cm), H. 4in (10cm); H. 2in (5cm) Classification Hard D. 8in (20cm), H. 41⁄2in (11cm) Milk Goat Producer Pant Mawr Farmhouse Milk Ewe Classification Fresh Classification Hard Producer Y Cwt Caws Producer Caws Mynydd Du

Gorau Glas Hafod Pant-Ys-Gawn greAT BriTAin AnD irelAnD Margaret Davies started cheesemaking Sam Holden, son of the founder of the Made by Abergavenny Fine Foods, the to add value to the milk from the family Soil Association, created Hafod in 2008 first commercial producers of goat dairy herd, and has gone from strength on the longest established organic farm cheese in Wales, it has proved extremely to strength, with gorau glas, “Blue in Wales, using a cheddar recipe and successful in supermarkets across the Moon,” a small blue truckle with a their own Ayrshire cow’s milk. country. named after the family farm gray-green mold the most successful. TASTing noTeS The rich, creamy quality where it was first made, it is available TASTing noTeS Deliciously creamy of the milk gives the cheese a full yet with or without fresh herbs. with a subtle, yet distinctively spicy pure taste, and with age, it becomes TASTing noTeS it is a fresh, pure white, aftertaste when young, as it matures hard and chewy with a lively, complex clean, and mild-tasting cheese with a the flavor gives a strong blue sensation tang, and a green, grassy finish. smooth, creamy texture. it is refreshing on the palette. HoW To enjoy ideal for the cheeseboard, and crisp with a mild goaty finish. HoW To enjoy A versatile cheese, try it and delicious with crusty bread and a HoW To enjoy Spread thickly on crusty crumbled in a bitter leaf salad with glass of chilled beer. it has a good bread; melt over bruschetta with vine sliced ripe pears and toasted walnuts, melting quality and is excellent in tomatoes; or make a delicious savory or served with fresh figs and Sauternes, gratin dishes. cheesecake mixed with fresh herbs. or perhaps Tawny Port. Serve with Sancerre or rosé. 214 WALES Dwyran, Isle of Anglesey WALES Credigion, West Wales WALES Abergavenny, Monmouthshire Age 8–10 weeks Age 12 months Age 3 weeks Weight and Shape 12oz (350g), Weight and Shape 22lb (10kg), cylinder Weight and Shape 31⁄2oz (100g), drum small truckle Size D. 10in (25cm), H. 10in (25cm) Size D. 21⁄2in (6cm), H. 1in (3cm) Size D. 1in (3.5cm), H. 1in (3.5cm) Milk Cow Milk Goat Milk Cow Classification Hard Classification Fresh Classification Blue Producer Holden Dairy Farm Producer Abergavenny Fine Foods Producer Quirt Farm

Perl Las Pont Gar Saval Thelma adams, a cheesemaker from Carmarthenshire Cheese was founded john Savage at Teifi Farmhouse waLES wales, started making traditional in 2006 by Steve and Sian Elin Peace. Cheeses has created a number of Caerphilly, in 1987 with raw milk from Having worked in the dairy industry for hard cheeses, including a traditional her own herd. Perl Las, which 25 years, they decided to join forces to Caerphilly, and washed rind cheeses translates from welsh as “Blue Pearl,” create their own range of soft cheeses from raw milk. Some have been made followed in 2001. using the excellent local milk. in conjunction with Britain’s first TaSTing noTES it has an earthy, moldy TaSTing noTES a soft white Brie-style affineur, james aldridge. aroma, typical of a true blue, with a cheese, it has a mild, velvety texture TaSTing noTES This is a dumpling- smooth, creamy texture, and a mellow with a hint of mushrooms, and a sweet shaped cheese with a pink-orange rind, yet strong taste with a spicy, vaguely buttery taste with a slight sharpness supple and elastic yellow interior, a herbaceous finish. on the finish. it can also be smoked or distinct, pungent farmyard aroma, and How To Enjoy a good blue for the made with herbs. a savory, meaty finish. cheeseboard, melted on hot fillet steak, or used in a dressing for fresh, crisp How To Enjoy This cheeseboard classic How To Enjoy a must for cheese lovers, salads. Best with a dry Riesling, Tawny is delicious with seasonal fruits and and beautifully accompanied by a Port, or beer. nuts. Serve with a new world Merlot dry gewürztraminer. it also makes or cider. a pungent addition to a fondue. WALES Boncath, Carmarthenshire WALES Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire WALES Llandysul, Powys 215 Age 12–16 weeks Age 5 weeks Age 6–7 weeks Weight and Shape 1lb 5oz (600g) and Weight and Shape 3lb (1.4kg), wheel Weight and Shape 41⁄2lb (2kg), dumpling 51⁄2lb (2.5kg), wheel Size D. 41⁄2in (11cm), H. 11⁄2in (4cm) Size D. 10in (26cm), H. 2in (5cm) Size D. 4in (10cm) and 8in (20cm), Milk Cow Milk Cow H. 3in (8cm) and 4in (10cm) Classification Soft white Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Producer Carmarthenshire Cheese Company Producer Teifi Farmhouse Cheese Classification Blue Producer Caws Cenarth

Caerphilly a Closer look the only traditional cheese associated with Wales, Caerphilly a simple cheese in appearance and was a favorite of the Welsh miners and made on numerous small- taste, yet what liberates mediocrity scale farms in glamorgan and Monmouth between the early into greatness is the quality of the 1800s and 1914. raw materials, the method, and above all the passion the makers have for today there are a handful of their art. farmhouse Caerphillys made in the Welsh valleys by Caws Cenarth, trethowan’s dairy, and nantybwla. Most is matured for a few months rather than a few days and more likely to be found in top london restaurants than a miner’s lunch box. TasTing noTes Caerphilly has rind the molds that grow on the rind of the a delicious fresh taste and sometimes, Caerphilly give it a mottled appearance. when the grazing is at its best, its great britain and ireland Caerphilly Castle in the historical town usual herbaceous sweetness is infused of Caerphilly. like a rustic béchamel sauce by the scent of crushed bracken moistened the years after the First World War by autumnal rains. were tough on the farming With age it becomes softer, creamier, and more supple as community and, with the advent of it grows a bluish gray coat which sometimes sneaks onto the railway, farmers were able to sell the surface of the cheese and indicates it is still alive and their milk, rather than preserve it as well; you just need to scrape it off. cheese, and subsequently cheese how To enjoy production dwindled. after the Caerphilly’s mild, lemony fresh flavor means it can be used in Ministry of Food stopped all sweet or savory dishes, but it is especially delicious with Welsh production of Caerphilly until 1954, rabbit (also known as rarebit). the cheese is very good melted traditional Welsh Caerphilly did not on toast or with crusty bread, but it can be mixed with beer, reappear until the 1980s. egg, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard for an interesting Fortunately, at the turn of the 20th combination. Serve with beer, local cider, or a white wine century, some Somerset Cheddar from one of the new Welsh vineyards. makers, seeing the economic advantages, decided to turn their hands to Caerphilly, as it was ready 216 to sell within a few weeks compared to twelve months for Cheddar. a few, like ducketts, continued after the war but making less and less until the cheese revolution in the 1980s, coinciding with the campaign for traditional cheese by Patrick rance. WALES All over Age 4 days to 4 months Weight and Shape 91⁄2lb (4.5kg), wheel Size D. 10in (25cm), H. 31⁄4in (8cm) Milk Cow Classification Hard Producer Various

cutting the curd The curd is cut draining the using special knives, long enough to reach the whey The curd is stirred by hand in the whey until bottom of the vat. as they are drawn slowly the desired acidity is reached, traditionally through the milk, they cut the curd in three ways, determined when an imprint producing 1⁄2in (1cm) very soft and floppy cubes. of a hand remains on the pressed curd. The whey is then drained, the curd cut again and piled into molds lined with cheesecloth. all of this is done by hand. The molds are stacked three to four cheeses high under the press separated by metal trays and then the pressure is applied. They remain in the press for 20–30 minutes. Cheeses that are allowed to maturing The following day, they are soaked in a brine mature for 3–4 months develop bath, dried off, and put in a cold room where they remain for a magnificent thick gray coat 4–7 days before being sold. and more complex flavor. wales 217 The interior is a yellow-white color like a magnolia, with fine, paler, almost white marbling throughout.

GreAT briTAiN ANd irelANd Talley Mountain Talley Mountain Teifi Farmhouse Goat Cheese Mature Cheese After moving from the Netherlands, What makes the cheeses, fudge, Set on 50 acres of rolling green hills, John Savage set up his dairy in the yogurt, and smoothies from Kid Me Cothi Valley Goats is home to the heart of Wales, and modeled his first Not so good is that their goats graze 240 dairy goats and youngsters that cheese, Teifi Farmhouse, after Gouda— the hills of the farm, so the milk is provide the delicately aromatic milk the cheese of his homeland. always fresh. Nearby cheesemakers, for numerous cheeses that include a TASTiNG NoTeS The lush, wild pastures Carmarthenshire Cheese, make the blue and ranscombe, with its rustic, in the Teifi valley give the cheese an cheese on their behalf. tuffty blue-gray mold. exceptional flavor—herbaceous, fruity, with a savory tang. Smooth and supple TASTiNG NoTeS A cake-shaped cheese TASTiNG NoTeS it has a firm yet fine when young, it becomes dry, almost with a thin white rind; dense, chalky grainy texture, fresh acidity, and an brittle, with age. texture; and a fresh lactic flavor with almondy taste typical of hard goat’s HoW To eNJoy A classic for any hints of tarragon and mushrooms. it milk cheeses. cheeseboard, and can be used in becomes creamier with age. HoW To eNJoy At its best on a cooking where a strong cheese is HoW To eNJoy delicious broiled, crumbled, cheeseboard, but also adds complexity to required. Perfect with Chardonnay. or with pasta. like all goat cheese, its most sandwiches, tarts, and quiches. best companion is a Sauvignon blanc. best with crisp whites or soft reds. 218 WALES Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire WALES Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire WALES Llandysul, Carmarthenshire Age 6 weeks Age 2 months Age 6–12 months Weight and Shape 11lb (5kg), cake Weight and Shape 11lb (5kg), round Weight and Shape 33lb (15kg), boulder Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 2in (5cm) Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 21⁄2in (6cm) Size D. 4in (10cm), H. 21⁄2in (6cm) Milk Goat Milk Goat Milk Cow Classification Soft white Classification Hard Classification Hard Producer Kid Me Not Producer Cothi Valley Goats Producer Teifi Farmhouse

