I had a kind of shocking amount of new visitors to the blog this afternoon. I was very pleased, of course, and I hope that you enjoy reading my cheese reviews!
I went grocery shopping tonight and, since I hadn't eaten dinner, ended up hungrily scouring the cheese section in the hope of picking out something new to write about. However, I noticed that the store I was at carried both Beecher's Flagship and Cypress Grove Purple Haze - two of my very favorite cheeses of all time. I couldn't resist grabbing both of them. So, if you haven't seen them before, check out my entries on these two truly great cheeses:
Beecher's Flagship
Cypress Grove Purple Haze
Please eat them immediately. They'll light up your life.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Barely Buzzed
The final cheese in my Exotic & Rare cheese collection from Artisancheese.com is Barely Buzzed from Beehive Cheese Co. in Utah.
Barely Buzzed at Beehive Cheese Co. Website
This is a rich, creamy cow cheese rubbed with a mixture of ground espresso and lavender. It's very unusual, and really, really good. The aroma is divine - the espresso they use is of incredible quality. It has a smooth, semi-firm yet melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a flavor of rich, satisfying espresso followed by sweet cream, salty, nutty cheese, and finishes with the light, floral kiss of lavender.
It would go wonderfully with espresso and chocolate as a dessert. Or honey! I drizzled some honey on mine and it was so delicious. The honey really brightened the taste of the cheese and mingled perfectly with the lavender. I was very pleased with this cheese and I plan on trying more Beehive cheeses if I can find them.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Barely Buzzed at Beehive Cheese Co. Website
This is a rich, creamy cow cheese rubbed with a mixture of ground espresso and lavender. It's very unusual, and really, really good. The aroma is divine - the espresso they use is of incredible quality. It has a smooth, semi-firm yet melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a flavor of rich, satisfying espresso followed by sweet cream, salty, nutty cheese, and finishes with the light, floral kiss of lavender.
It would go wonderfully with espresso and chocolate as a dessert. Or honey! I drizzled some honey on mine and it was so delicious. The honey really brightened the taste of the cheese and mingled perfectly with the lavender. I was very pleased with this cheese and I plan on trying more Beehive cheeses if I can find them.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Friday, March 26, 2010
Testun Al Barolo
The texture is wet and slightly crumbly, and it has a very sweet and creamy aroma. The taste is smooth and rich - it tastes of fresh milk, grass, and wine. It's tangy and sweet and goes wonderfully with salty foods. Eat it with red wine - Barolo would be the best choice, obviously - mild fruits, olives, and salty cured meats. It's a very classy cheese that will impress you and your friends both with its dramatic appearance and complex, sweet flavor.
RATING: 4 stars
Majorero Pimentón
My Exotic & Rare cheese collection from Artisancheese.com arrived. I opened the box to find another box:
I opened this attractively designed box to find these inside:
Oh! How lovely. From left to right: Testun Al Barolo, Barely Buzzed, Majorero Pimentón, and Vervacious Cinque Terre Apricot Mostarda. (not pictured: a small package of artisan crackers.)
Well, you can just imagine how excited I was. I was very impressed with the packaging and attention to presentation shown by Artisan Cheese. They also included a pamphlet with detailed descriptions of all of my cheeses, and suggested wine pairings. I definitely got my money's worth, and I'll be ordering from them again in the future. Now, on to the first cheese:
Majorero Pimentón
This is a raw milk goat cheese made in Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands. Its rind is liberally coated in pimentón pepper, which is also known as smoked paprika - but the Spanish version seems both smokier and spicier.
Majorero is a hard, dry cheese with a mildly buttery aroma (once you cut past the smoky, spicy rind). The taste is really out of this world. I couldn't get enough. It's salty and vibrantly milky-tasting, but the peppered rind imbues it with a warm, smoky fullness as well. You can really get in touch with the goat's milk used to make it. It's very "natural" tasting. It also looks great, as you can sort-of see in the photo above (phone camera + bad lighting).
Majorero Pimentón is a truly impressive and exotic cheese that is still accessible to anyone's palate. I can't recommend it enough. Serve it with Spanish accompaniments like ham, almonds, fig jam, and such. It'll blow your mind.
RATING: 5 Stars
Oh! How lovely. From left to right: Testun Al Barolo, Barely Buzzed, Majorero Pimentón, and Vervacious Cinque Terre Apricot Mostarda. (not pictured: a small package of artisan crackers.)
