Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Whey In
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File this one under weird, but true. Jasper Hill Farm’s Bayley Hazen – a raw cow’s milk blue cheese – is fabulous with a hunk of chocolate. And it’s not bad with a strongly flavored buckwheat honey from Washington state, either.
How do I know this?
Because I’m seated at a large round table in a room stuffed with some of the country’s best cheese producers, cheesemongers and fromagers, where I’m passed a plate heaped with accompaniments. There are spiced cherries, fig anise bread, maple pecans, two kinds of raw honey and some savory salumi. Our mission? To stop thinking about wine and cheese, and to pay closer attention to the huge array of other flavors that converge on your mouth at the same time as that tangy hunk of cheddar you just popped in there.
To help pass some of that fromage-love your way, we tapped a few of the most cheese-centric tastemakers we know asked them to share their expertise. The result? Knockout cheese trays you can duplicate at home.
Keeping with the local-is-best-philosophy, each expert was asked to select a favorite New England farmstead cheese (which means these cheesemakers don’t just make the cheese – they raise their own herds of goats, cows or sheep) and to pair it with the choicest nibbles.
Cheese expert Robert Aguliera from Formaggio Kitchen starts with a winner: Vermont Shepherd – an aged sheep’s milk cheese from Putney, Vermont, known for its tang and nuttiness. It snagged first place at this year’s American Cheese Society competition in the farmstead sheep’s milk category. To compliment its style, Aguliera suggests pairing the cheese with Miguel Gorry’s Cerise Noire – which are wild black cherries from the Pyrenees region – an area renowed for its sheep’s milk cheese; Spanish Marcona almonds fried in sunflower oil and an Italian fruit preserve called Mostarda. “It’s a candied fruit, usually with a little mustard seed oil added to give it a kick. It cuts through the rich, fatty, nutty texture of the cheese,” says Aguliera.
L’Espalier’s fromager, Louis Risoli selects one of his favorites: Tarentaise by Thistle Hill Farm in North Pomfret, Vermont. (This cheese took home the red ribbon at this year’s ACS in the aged farmstead cheese category.) “It’s absolutely gorgeous,” says Risoli. This dense cow’s milk cheese has a supple texture. The flavor is fairly mild with a peppery finish, and its nutty and caramel tones means it boasts versatility. Risoli’s pairing picks? Raw honey, dried fruits or something with good acidity – like a sour cherry preserve. Looking for something more adventurous? Risoli says try it with slices of crisp apple sprinkled with a little bit of Chinese Five Spice powder.
Duck rillette, Mostarda and cashews are primo pairings for Twig Farm’s Soft Wheel, hand-selected by Terrence Geary, cheesemonger at Providence’s Farmstead. This washed rind cheese from West Cornwall, Vermont is made from raw goat and cow milk and is aged for about 80 days. Of the three pairings, it’s the rillette that’s Geary’s favorite. “The cool, woodsy character of the cheese plays well with the gaminess and fattiness of the duck, creating a luxurious sensation in your mouth.”
Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, a collaboration between Cabot Creamery Cooperative and Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, Vermont is top pick for chef Steve Johnson of Rendezvous. This aged cheddar, which took the ACS’ ”Best of Show” in 2006, is what Johnson describes as “complex with an aroma of dried fruits and toasted nuts.” Not surprisingly, that’s what brings magic to the plate. Johnson suggests frying raw, skin-on almonds in olive oil to serve with the cheese, along with plump Turkish apricots. And if you’re not interested in this cheese for your cheese tray, Johnson says it’s swell in a salad.
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