ireland Ardrahan Ardsallagh Bellingham Blue Founded in county Cork by eugene and jane and Gerard Murphy run the One of Ireland’s best blue cheeses, it is Ireland Mary Burns in the 1980s to make use ardsallagh farm and dairy. Their made from raw milk from Glyde Farm’s of the milk from their own herd, 400 goats provide the milk that enables closed herd of Friesians by dedicated ardrahan remains one of Ireland’s best them to produce a range of handmade cheesemaker Peter Thomas. loved washed-rind cheeses. hard and soft cheeses including an TasTInG nOTes Moist with blue-green TasTInG nOTes Pale golden in the center excellent Crottin, as well as yogurt and mold and a natural rind, it is mild and with a sticky terracotta rind, it has a bottled milk. gentle when young, then develops a supple, dense, creamy interior with TasTInG nOTes when young it has a mild, rich, mellow, peppery tang with age. a sweet savory taste and meaty nutty freshness; with age it becomes HOw TO enjOy extra mature cheeses aftertaste that intensifies with age. hard, and can be grated when it has an work well with a glass of Barolo, or a smoked version is also produced. almondy mellowness. It finishes with an sauternes. superb melted over steak, HOw TO enjOy It melts superbly, so it can aromatic tang. also delicious smoked. or for stuffing chicken breasts and be melted over vegetables, or added to HOw TO enjOy On the cheeseboard, great for soufflés, pasta, and in salads an omelet. It is also suitable for a ardsallagh pairs well with reds, such as with pears or pomegranate seeds and cheeseboard, and can be enjoyed with Montepulciano d’abruzzo, or cider. It’s toasted nuts. a glass of beer. also good for use in quiches and tarts. IRELAND Kanturk, Cork IRELAND Carrigtwohill, Cork IRELAND Castlebellingham, Louth 219 Age Small: 4–6 weeks, big: 12–14 weeks Age 4 months minimum Age 6–14 months Weight and Shape 21⁄4lb (1kg), wheel Weight and Shape 250g–11kg, rounds Weight and Shape 61⁄2lb (3kg), wheel Size D. 7in (18cm), H. 3in (10cm) Size D. 3–14in (8–35cm), H. 11⁄2–5in Size D. 8in (20cm), H. 3in (7.5cm) Milk Cow (4–12cm) Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft Milk Goat Classification Blue Producer Ardrahan Farmhouse Classification Hard Producer Glyde Farm Producer Ardsallagh Goats Products

Beenoskee Cashel Blue Coolea great britain and ireland german born Maja binder produces one of ireland’s best-loved blues, this gouda-style cheese has received some of ireland’s most unusual raw Cashel blue is made by the grubb many awards since it first came into milk cheeses at dingle Peninsula dairy. family at beechmount Farm, with milk production in 1980. it is now made by the milk is naturally salty, since the from the farm’s own pedigree british second-generation cheesemaker dicky cows graze close to the sea, and local Friesian herd. willems and his wife, sinead. seaweed is used for flavoring. Flavored tasting notes this soft, silky textured tasting notes this smooth, hard, and seaweed flecked cheeses are also creamy blue with green-blue marbling pale-gold cheese has a handful of small produced. has a medium flavor, with a gentle buzz holes. it is fruity and mild when young, tasting notes the crusty rind of from the mold veining. but intensifies to a rich, nutty caramel seaweed adds a natural, sea-salt flavor How to enjoy For maximum flavor, serve spiciness as it ages. rich milk from to the fudgey, divinely creamy flavor of this cheeseboard cheese at room hilly grazing adds a herbaceous the rind, and there’s the warm, spicy temperature with a ripe pear and a character to the mix. aroma of the paste. sweet semillon or st. emilion wine. How to enjoy Coolea grates and melts How to enjoy as a cheeseboard cheese, great melted onto grilled steak, well, and is good in omelets or salads. this needs nothing more than a glass of crumbled into salads, or into a smooth enjoy it with a full-bodied red wine or alsace riesling and some quince paste. celery soup. warming tawny Port. 220 IRELAND Castlegregory, Kerry IRELAND Fethard, Tipperary IRELAND Fermoy, Cork Age 6–12 months Age 9–35 weeks Age 2–24 months Weight and Shape 8lb 13oz–19lb 13oz Weight and Shape 3lb 3oz (1.5 kg), drum Weight and Shape 10lb (4.5kg) and 20lb (4–9kg), wheel Size D. 5in (13cm), H. 31⁄2in (9cm) (9kg), boulder Size Various Milk Cow Size D. 10in (25cm) and 14in (35cm), Milk Cow Classification Blue H. 4in (10cm) Classification Hard Producer J & L Grubb Milk Cow Producer Dingle Peninsula Cheese Dairy Classification Hard Producer Coolea Farmhouse Cheese

Cooleeney Corleggy Crozier Blue Cooleeney, ireland’s answer to silke Cropp’s Corleggy cheese ireland’s first ewe’s milk blue cheese, ireland Camembert, is handmade by a fourth- from County Cavan was born out of Crozier Blue, was developed in 1993. generation farming family in Tipperary, a farmhouse cheese revolution that The sister to Cashel Blue, it is similar where lush grazing pastures provide helped put ireland on the culinary in taste to roquefort (see pp82–83). rich, sweet milk. map. goats and cows dine out on the TasTing noTes The Crozier flock TasTing noTes raw-milk Cooleeney is nearby drumlin pastures that are rich of British Friesland ewes graze on sensuously rich in texture, with aromas with herbs. limestone to give the soft, creamy, and of mushrooms and herbs, a full buttery TasTing noTes Corleggy has notes subtly crumbly cheese a steely dry flavor, and good acidity. of lush sweet grass and wild herbs. piquancy and peppery punch. How To enjoy it should be left out its natural rind is brine-washed How To enjoy Crozier Blue can be to soften before eating, and is best and flavorful. served as a first course with ripe pears, accompanied with a crusty baguette How To enjoy This cheese is perfect with walnuts, and delicate salad leaves, and grapes. The wine needs to be plums or figs. it also grates well and or after dinner, with a glass of late- gentle—a light red Valpolicella can be used in sauces or soufflés. bottled vintage Port or Tokaji. Use it would suit. on blue-cheese pizza, in a quiche, or added to risotto. IRELAND Moyne, Tipperary IRELAND Belturbet, Cavan IRELAND Fethard, Tipperary 221 Age 8–14 weeks Age 2–4 months Age 10–35 weeks Weight and Shape 7oz (200g) and Weight and Shape 14oz (400g) and 21⁄4lb Weight and Shape 3lb 3oz (1.5kg), drum 3lb 12oz (1.7kg), round (1kg), cylinder Size D. 5in (13cm), H. 4in (10cm) Size D. 3in (8cm) and 91⁄2in (24cm), Size D. 4in (10cm) and 6in (16cm), Milk Ewe H. 1in (2.5cm) and 2in (4.5cm) H. 5in (12cm) Classification Blue Milk Cow Milk Goat Producer J & L Grubb Classification Soft-white Classification Hard Producer Cooleeney Cheese Producer Corleggy Cheeses

Desmond Durrus Glebe Brethan great britain and ireland desmond, which was named after an one of the original “big four” west Cork david and Mairead tiernan first made iconic local peak, was originally cheeses. thirty years later, jeffa gill this wonderful hard, creamy cheese in farmhouse based, but now, production still makes her washed-rind cheese in 2004. its strengths have been has transferred to newmarket dunmanus bay, using time-honored attributed to the excellent milk from Creamery, where the cheesemakers methods and raw milk. their herd of Montbeliarde cows. oversee the proceedings. a sister tasting notes this orange-hued washed tasting notes when young, this cheese, gabriel, is made with a slightly rind cheese is speckled with tiny holes. smooth and golden yellow cheese with different temperature of milk. it is smooth, creamy, and sensuously intermittent holes, is fruity and creamy. tasting notes a long-matured, swiss textured, with sublime grassy flavors aging adds spice, nuttiness, and a style, thermophilic cheese, it has a hard and warm fruity notes that become gentle aromatic buzz, finished with texture packed with piquant peppery nuttier and richer with age. a zesty tang. spice and a rich, lengthy aftertaste. How to enjoy durrus is superb after How to enjoy this versatile cheese How to enjoy on the cheeseboard, it is dinner with sancerre or Merlot. can be enjoyed as it comes with just best with an alsatian white wine. Use durrus Melt, a type of fondue, is a an alsace Pinot gris. it is also nice in in fondues and sauces or over pasta classic modern irish recipe. tartlets with caramelized onions, or and leafy salads. in a smooth fondue or sauce. 222 IRELAND Schull, Cork IRELAND Durrus, Cork IRELAND Dunleer, Louth Age 10 months–3 years Age 3–8 weeks Age 6–24 months Weight and Shape 15lb 7oz (7kg), wheels Weight and Shape 9oz–3lb (250g–1.4kg), Weight and Shape 88lb 3oz–99lb 3oz Size D. 12in (31cm), H. 4in (10cm) round (40–45kg), wheels Milk Cow Size D. 4–61⁄2in (10–17cm), H. 2in (5cm) Size D. 231⁄2–26in (60–66cm), H. 4in Classification Hard Milk Cow (10cm) Producer West Cork Natural Cheeses Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Producer Durrus Cheese Classification Hard Producer Glebe Brethan Farmhouse

Grace Gubbeen Knockdrinna Gold Grace is one of a range of organic fresh Gubbeen is a farmhouse cheese made helen Finnegan only started making ireland cheeses packed in jars, covered with with milk from the farm’s herd of cheese in 2004, but she has already won sunflower oil, and flavored with various Friesian and Kerry Cows. the orange awards for her goat’s and ewe’s milk herbs and spices. sticky bacteria on the rind, which has cheeses, and more recently for her cow’s tastinG notes it has a very fresh, soft, been named Gubbeenensis, is now milk cheese, lavistown (see p224). creamy taste with herbaceous grassy world famous. tastinG notes Knockdrinna Gold is notes from the sunflower oil. the other tastinG notes washed in brine, Gubbeen creamy and nutty. it is rind washed cheeses in the range are flavored with is smooth and creamy, with tiny holes. with organic white wine, lending a rich olives, nettles, chives, or pepper. it has gentle herb and floral notes with golden color and citrusy notes. a soft how to enjoy eat on crusty bread, a meaty finish. creamy goat’s cheese and semi-soft crackers, or sandwiches with peppery how to enjoy Match extra Mature ewe’s milk cheese are also produced. salad leaves and tomatoes. smoked Gubbeen with fruit cake. how to enjoy on the cheeseboard or a it’s good for baked potatoes, as an after dinner, it is superb with Chianti mixed cheese platter, it is best served instant dip, or as a base for smoked or Bordeaux. Gubbeen melts with a grassy sauvignon Blanc. it is salmon pâté, and it makes an excellent and omelets. ideal baked in a goat’s cheese tart. luxurious cheesecake. IRELAND Ladestown, Westmeath IRELAND Schull, Cork IRELAND Stoneyford, Kilkenny 223 Age A few days Age 12–16 weeks Age 2 months Weight and Shape 51⁄2oz (150g), glass jar Weight and Shape 1lb 2oz–9lb 15oz Weight and Shape 61⁄2lb (3 kg), round Size No size (500g–4.5kg), round Size D. 9in (23cm), H. 3in (8cm) Milk Cow Size D. 5–12in (12cm–30cm), H. 2–4in Milk Goat Classification Fresh (5–10cm) Classification Semi-soft Producer Moonshine Dairy Farm Milk Cow Producer Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese Classification Semi-soft Producer Gubbeen Cheese

Lavistown Milleens Mossfield Organic gReaT BRITaIn and IReLand More than a quarter of a century Ireland’s first farmhouse artisan This award-winning, organic farmhouse ago, Lavistown was first made at cheese, Milleens, was created in 1976 cheese is from offaly, where the farm’s Lavistown House by olivia goodwillie. by Veronica Steele. Veronica nicknamed Friesian and Rotbunt herd is kept on a It is now made by Helen Finnegan the smallest Milleens a “dote”—an Irish variety of grazing, adding subtle at Knockdrinna. term for something cherished. nuances to the milk. TaSTIng noTeS This low-fat Caerphilly TaSTIng noTeS It is a washed-rind cheese TaSTIng noTeS This gouda-style cheese style cheese has a thin, leathery, with an orange-pink hue and inviting has a moist, supple consistency and pale-cream rind dusted with white, soft texture that becomes unctuously elegant mellow notes, becoming full gray, and pink molds. It is tangy and runny. The flavor is mushroomy and bodied and crumbly as it ages. It is also fresh when young, but becomes more herbaceous, with full woodland aromas. available with tomato and herbs, and crumbly with a hint of spice with age. How To enjoy Serve with good bread, garlic and basil. How To enjoy Pair it with wedges of preferably Irish soda, and a glass of How To enjoy Mossfield is great for the dessert apple and a glass of ale. It adds Barolo or Claret. Milleens can be added cheeseboard, with a glass of claret, or something special to apple pie or can be at the last minute to risotto or melted in tarts and quiches. The flavored placed underneath the mincemeat before into vegetable soups, such as broccoli alternatives add zest to baked potatoes. baking your Christmas mince pies. or cauliflower. 224 IRELAND Stoneyford, Kilkenny IRELAND Eyeries, Cork IRELAND Clareen, Offaly Age 3 weeks–70 days Age 2–3 months Age 3–9 months Weight and Shape 7lb 11oz (3.5kg), wheel Weight and Shape 9oz (250g) and 23⁄4lb Weight and Shape 11lb (5kg), wheels Size D. 9in (23cm), H. 31⁄2in (9cm) (1.25kg), round Size D. 111⁄2in (29cm), H. 4in (10cm) Milk Cow Size 4in (10cm) and 9in (23cm), Milk Cow Classification Hard H. 1in (3cm) and 11⁄2in (4cm) Classification Semi-soft Producer Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese Milk Cow Producer Mossfield Organic Cheese Classification Semi-soft Producer Milleens Cheese

Mount Callan St. Gall Extra Mature St. Tola Log Michael and Lucy Hayes created this In Fermoy, Cork, Frank, and Gudrun St. Tola is made from organic goat’s cheese in 2000. This small, traditional, Shinnick have developed a superb milk from the Burren region of Clare, Cheddar-style cheese is bound in range of farmhouse cheeses, including where limestone and alpine plants cheese cloth and then matured on this hard cheese made with raw provide a wild, rocky landscape. wooden shelves in a stone curing room. cow’s milk. Siobhan ni Ghairbhith also makes Crottin and a hard goat’s milk cheese. TaSTInG noTeS a few tell-tale cracks in TaSTInG noTeS It has a naturally hard TaSTInG noTeS This classic chèvre-style IReLand the hard gray rind suggest a lovely rind, a rich gold color, and small holes log has a pale, wrinkly rind tinged with moistness in the creamy, golden punctuating the creamy consistency. pink and a silky texture with a subtle interior. It has well-developed, earthy Sweet milky flavors are rounded with nutty, goaty flavor and crisp finish. flavors and, with age, develops a blast toasty, almost cookie-ish, notes and a How To enjoy Serve it melted or fresh of heat on the finish. fresh, spicy acidity to finish. with sourdough bread and grapes, or with slices of pear and a white How To enjoy It adds rich personality to How To enjoy This needs no adornment, Bordeaux. Crumble it into salads or a cheeseboard. Like Cheddar, it is great just a glass of decent red wine. In serve on warm toasted brioche drizzled in sauces or grated. Superb with a full cooking, it melts well for welsh with honey, and enjoy with a Sauternes. bodied red or port. Rarebit, mixed with chopped spring onions or tomatoes. IRELAND Ennistimon, Clare IRELAND Fermoy, Cork IRELAND Burren, Clare 225 Age 9–18 months Age 3–6 months Age 3–5 weeks Weight and Shape 9lb (4kg) and 33lb Weight and Shape 11lb (5kg), round Weight and Shape 21⁄4lb (1kg), log (15kg), cylinder Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 4in (10cm) Size L. 81⁄2in (21cm), D. 3in (8cm) Size D. 6in (15cm) and 12in (30cm), Milk Cow Milk Goat H. 5in (13cm) and 15in (38cm) Classification Hard Classification Aged Fresh Milk Cow Producer Fermoy Natural Cheeses Producer Inagh Farmhouse Cheese Classification Hard Producer Mount Callan Farmhouse Cheese

GRoNiNGEN waddenzee BELGIUM Belgium has a long tradition of dairy FRiESlAND farming and small-farm cheese production, but in the Middle Ages, trading in silks and spices overshadowed DRENTHE cheesemaking. Subsequently, milk and cream were more often used for making butter and chocolate. However, NooRD- the 1960s saw a return of the artisan cheesemakers, HollAND and many traditional recipes were revived. The new era is characterized by flavor and diversification, with an increasing number of goat’s milk cheeses. THE NETHERLANDS Cheese has been made in ovERijSSEl The Netherlands since prehistoric times, but it was the Romans who introduced hard cheeses, which FlEvolAND would become Gouda and Edam. They also engineered the dikes and canals that created the huge meadows GElDERlAND underpinning the Dutch dairy industry. uTRECHT From the Middle Ages, Dutch cheese was traded in domestic and foreign markets. Cheesemakers were THE NETHERlANDS quick to incorporate newly discovered exotic spices (such as cumin, caraway, and cloves) into their cheeses. ZuiD- HollAND pRoDuCED THRouGHouT ZEElAND THE CouNTRy Edam, Geitenkaas Met Kruiden, Gouda, Kernham, Leidse Kaas, Maasdam, Nagelkaas NooRD-BRABANT north sea ANTwERpEN Bio Bleu, Postel Pas de Rouge liMBuRG wEST vlAANDEREN ooST-vlAANDEREN liMBuRG Rubens vlAAMS BRABANT Keiems Bloempje N Passendale BRuSSEl BElGiuM Hervé liÈGE BRABANT wAlloN HAiNAuT NAMuR Key Chimay à la Bière, luxEMBouRG Vieux Chimay DiEkiRCH ★ AOC, DOC, DOP, PGI, or PDO cheeses luxEMBouRG Produced only here Produced throughout the region GREvEN- MACHER 50 miles luxEMBouRG 50 km

belgium Bio Bleu Chimay à la Bière Hervé Made by the Hinkelspel dairy In 1850, a group of Cistercian monks Probably the most famous of Belgium’s BeLgIuM cooperative (hinkelspel means started building Scourmont Abbey and cheeses, this is similar to Limburger “hopscotch” in english). Bio Bleu’s established a herd of Friesian cows (see p236) and named after the town slightly sticky rind is red-brown to make butter and, later, Trappist where it is made. washed repeatedly in and covered in gray, blue, and some cheeses such as this one, which is brine over three months, the rind white molds. washed in Chimay Trappist beer. becomes sticky and covered in orange- TASTIng noTeS The pale yellow, creamy Today, the milk used comes from brown mold. It is sometimes flavored interior has a mass of well-spread blue 250 producers in the region. with herbs or made with heavy cream. streaks. It has an intense steely blue TASTIng noTeS The firm leathery rind TASTIng noTeS Its pale yellow interior is tang, long-lasting and very peppery, has a heady aroma of hops and the springy and creamy. The flavor ranges with an acidic bite and spicy overtones. farmyard, while the creamy, supple from surprisingly sweet and mellow to How To enjoy Delicious with fall fruit interior is fruity, with a distinct taste of strong, spicy, and anything but mellow. such as sweet grapes and Doyenné toasted hops continuing on the finish. How To enjoy Its pungency demands a pears, or in a salad with chicory and How To enjoy This is a superb melting strong companion, so enjoy with dark nuts. Pair with sweet white wines. cheese, or serve it simply, accompanied breads, and wash down with Belgian- by a Belgian beer, ideally from Chimay. style Trappist beers and ales. BELGIUM Oost-Vlaanderen BELGIUM Chimay, Hainaut BELGIUM Hervé, Liège 227 Age 8–10 weeks Age 4 weeks Age 3 months minimum Weight and Shape 1¾lb–1lb 2oz Weight and Shape 4½lb (2kg), wheel Weight and Shape 7oz (200g), brick (800g–1kg), drum Size H. 2½in (6cm), D. 7½in (19cm) Size L. 2½in (6cm), W. 2½in (6cm), Size D. 4in (10cm), H. 4in (10cm) Milk Cow H. 2in (5cm) Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Classification Blue Producer Chimay Fromage Classification Semi-soft Producer Coöperatieve Het Hinkelspel Producer Hervé Société

Keiems Bloempje Pas de Rouge Passendale lOW COuNTRIES “Keiems” refers to a part of the city of The name Pas de Rouge refers to a hop This popular Flemish cheese, based on Diksmuide, a region of lush meadows in Belgium’s version of the old school- an old monastic recipe, resembles a loaf formed by the intricate system of dykes playground game of hopscotch. A of bread, with its distinctive caramel and canals, or polders, while “Bloempje” washed-rind Trappist-style cheese, it is brown rind lightly dusted with white is the Walloon for “flower” and refers to made with organic raw cow’s milk and mold. It is named after the village the Penicillium candidum bloom that has a red-orange leathery rind that made infamous by the World War I coats the cheese. Some types are develops a white mist of Penicillium Battle of Passendale. flavoured with herbs and garlic. mould as it matures. TASTING NOTES Firm, yet pliable with very small and irregular holes in it TASTING NOTES Made from raw organic TASTING NOTES Supple and buttery, with pale yellow creamy interior has a milk, it has a thick, creamy texture, small, scattered holes, Pas de Rouge buttery taste becoming more mellow mushroom aroma, and fresh milky taste has a lightly farmyardy aroma and with age. with a mushroom and green grass finish. overtones of hazelnut, with a meaty HOW TO ENJOY A stalwart of the HOW TO ENJOY Try it grilled on bread or taste as it comes of age. continental breakfast buffet with cold spread on crispbreads with a sweet HOW TO ENJOY Eat it like the locals: with hams and smoked meats and sausages. homemade chutney; complement with brown bread, butter, and coffee or a Serve with light beers or white wines. Chardonnay or a light beer. typically Belgian Trappist beer. 228 BELGIUM Diksmuide, West Viaanderen BELGIUM Gent, Oost Viaanderen BELGIUM Passendale, West Viaanderen Age 4–8 weeks Age 6–8 weeks Age 3–6 months Weight and Shape 12oz (350g) or 15½lb Weight and Shape 5½lb (2.5kg), round Weight and Shape 6½lb (3kg), round (7kg), round Size D. 8¾in (22cm), H. 2¾in (7cm) Size D. 6in (15cm), H. 3in (7cm) Size D. 4¼in (11cm), H. 1½in (4cm) Milk Cow Milk Cow Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft Classification Semi-soft Classification Soft white Producer Coöperatieve Het Hinkelspel Producer Kaasmakerij Passendale Producer Het Dischhof

Postel Rubens Vieux Chimay An orange-rinded cheese handmade by This distinctive washed-rind cheese is Like Chimay à la Bière (see p227), this is BELGIum the monks at the Abbey of Postel using named in honor of the 17th-century made at Scourmount Abbey. Annatto is milk from their own herd of some 160 Flemish Baroque painter Peter Paul added to the milk to give the finished cows and others from near-by farms. Rubens. The recipe was revived in the cheese a warm tangerine color. With its Needless to say, this cheese is not made 1960s and is now one of the most flattened ball shape and thin golden in high volumes, but is much loved by popular of all the Belgian cheeses. brown crust, this makes it an attractive those in the know. TASTING NOTES Beneath the reddish- addition to a cheeseboard. TASTING NOTES Hard and quite dry with brown protective rind lies a firm yet TASTING NOTES Although this cheese is a dark, earthy yellow color, Postel is supple paste with small holes. It has a described as hard, Vieux Chimay has a a nutty-flavored cheese, with hints rich, smooth flavor, with a subtle soft, chewy melt-in-the-mouth texture. of spices such as cloves and nutmeg, sweet-savory taste. The flavor is buttery with a hint of becoming more intense with age. HOW TO ENJOY Like all semi-soft cheeses, hazelnuts and a distinct but pleasant HOW TO ENJOY Pair with a bottle of Postel Rubens melts and bakes well, and it is bitterness to the finish. beer, obviously. This is a good cheese easy to slice for snacks or breakfast. HOW TO ENJOY The makers recommend it for grating, as a snack, or as a topping Try it with slices of fresh apple, and melted into a lobster risotto, and paired baked potatoes. serve with cider or a light red wine. with a glass of Chimay Tripel beer. BELGIUM Mol, Antwerpen BELGIUM West Viaanderen BELGIUM Chimay, Hainaut 229 Age 12–24 months Age 8–12 weeks Age 6 months Weight and Shape 4kg, loaf Weight and Shape 6½lb (3kg), oval Weight and Shape 6½lb (3kg), Size L. 10¾in (27cm), W. 5¼in (13cm), Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 41⁄2in (9cm) flattened ball H. 4¼in (11cm) Milk Cow Size D. 6¾in (17cm), H. 4¼in (11cm) Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Classification Hard Producer Various Classification Hard Producer Abbey of Postel Producer Chimay Fromage

the netherlands Low CoUNTries Edam Geitenkaas Met Kernhem Kruiden First mentioned in 1439, when edam A modern Dutch cheese, this is named was shipped from the Port of edam, Cheese lovers visiting Amsterdam after the Kernhem estate, a mystical just north of Amsterdam, and made should make time to visit one of the place where, according to legend a with skimmed milk. its distinctive red amazing cheese shops. Less well-known white lady or ghost is regularly seen. waxed coat is a familiar sight on deli hard goat’s cheeses such as this are Unlike most other Dutch cheeses, counters the world over. The majority is definitely worth trying. The name Kernhem is made with added cream exported, the Dutch preferring Gouda. means “Goat’s Cheese with Nettles”. and has a sticky orange rind from TAsTiNG NoTes Beneath the thin rind it frequent washings in brine. has a supple, smooth texture and sweet TAsTiNG NoTes supple like young Gouda, TAsTiNG NoTes Kernhem’s paste is soft milky, buttery flavor, becoming more its stark white interior is scattered and gooey, with a pronounced farmyard flavorsome and firmer with age. with flecks of chopped nettles; it has a aroma, a nutty, creamy flavor, and a How To eNjoy A simple cheese, edam subtle almond flavor from the goat’s penetrating savory finish. is equally at home as a snack, in milk and a slight grassy, earthy finish. How To eNjoy This is a cheese that cries sandwiches, melted, grated, or served out for tangy pickles, cold meats, and a at breakfast with chocolate and eggs, How To eNjoy Great as a snack or on a glass of white wine. as they do in the Netherlands. cheeseboard, paired with a cool beer. 230 THE NETHERLANDS All over THE NETHERLANDS All over THE NETHERLANDS All over Age 1–12 months Age 3–6 months Age 5–6 weeks Weight and Shape 21⁄4lb (1kg), ball Weight and Shape 17lb 10oz (8kg), Weight and Shape 51⁄2lb (2.5kg) flat round Size D. 4in (10cm), H. 4in (10cm) boulder Size D. 8in (20cm), H. 2in (5cm) Milk Cow Size D. 8in (20cm), H. 4in (10cm) Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft Milk Goat Classification Semi-soft Producer Friesland Campina Classification Flavor-added Producer Friesland Campina Producer Various

Leidse Kaas Maasdam Nagelkaas Named after its town of origin, Leyden, A Swiss-style cheese was originally A traditional gouda-style cheese THE NETHErLANDS Leidse Kaas’s rind is imprinted with created in the Netherlands as a less originally from Friesland, made with crossed keys, the city’s emblem. Similar expensive alternative to Emmental, but cloves and cumin. As cloves resemble to gouda, but made with semi-skimmed its sweet, fruity taste, large holes, and nails, they are called kruidnagels, or milk, it is scattered with cumin seeds. bulging upper side proved very popular. “spicy nails”, and the cheese is known Spices such as cumin, cloves, and Production continues to grow, with as “nail cheese”. its equivalent without peppercorns were introduced in the leading brand Leerdammer now sold cloves is known as Kanterkaas. 1600s by early Dutch explorers. across the world. TASTiNg NoTES Despite being made from TASTiNg NoTES The dense, compact TASTiNg NoTES Very supple and elastic skimmed milk with only a 23 percent sunshine-yellow interior feels dry yet with large holes, its sweet, fermenting fat content, the cheese possesses a creamy and mellow, perfectly balanced fruit flavor is a result of the special pronounced hot, spicy aromatic taste by the aromatic cumin. bacteria added to the milk. and firm, creamy texture, and becomes How To ENjoy Excellent with all drinks How To ENjoy A definite favorite for all a deep yellow with age. ranging from beer to aromatic wines. it the family as a snacking cheese or in How To ENjoy A little goes a long way, so also adds a pleasant spice-filled note to sandwiches, salads, and, fondue. Pair use sparingly in salads and hot dishes, salads, soups, and vegetable dishes. with light fruity whites and rosé wines. and complement with beer. THE NETHERLANDS All over THE NETHERLANDS All over THE NETHERLANDS All over 231 Age 2–12 months Age 4–12 weeks Age 4–12 months Weight and Shape 22lb (10kg), boulder Weight and Shape 22lb (10kg), boulder Weight and Shape 17lb 10oz (8kg), Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 4in (10cm) Size D. 12–151⁄2in (30–40cm), H. 6–8in boulder Milk Cow (15–20cm) Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 4in (10cm) Classification Flavor-added Milk Cow Milk Cow Producer Various Classification Semi-soft Classification Flavor-added Producer Bel Leerdammer; Friesland Producer Friesland Campina Campina

Gouda a closer look The long-keeping properties of the Dutch cheeses, especially Gouda, The Netherlands produces 730,000 and the geographical position of Holland on the west coast of metric tons of cheese, of which Europe meant, historically, the cheeses could be shipped to France 550,000 is exported. About 60 percent and further afield. By the 12th century, their popularity had spread of Dutch cheese production is Gouda. across Europe and later became an essential item on the explorer’s shopping list when they took to the seas. Young Gouda has a distinctive polished LOW COUNTRIES Evidence of their importance can be The best are the Boerenkaas, seen in the existence of the weigh- Farmhouse Gouda, made with raw yellow rind. houses and formal markets in milk by small farmers when the virtually every town, such as the weather permits the cattle to stay Young Cheese beautifully restored example in outside and graze the fresh grasses Gouda. Built in 1668, it was where of the polders, a remarkable the farmers brought their cheeses to landscape of dykes and windmills. be weighed and quality checked to estimate their tax. Today, you can Over the centuries, other find out your weight in cheese at the European countries have adopted weekly markets in summer in the style of cheesemaking, notably Gouda, Alkmaar, and Edam. Sweden and, in the last century, Dutch immigrants in America, What differentiates Gouda and Australia, and New Zealand have Edam (see p230) from other cheeses started making farmhouse versions is that some of the whey is replaced that meticulously retain the old with hot water in the vat once the methods—although regulations curd has been cut, a process known prevent most from using raw milk. as washing the curd. This removes lactose from the curd, producing a TasTinG noTes At only a few sweeter, more mellow and slightly months old, Gouda is supple with a more elastic curd. sweet, fruity taste becoming firmer and fruitier, and by 18 months, the 232 interior, with its small holes, has become deep yellow, hard, almost brittle and granular. Each bite reveals more of its complex character, from fruity to a hint of cocoa and groundnut, while the feel in the mouth is rich and smooth. Boerenkaas Gouda has a more outspoken taste that differs from farm to farm. The fresco on the outside of the Gouda How To enjoy Young Gouda weigh-house. is ideal for sandwiches, snacks, and in salads, while the stronger The Netherlands All over taste of aged Gouda lends itself to Age 4 weeks–3 years the cheeseboard or cooked in hot Weight and Shape 7oz–44lb dishes from gratins to tarts and (200g–20kg), round pasta alongside a good Dutch beer or Size Various robust red like Pinot Noir or Barolo. Milk Cow Classification Hard Producer Various

washing the curd In order to wash adding Flavor The founding of the the curd, some of the whey is drained off and Dutch East Indies Company in the 17th century replaced by warm water, this is stirred in, and opened up the spice trade. The Dutch were quick to utilize these new and aromatic flavors again some of the whey, now diluted, is drained in their cheeses—particularly cumin, caraway, off and replaced by more water. The water peppercorns, and cloves. removes the lactose (milk sugars) from the curd. When the water is hot, it scalds the curd and so expels additional moisture. The result of this activity is to keep the acidity of the curd at a lower level than would normally be the case since the activity of the lactic bacteria is reduced. Aged Gouda, aged for a vertical Press The cheeses are THE NETHERLANDS minimum of 18 months has removed from their molds and stacked in vertical presses, separated by boards, and a black waxed rind. lightly pressed for a few hours or even days. With age, the exterior becomes hard, dry, and a deep sunshine yellow. Mature cheese 233

Germany, N Germany In the Alpine regions of austria, and Bayern (Bavaria), cheesemaking was switzerland influenced by the Swiss, and before them, the Romans. Allgäu, the heart of German SchlESWIG- cheesemaking, draws its inspiration holSTEIN from the Swiss with its famous Allgäuer Emmental, which was introduced to the Schichtkäse area in 1821. An abundant supply of high- quality milk allows Bayern to produce MEcKlENBuRG- 75 percent of Germany’s cheeses, making VoRPoMMERN it one of Germany’s most important milk and cheese regions. NIEDERSAchSEN GERMANY Harzer Käse In the northern regions of Germany, PRoDucED traditional cheeses are often fresh or ThRouGhouT ThE BRANDENBuRG lactic-acidified milk products, as seen couNTRY in The Netherlands and Denmark or with Trappist cheeses. Although many Tilsiterkäse cheeses are produced in Bayern, some of Germany’s more famous cheeses, such as NoRDRhEIN- SAchSEN-ANhAlT Altenburger Ziegenkäse, are produced in WESTFAlEN Harzer Käse the northern parts of Germany. austria Since the climate and pastures Harzer Käse Altenburger SAchSEN in Western Austria (Vorarlberg and Tirol) hESSEN Ziegenkäse ★ are similar to those in Switzerland, it is no wonder that the border-sharing RhEINlAND- ThÜRINGEN cheesemakers have been swapping recipes PFAlZ Harzer Käse for centuries. In the east, the influence came from the Balkans, which is why SAARlAND BAYERN fresh-style cheeses are more prevalent. Allgäuer Bergkäse, switzerland The great cheeses Allgäuer Emmental, of Switzerland, famous throughout the Limburger, world, can trace their history back to Weisslacker before the coming of the Romans. The first reference to cheesemaking was made in 33bce, when the Rhaetians made “cheese” for the long, hard winter. Records show that by the Middle Ages, Swiss cheeses were being traded across much of Europe. In modern times, despite much of the production moving to large factories, most Swiss cheeses are still made in small dairies or cooperatives. This is due to the primary objective of the Swiss agricultural policy—maintaining the landscape that characterizes Switzerland. Tête de Moine★, BADEN- Vacherin Mont d’Or ★ WÜRTTEMBERG Tomme Vaudoise, Sbrinz★ Appenzeller Bavaria Blu Mondseer Vacherin Fribourgeois★ Appenzeller St Severin Gruyère ★ Sbrinz ★ Vorarlberger Bergkäse AuSTRIA Tomme Vaudoise Hobelkäse Sbrinz ★ Weinkäse, Tiroler Graukäse SWITZERlAND Sbrinz★ Tiroler Graukäse, Key Schabziger Tiroler Graukäse, Chorherrenkäse PRoDucED ThRouGhouT Valle Maggia Chorherrenkäse ★ AOC, DOC, DOP, PGI, or PDO cheeses ThE couNTRY lIEchENSTEIN Produced only here Mutschli, Produced throughout the region Raclette 100 miles Hobelkäse 100 km

germany Allgäuer Bergkäse Allgäuer Emmental Altenburger GErMANY Ziegenkäse PDO Allgäu is known for its Swiss-style Allgäu cheeses use milk from the cheeses, introduced in 1841 by two brown Allgäu cattle that graze the Sachsen and Thüringia in eastern Swiss cheesemakers. Bergkäse, or spring meadows that are rich in Germany were home to this cheese. mountain cheese, is like a little alpine flowers. Allgäuer Emmental Very little of it was produced until Emmental (see pp242–243) with is based on the Swiss Emmental German reunification, but it is now smaller holes and made in alpine huts (see pp242–243), but is smaller and available all over the country. during late spring and summer. ripens more quickly. TASTING NOTES Dense with small holes, TASTING NOTES Most is sold at around TASTING NOTES Soft and creamy, but it has a sweet, buttery taste becoming three months old when it is supple, pure white in color, typical of goat more intense and slightly salty. golden yellow, and mild with a hint cheese. It has a very pleasant, mild HOW TO ENJOY This is perfect for a of hazelnut. flavor and a goaty finish that is not too Bavarian Brotzeit, an afternoon meal HOW TO ENJOY For breakfast, snacks, pronounced. The interior is punctuated accompanied with sausage slices, cheese-plates, and cooking. In Germany, with caraway seeds. bacon, and dark bread. Enjoy with a thin slices are laid on or between white fine Bavarian beer. bread slices. Typically served with tea, HOW TO ENJOY Perfect for cheeseboards, coffee, or beer. salads, or drizzled with sweet mustard to bring out the flavor. Enjoy it with a liqueur or a light white wine. GERMANY Bayern GERMANY Bayern GERMANY Sachsen and Thüringia 235 Age 3–6 months Age 3–6 months Age 4 weeks Weight and Shape 55lb 2oz (25kg), wheel Weight and Shape 176lb 6oz (80kg), Weight and Shape 10oz–1lb 2oz Size D. 20in (50cm), H. 4in (10cm) wheel (300–500g), round Milk Cow Size D. 351⁄2in (90cm), H. 431⁄2in (110cm) Size Various, D. 8in (20cm), H. 4in (10cm) Classification Hard Milk Cow (pictured) Producer Various Classification Hard Milk Goat with some cow Producer Various Classification Soft white Producer Altenburger Land

Bavaria Blu Harzer Käse Limburger G e R M a n y, au s T R i a , s W i T z e R L a n d With a thick white coat and made with This has been made for centuries from This washed-rind cheese was originally extra cream, Bavaria Blu is a fusion of “soured” skimmed milk on small farms made in Belgium’s Limbourg region. it Camembert and Gorgonzola. The blue throughout the country; in Germany, became so popular that, since 1830, the mold is injected into the young cheese, butter was always more important majority of it has been made in Germany, a technique developed in Germany in than cheese. Best known are harzer, mostly in the allgäu from the excellent the 1970s. Bavaria Blu is often referred along with olmützer Quargel local milk. to as the blue cheese for people who (pictured), handkäse, and Mainzer. TasTinG noTes its sticky orange-brown don’t like blue cheese! TasTinG noTes several of these “coins” rind and intense farmyardy smell TasTinG noTes Considerably milder than are assembled into a roll, and are then comes from being washed in special Gorgonzola or Camembert, it has a separated for eating. When fresh, the bacteria. The taste is significantly very rich, creamy taste and subtle spicy paste is lemony sharp, but at about milder, but still farmyardy and meaty. blue finish. The blue splodges through three weeks it becomes mellower. hoW To enjoy served as “Brotzeit”, the interior make it very appealing. hoW To enjoy Mixed with vinegar, salt, afternoon tea with boiled potatoes and hoW To enjoy served on most German and onion, it is called “hand cheese with butter, or with vinaigrette and slices of cheeseboards with a white Rhine wine music”. With dark German bread and onion, dark bread, and beer or cider. such as Riesling and a nutty bread. cider, it is a satisfying afternoon meal. 236 GERMANY Allgäu, Bayern GERMANY The Harz mountain range GERMANY Bayern Age 4–6 weeks (Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Age 6–12 weeks Weight and Shape 3lb 3oz (1.5kg), round and Thüringen) Weight and Shape 5oz (150g), brick Size D. 12in (30cm), H. 3in (7cm) Age 2–4 weeks Size L. 5in (12cm), W. 11⁄2in (4cm), H. 1in Milk Cow Weight and Shape 31⁄2oz (100g), log (3.5cm) Classification Blue Size Various, D. 2in (5cm), H. 3⁄4in (2cm) Milk Cow Producer Käserei Champignon (pictured) Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Producer Various Classification Fresh Producer Various

Schichtkäse Tilsiterkäse Weisslacker a very old recipe using skimmed milk, Named after the town of Tilsit, now invented in 1874, weisslacker means GeRMaNy made in northern parts of Germany, Sowjetsk in Russia, it was apparently “white lacquer cheese”, and it is so it is a lactic cheese, which curdles created by Dutch immigrants in the named because of its shiny, glass-like without rennet. Similar to quark, but mid-nineteenth century, trying to white rind, the result of being soaked dryer, it is made of layers of curd—the recreate their famous Gouda. Brick- in brine and is not unlike feta. This top and bottom layers from skimmed shaped, it can be waxed or made with cheese is also known as Bayerische milk; the middle layer from whole milk. added cream, herbs, pepper, or caraway Bierkäse (Bavarian beer cheese), as it TaSTiNG NoTeS an acquired taste, it is seeds. Swiss Tilsit is round and firmer, goes extremely well with this brew. vaguely aromatic and tart, with a with pea-sized holes. TaSTiNG NoTeS after two days in brine, texture similar to cottage cheese. The TaSTiNG NoTeS Butter-yellow, springy, it is crumbly and has a surprisingly middle layer of the cheese looks more and sliceable, with many uneven slits, strong smell and tang, with a salty bite. yellow because it is higher in fat. it ranges in flavor from mild and how To eNjoy Cut into chunks and how To eNjoy Suitable for breakfast in sweet-savory to strong and meaty. serve with Bretzels (chewy pretzels), place of quark or yogurt. Spread on a how To eNjoy ideal for breakfast, vinaigrette, and a lot of onions. This is slice of dark bread as a snack. it also sandwiches, and snacks along with a a hearty meal best washed down with goes perfectly with tea or coffee. beer, Riesling, Sylvaner, or fruity red. a lot of beer. also used in Maultaschen. GERMANY Schleswig-Holstein GERMANY All over GERMANY Bayern 237 Age A few days Age 12–18 weeks Age 3–6 weeks Weight and Shape 31⁄2oz–1lb 2oz Weight and Shape 81⁄2lb (4kg), brick Weight and Shape 1lb 2oz–21⁄4lb (100–500g), packets or pots Size L. 12in (30cm), W. 6in (15cm), H. 6in (500g–1kg), brick Size Various (15cm (pictured)) Size L. 4–5in (10–12cm), W. 4–5in Milk Cow Milk Cow (10–12cm), H. 21⁄2–4in (6–10cm) Classification Fresh Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Producer Various Producers Various Classification Fresh Producer Various

austria Chorherrenkäse Mondseer St. Severin g e r M A n y, AU s T r i A , s w i T Z e r L A n d A special recipe that combines fresh First made in salzburg in 1830, this is in 1920, Friar Leonhard brought the milk and sometimes buttermilk makes named after the monastery of Mondsee. recipe for this cheese to the monastery for an innovative cheese also known as Also known as schachtelkäse, its recipe of schlierbach in Upper Austria, and Prälatenkäse. Traditionally made in is based on the Trappist-style washed- named the cheese after st. severin, a Tyrolean dairy, Chorherrenkäse is rind cheese brought to Austria by the protector against famine. it is a little dipped in white wax and is based on Cistercian monks. it has a thin orange round soft cheese with a yellow to monastery or Trappist-style cheeses. rind dusted with white mold. orange washed rind similar to Munster. TAsTing noTes The combination of TAsTing noTes The paste is a light yellow TAsTing noTes The smooth bright yellow buttermilk and fresh milk gives a and has a sweet-sour flavor with a hint paste has a hearty, full-bodied taste. pleasant flavor and a smooth texture of flowery grass; as it ages, the flavor The aroma, typical of Trappist cheeses, reminiscent of a warm summer day becomes more hearty and the texture is farmyardy and strong. with a hint of meadow flowers. supple and soft. how To enjoy great on a cheeseboard how To enjoy A pleasant, undemanding how To enjoy A fine cheese for many with crispy bread for an afternoon cheese for the cheeseboard, or sliced for occasions: breakfast with tea, a light snack. Complement with a red breakfast or as part of a buffet. ideal meal, or on a cheeseboard, accompanied Zinfandel, Merlot, or Pinot noir, or a with a local grüner Veltliner wine. by a grüner Veltliner wine. full-bodied white wine. 238 AUSTRIA Tirol AUSTRIA Oberösterreich AUSTRIA Salzburg Age 4–6 weeks Age 6–8 weeks Age 3–6 weeks Weight and Shape 13⁄4lb (800g), loaf Weight and Shape 1lb 2oz–21⁄4lb Weight and Shape 31⁄2oz (100g), round Size D. 10in (25cm), H. 7in (18cm) (500g–1kg), round Size D. 31⁄2in (9cm), H. 21⁄2in (6cm) Milk Cow Size D. 5–10in (12–25cm), H. 2–31⁄2in Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft (5–9cm) Classification Semi-soft Producer Bergland Voitsberg Milk Cow Producer Stift Schlierbach Classification Semi-soft Producer Various

Tiroler Graukäse Vorarlberger Bergkäse Weinkäse Made with skimmed milk and soured The Vorarlberg mountains overshadow First made in Leibnitz, in a dairy near ausTria naturally using a lactic starter, rather Lake Constance. Their high pastures the slovenian border when by chance than rennet, this Tyrolean cheese is carpeted with wild flowers and grasses the new cheese, temporarily stored in pressed, then milled and pressed again. provide superb grazing for the cattle a nearby wine cellar, absorbed the The surface of the thin rind develops during the summer months, producing wonderful aromas, and weinkäse was blue-gray to green-gray molds. rich, flavorsome, milk to make this born. Today it is made in nearby enns TasTing noTes in the first few days, it is Bergkäse, or mountain, cheese. valley and washed with red wine, curdlike and crumbly, but left at room TasTing noTes The rind is thick and the creating an almost black rind dusted temperature for a few days it ripens paste supple, with cherry-sizes holes, with white mold. and becomes smooth, softer, and almost and the grazing gives the cheese its TasTing noTes after six weeks, it has runny. The taste is lemony fresh. buttery yellow color and subtle taste of a fermenting fruit, slightly lemony tang how To enjoy in Tirol, it is served with wild honey with a savory, salty and a hint of the Zweigelt wine, vinegar, pumpkin seed oil, and onion undercurrent with age. balanced by a smooth, tender texture. rings. The styrian version is typically how To enjoy Vorarlberger is equally at how To enjoy eye-catching cheeseboard grated over flat cake on buttered bread. home as a snack, in a fondue, or grilled, addition with crusty bread. Pair with a Try with salads and sautéed potatoes. complemented by a fruity Chardonnay. red Zweigelt wine from styrian country. AUSTRIA Tirol and Steiermark AUSTRIA Vorarlberg AUSTRIA Steiermark 239 Age 4 weeks Age 6–8 months Age 6–8 weeks Weight and Shape 41⁄2lb (2kg), block Weight and Shape 110lb (50kg), wheel Weight and Shape 21⁄4lb (1kg), round Size L. 6in (15cm), W. 6in (15cm), Size D. 20in (50cm), H. 5in (12cm) Size D. 8in (20cm), H. 2in (5cm) H. 6in (15cm) Milk Cow Milk Cow Milk Cow Classification Hard Classification Semi-soft Classification Hard Producer Various Producer Schärdinger Group Producer Various

switzerland Appenzeller Gruyère AOC Hobelkäse g e r M a n y, au S t r i a , S w i t z e r L a n D Made in the hilly pre-alps of Switzerland’s most popular cheese is Made in the Bernese oberland and Switzerland for more than 700 years, named after the picturesque village of Valais, where each summer the cows go this cheese has a brown-orange gruyère, near Fribourg, and can trace to graze in the mountain pastures, and aromatic rind from washing with a its history back to 1072. the best are the farmers, each with a few cows, pool secret blend of cider, white wine, herbs, made in the mountains in summer when milk to make cheese. in fall, they and spices. Some are soaked for two the cows graze the alpine pastures. return home and share out the cheeses months in brine creating a suppler taSting noteS at 4 months, it is firm at the annual “Chästeilet”, a major interior and strong, rich flavor. and dense with a nutty flavor. event for the farmers and tourists. taSting noteS at six months, it has at 8 months, it has a wonderful taSting noteS Cut in paper-thin slices nutty notes and a distinct spicy finish, complexity that is rich, strong, nutty, with a cheese-rake, hobelkäse reveals but develops a more intense flavor and earthy. the exquisite aroma of the flowery with age. how to enjoy the essential ingredient meadows captured in the milk. how to enjoy Popular for breakfast for fondue. grate over pasta, salads, or how to enjoy traditionally thinly sliced when young, or the cheeseboard when vegetables, or into sauces. Serve with and rolled, and served with a prickling aged, with crusty bread, cider, beer, or walnuts, fruity bread, and a Dole or white wine from the Lake geneva a racy red wine such as Dole or Fitou. Burgundy red wine. vineyards as an apéritif. 240 SWITZERLAND Appenzell Ausserrhoden, SWITZERLAND Fribourg SWITZERLAND Bern and Valais Appenzell Innerrhoden, Sankt Gallen, and Thurgau Age From 12 months Age 18 months Age 6–8 months Weight and Shape 66–88lb (30–40kg), Weight 17lb 10oz–22lb (8–10kg), wheel Weight and Shape 13¼lb–17lb 10oz wheel (pictured) (6–8kg), wheel Size D. 27½in (70cm), H. 6in (15cm) Size D. 20in (50cm), H. 6in (15cm) (pictured) Size D. 14in (35cm), H. 5in (12cm) (pictured) (pictured) Milk Cow Milk Cow Milk Cow Classification Hard Classification Semi-soft Classification Hard Producer Various Producer Various Producer Various

Mutschli Raclette Sbrinz AOC Produced in most regions of the The name originates from the French Sbrinz today is not very different from SwiTzeRland country from milk surplus in the word racler, meaning “to scrape”, and the one described by the Roman writer village dairies, using cow’s, goat’s, or relates to the process of broiling the Pliny in 70 b.c. as “Caseus helveticus”, occasionally ewe’s milk. Significantly cheese, traditionally in front of an open or “Swiss cheese”. although it is very smaller than most Swiss cheeses, it fire, and scraping it onto bowls of hard, it is less crumbly than comes in various shapes and sizes. piping hot potato. To meet demand, it is Parmigiano-Reggiano (see pp130–131) TaSTinG nOTeS Beneath the washed now made throughout Switzerland. because it is made with full-fat milk. yellow to brown rind is a soft, mild Raw milk cheeses from the valleys are TaSTinG nOTeS Very hard and grainy, it paste, with few or no holes, and a light stamped with their origin – such as has a distinct aroma from the flowery yellow color. Mutschli is a pleasant Bagnes, Orsières, and Goms. meadows, with spicy, slightly salty cheese and a children’s favorite. TaSTinG nOTeS a leathery washed brown undercurrents. hOw TO enjOy in Central Switzerland, rind encases a smooth, supple paste hOw TO enjOy Superb grated into pasta Mutschli is typically fried in a pan and with a rich, fruity savory flavor. and soups, or serve accompanied by a served with boiled potatoes, similar to hOw TO enjOy eaten grilled and topping fruity Swiss or Burgundy red or white raclette. Otherwise it is eaten mostly as potatoes, with pickled cucumbers and wine, or Champagne, as an apéritif. part of breakfast or as a snack. onions, and a local white or red wine. SWITZERLAND All over SWITZERLAND All over SWITZERLAND Luzern, Obwalden, and 241 Age 5 weeks Age 6 months Unterwalden Weight and Shape 10oz (300g), round Weight and Shape 13¼lb (6kg), wheel Age 18–48 months (pictured) Size D. 18in (45cm), H. 4in (10cm) Weight 66–88lb (30–40kg), wheel Size D. 8in (20cm), H. 4in (10cm) (pictured) Milk Cow Size D. 15½in (40cm), H. 12in (30cm) Milk Cow, goat, or ewe Classification Semi-soft (pictured) Classification Semi-soft Producer Various Milk Cow Producer Various Classification Hard Producer Various

emmentaler a closer look One of the great classics of the cheese world, Emmental can trace About 265 gallons (1,000 liters) of its history back to 1293 but was first mentioned by name in 1542 milk is needed for one cheese. As a when the recipe was given to the people of Langehthal in the result, like all the big mountain Emme valley. cheeses of Europe, they are made by cooperatives rather than individuals. G E r M A n y, Au S T r I A , S W I T z E r L A n d At the beginning of each summer, meadows abundant with wild rind The distinctive, repeating pattern on the farmers would take their small herds flowers, grasses, and herbs. It is this rind guarantees authenticity to the consumer. to the summer pastures, known as that makes Swiss Emmental unique alpage. Far from the nearest and unable to be emulated despite markets, they needed to make a many copies the world over. Over cheese that required months to winter, the cattle are housed in mature, so they pooled their milk, barns. Fed a diet of hay, the milk is creating huge slow-ripening cheeses, more concentrated and intense but which could ripen in the chalets until the color is a paler yellow and the the cows returned to the valleys at cheeses often smaller. the beginning of fall. TasTing noTes When first cut, a Little has changed since then perfume like a million meadow flowers except Emmental is now made all is released. If you squeeze a small over Switzerland where there are piece, you can feel its supple texture high pastures, and takes place in and, as it warms, you can taste the mountain chalets or small owner- hushed tones of the alpine meadows, operated cooperatives. Hence, as you the sweetness of ripe, fermenting travel through the magnificent Alps, fruit, and herbaceous white wine you can still see the timber-built that tingles on the palate. If you chalets with their colorful flower find one that has a tiny “tear” of boxes, wooden balconies and tiny moisture trapped in the holes, it windows, and the peaceful cows with will be as near to perfect as you their hand-painted bells grazing will find. 242 how To enjoy Great for The texture is more elastic snacking, sandwiches, for than Gruyère (see p240), cattle grazing in the summer alpage. breakfast, and on a cheeseboard, which has no holes. but comes into its own in a fondue SWITZERLAND Central cantons where it is rich, creamy, and Age 4–18 months wonderfully stretchy while its Weight and Shape 165–220lb sweet, nutty nature is underlined. (75–100kg), wheel Its stringy texture when cooked Size D. 311⁄2–39in (80–100cm), means, unlike most hard cheese, it H. 6–101⁄2in (16–27cm) does not break down in sauces but Milk Cow lends itself to being grated or melted, Classification Hard especially in a Croque Monsieur. Producer Various With its immense flavor and firm texture, Emmental can be served with big red or white wines or even a crisp, fruity white Swiss wine.

cutting the curd the milk is kneading and pressing the grading after 6–12 months, a grader warmed in a large vat, traditionally a huge curd is kneaded so it fills the hoop and is put using a special hammer like a piano tuner’s copper kettle, and three different starter into a press. it is then turned and the diameter will tap each cheese and, from the resonance or cultures are stirred into the milk. the curd is of the hoop reduced. the process is repeated six echo, can ascertain the size, distribution, and cut with wires strung in a giant frame. in the or more times. even shape of the holes and therefore its traditional hemispherical vats, a “figure-eight” quality. the best are stamped in red with the motion is required to cut the curd evenly into alpine horn blower (common to all swiss rice-sized pieces. cheeses) and the words switzerland and emmental. the sides are branded with a unique identification number for traceability. Quarter wheel switzerland 243 The propionic bacteria present during maturation gives off bubbles of carbon dioxide, and, unable to escape, these create the small holes characteristic of the cheese.

Schabziger Tête de Moine AOC Tomme Vaudoise GErMANY, AUSTrIA, SWITzErLAND This unique and very distinctive First made in the twelfth century by Made in the French-speaking part of lime-green zero-fat cheese has been monks at Bellelay monastery, its Switzerland, this has a thin, wrinkled made since the 11th century, when the production then shifted to farms owned rind dusted with white mold. The raw local monks introduced fenugreek. by the monastery, when the cheese was cow’s milk cheese Tomme Fleurette Skimmed-milk curds are aged for a few given to the Church as a tithe. Originally develops reddish brown patches that weeks, then finely ground and mixed named Bellelay after the monastery, it break down the curd until it becomes with ground fenugreek and wild clover. was renamed “head of the monks”, in almost liquid. Goat’s milk cheeses are TASTING NOTES Pressed into a small, recognition of enthusiastic consumption. sold as Tomme de Chèvre. truncated cone, it has a powerful, racy, TASTING NOTES Dense, smooth, and TASTING NOTES Vaudoise is mild and almost eye-watering spicy tang as it yellow as the result of meadow flowers, creamy with a hint of mushrooms from melts in the mouth. it has a buttery, slightly savory taste, the rind, while Fleurette has a more HOW TO ENJOY Mix 50:50 with butter, and revealed when pared into rosettes with intense, rustic flavor as it softens. spread over crusty white bread with the specially invented girolle machine. HOW TO ENJOY Great with crispy bread, onions or fresh chives. It spices up baked HOW TO ENJOY Using the girolle, guests especially caraway or walnut, and a potatoes, fondues, and soups. Cider or create rosettes, and enjoy with a Lake Vully or Chablis, or dip in breadcrumbs Pinot Noir work well as partners. Geneva white and fresh walnuts. and lightly fry, and serve with salad. 244 SWITZERLAND Glarus SWITZERLAND Jura SWITERLAND Vaud and Fribourg Age 8 weeks Age 8 months Age 4–6 weeks Weight and Shape 3½oz (100g), truncated Weight and Shape 1lb 5oz–1¾lb Weight and Shape 3½–5oz (100–150g), cone (600–800g), cylinder disc Size D. 2in (5cm), H. 4in (10cm) Size D. 5in (12cm), H. 7in (18cm) Size: D. 6in (16cm), 1in (3cm) Milk Cow Milk Cow Milk Cow or goat Classification Fresh Classification Hard Classification Soft white Producer Geska Producer Various Producer Various

Vacherin Fribourgeois Vacherin Mont D’or Valle Maggia SWITzErlAND AOC AOC Produced in villages in the valley of Vacherin Fribourgeois, not to be This is produced from September until Maggia on the southern side of the confused with Vacherin Mont d’Or, is a March, when the cows come down from Swiss alps, all the cheeses are round dense, deep yellow cheese. Produced in the mountains to spend winter in the and covered with a thick gray mold. the canton of Fribourg, it first came to warm barns of individual farmers. In They are named after the particular fame in 1448, when it was served to the the summer, their milk is combined to valley in which they are produced: daughter of the Scottish king and wife make huge wheels of Gruyère. Verzasca, Piora, Bedretto, etc. of the Duke Sigismund of Austria. TASTING NOTES The ivory paste has tiny TASTING NOTES Encircled with aromatic little holes and a smooth, buttery taste. TASTING NOTES Supple and nutty, it has a spruce bark, the almost liquid interior There is also sometimes a subtle long, tender aftertaste of alpine flowers hints of farmyards, meadow flowers, fragrance of the smoke that drifts into and freshly cut hay. Its flavors intensify and white wine, with a woody tang. the storeroom from the farmer’s fire. when the cheese is melted. HOW TO ENJOY Perfect sustenance for HOW TO ENJOY Spoon direct from the box, walking and hiking, enjoyed with dried HOW TO ENJOY At its best in fondue au or make a little hole in the rind, pour pork or venison sausage, particularly vacherin, made with three vacherins of in some white wine, and put the whole with the local Merlot wine. different ages—like the best-ever box in the oven at 425°F (220°C) for 30 cheese soup. Pair with Pinot Noir. minutes. Serve with a dry white. SWITZERLAND Fribourg SWITZERLAND Vaud SWITZERLAND Ticino 245 Age 9 weeks–6 months Age 6–10 weeks Age 6 months Weight and Shape 13¼lb–17lb 10oz Weight and Shape 14oz (400g) and 2¼lb Weight and Shape 13¼lb–17lb 10oz (6–8kg), wheel (1kg), round (6–8kg), round Size D. 18in (45cm), H. 4½in (11cm) Size D. 7in (18cm), H. 3in (8cm) Size D. 15½in (40cm), H. 5in (12cm) (pictured) Milk Cow (pictured) Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow; sometimes mixed with goat or ewe Classification Semi-soft Producer Various Classification Semi-soft Producer Various Producer Various

scandinavia N Scandinavia encompasses Denmark, Norway, 100 miles Sweden, and Finland, and is known for its long, 100 km dark winter days and all-day summer sunlight. As a result of being isolated for much of the FINLAND year and having short grazing times, farmers found it essential to preserve their most ProDuCED ThroughouT precious source of protein, often in the ThE CouNTry form of whey cheese. In Lapland, the far-north region of Scandinavia, the Juustoleipä, milk of the hardy reindeer is still used to Oltermanni, make cheese, and the exceptionally rich milk Turunmaa produces cheese with an earthy, gamey flavor. dEnMaRK Denmark, the most southern of the Key Scandinavian countries, has a milder maritime climate and flat meadows that are home to comfort-loving cows. ★ AOC, DOC, DOP, PGI, or PDO cheeses Denmark has a thriving dairy industry, with cheeses exported around the world. Produced only here nORWaY With the exception of a long, narrow strip of Produced throughout the region grazing land bordering the sea, Norway is made up of forests, rugged mountains, and the Tundra in the north, Ridder SWEDEN which is why goats, rather than cows, prevailed. sWEdEn Sweden’s well-established dairy industry ProDuCED ThroughouT dates back to the 9th century when Benedictine monks, ThE CouNTry who were sent to convert the war-mongering Vikings to a more peaceful way of life, introduced cheesemaking. Ädelost, FinLand Finland, which has one-third of its landmass Grevéost, in the Arctic Circle, has a thriving dairy industry that Herrgärdsost, features many European-style cheeses, as well as its own Hushällsost, unique reindeer cheese (Juustoleipä) that is toasted in Mesost, front of the fire. Prästost, Västerbottenost Gammelost NorWAy ProDuCED ThroughouT ThE CouNTry Jarlsberg, Nökkelost Gjetost DENmArk Esrom ★ ProDuCED Samsø ThroughouT ThE CouNTry Bla Castello, Danablu Danbo Havarti

denmark Bla Castello Danablu Danbo Developed in the 1960s to meet Invented in the early 20th century This milder version of samsø (see p248) DenMarK demand for mild creamy blue cheese, as an alternative to the imported is one of Denmark’s most popular Bla Castello, also known as Blue French blues, and is now available cheeses, and is made with semi-skim Castello, has a unique rind that can worldwide. Danablu, also known as milk. The smooth, barely formed yellow develop a combination of red and Danish Blue, is one of the most popular rind is often covered in red or orange blue-green molds. cheeses in Denmark. wax. It is also known as King Christian TasTIng noTes This rich and buttery TasTIng noTes This mature blue has deep or Christian IX in the United states. cheese has a Brie-like texture, mild purple-blue streaks, a smooth yet TasTIng noTes It is pale, with a pleasant spicy accents of blue veins, an aroma crumbly, moist texture, and a full flavor aroma. The pliable interior is spattered that hints of mushrooms, and a flavor that is fresh with a sharp, salty, almost with small holes, and the taste is that develops steadily but never metallic blue bite and creamy finish. slightly sweet and nutty. becomes too strong. How To enjoy Ideal for younger palates, How To enjoy a cheeseboard stalwart, How To enjoy This breakfast cheese is and eats well on bread and, of course, pairs well with grapes, apples, or also great for sandwiches and for general Danish crisp-bread. Matches well with tomatoes, or try it with olives and snacking. It partners well with dark Danish beer. pickles. It needs a slightly sweet wine breads such as Pumpernickel, and beers, or hoppy ale to offset its salty tang. apple juice, and ciders. DENMARK All over DENMARK All over DENMARK All over 247 Age 8–10 weeks Age 2–3 months Age 6–12 months Weight and Shape 51⁄2oz (150g), half Weight and Shape 61⁄2lb (3kg), drum or Weight and Shape Various moon, and 21⁄4lb (1.6kg), round block Size Various Size D. 41⁄2in (11.5cm) and 8in (20cm), Size D. 8in (20cm), H. 4in (10cm) Milk Cow H. 2in (5.5cm) and 21⁄2in (6cm) Milk Cow Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Classification Blue Producer Various Classification Blue Producer Rosenborg Producer Tholstrup

Esrom PGI Havarti Samsø S C a n D I n aV I a First made by Cistercian monks in the Probably Denmark’s most famous this semi-soft cheese was created in the 12th century, this was reintroduced by cheese, havarti was invented in the early 19th century when the king of the Danish Cheese Institute in 1951. mid-1800s by hanne neilsen, who was Denmark invited Swiss cheesemakers Formerly named “Danish Port Salut,” it the wife of a farmer from new Zealand. to share their skills with Danish was renamed “Esrom” after the ancient She traveled through Europe to learn farmers. a pale elastic-textured cheese abbey in which it was first made. Esrom cheesemaking and invented this with irregular-shaped holes based on was granted PGI status in 1996. cheese—a masterpiece with its added Emmental was the result. It is named taStInG notES Pale lemon with small cream. It was originally named after the Danish island of Samsø, a holes, Esrom is sweet and buttery; it “havarthi,” after her farm. traditional Viking meeting place. becomes more pungent with age, while taStInG notES Sweet, mellow, and very taStInG notES Mild, and buttery when still retaining its sweetness. Some creamy, it has a buttery aroma that young, as it ages, Samsø develops a styles are made with garlic or pepper. becomes sharper and saltier with hints sweet-sour pungency, and distinct how to Enjoy It is ideal in a traditional of hazelnut. Some contain caraway seeds. hazelnut flavors. Danish open sandwich, or eaten with how to Enjoy a great snacking cheese, how to Enjoy Perfect for a fondue, cold cuts of hams and charcuterie. it is ideal for Danish open sandwiches, melted on top of grilled potatoes, or slicing and broiling, or adding to salads. sliced on a chunk of rye bread. 248 DENMARK Hovedstaden DENMARK All over DENMARK Samsø, Mitjylland Age 21–28 days Age 4–12 weeks Age 8–12 weeks. Weight and Shape 7oz–4½lb (200g–2kg), Weight and Shape 10lb (4.5kg), blocks Weight and Shape Various brick or drums Size Various Size Various, L. 8½in (22cm), W. 5in (12cm), Size Various, L. 4½in (11cm), W. 2½in Milk Cow H. 2½in (6cm) (pictured) (6cm), H. 2in (5cm) (pictured) Classification Semi-soft Milk Cow Milk Cow Producer Various Classification Semi-soft Classification Semi-soft Producer Various Producer Various