Well, you can just imagine how excited I was. I was very impressed with the packaging and attention to presentation shown by Artisan Cheese. They also included a pamphlet with detailed descriptions of all of my cheeses, and suggested wine pairings. I definitely got my money's worth, and I'll be ordering from them again in the future. Now, on to the first cheese:
Majorero Pimentón
This is a raw milk goat cheese made in Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands. Its rind is liberally coated in pimentón pepper, which is also known as smoked paprika - but the Spanish version seems both smokier and spicier.
Majorero is a hard, dry cheese with a mildly buttery aroma (once you cut past the smoky, spicy rind). The taste is really out of this world. I couldn't get enough. It's salty and vibrantly milky-tasting, but the peppered rind imbues it with a warm, smoky fullness as well. You can really get in touch with the goat's milk used to make it. It's very "natural" tasting. It also looks great, as you can sort-of see in the photo above (phone camera + bad lighting).
Majorero Pimentón is a truly impressive and exotic cheese that is still accessible to anyone's palate. I can't recommend it enough. Serve it with Spanish accompaniments like ham, almonds, fig jam, and such. It'll blow your mind.
RATING: 5 Stars
Thursday, March 25, 2010
iPhone App: Fromage
iPhone/iPod Touch users: There's a really cool app you should get right now. It's called "Fromage". It's a pocket guide to over 750 cheeses from around the world. Each cheese has a photo, brief description, and list of wine pairings. You can also add notes to all the cheeses you have tried, or add your own cheeses and photos. If you want to share the joy of cheese with all your friends, there's a handy option to email-a-cheese. It's fun and useful, and costs $2.99.
Fromage at the App Store
Fromage at the App Store
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Cheese On the Horizon... Plus, Fontina
I'm in a celebratory mood, so I bought myself a present: The "Exotic & Rare" cheese collection from ArtisanalCheese.com. I had a terrible time picking out a gift for myself on that site. It reminded me of when I was little and my mom would take me to Toys 'R' Us. As soon as I entered the Barbie aisle, I began to suffer sensory + greed overload and usually had a nervous breakdown because I wanted all of the Barbies in the store and - well, you know how that goes. I feel that way about gourmet cheese shopping now. No wonder I was thinner as a child...
My Exotic & Rare (i.e. probably very stinky) cheeses should arrive later this week. I am very excited, and hungry. Maybe there will be a yak cheese in there? Oh, I dare to dream! Stay tuned for in-depth blogging once cheese is consumed.
And finally, I ate some delicious Fontina cheese over the weekend. You've probably tried Fontina, but maybe it hasn't made a lasting impression on you yet. I know it didn't on me, because I couldn't exactly remember what it tasted like until I bought some a few days ago.
I have to say, I think everyone should eat Fontina on at least a semi-regular basis. It's mild and nutty, as many cheeses are, but what I think sets it apart is its springy, kind-of-soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It melts really well - I recommend using it in grilled cheese. Or on pizza, or by itself or with fruit, nuts, olives etc. Yep, it's versatile. I do love a versatile cheese.
(Fontina Rating) 3 out of 5 stars
My Exotic & Rare (i.e. probably very stinky) cheeses should arrive later this week. I am very excited, and hungry. Maybe there will be a yak cheese in there? Oh, I dare to dream! Stay tuned for in-depth blogging once cheese is consumed.
And finally, I ate some delicious Fontina cheese over the weekend. You've probably tried Fontina, but maybe it hasn't made a lasting impression on you yet. I know it didn't on me, because I couldn't exactly remember what it tasted like until I bought some a few days ago.
I have to say, I think everyone should eat Fontina on at least a semi-regular basis. It's mild and nutty, as many cheeses are, but what I think sets it apart is its springy, kind-of-soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It melts really well - I recommend using it in grilled cheese. Or on pizza, or by itself or with fruit, nuts, olives etc. Yep, it's versatile. I do love a versatile cheese.
(Fontina Rating) 3 out of 5 stars
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Cheese News
For anyone out there who might actually read this blog, I know my cheese posts have been nonexistent lately. I haven't really been trying any new cheeses. I plan on delving into my memory and reviewing cheeses I've eaten in the past, but for now, here is some interesting cheese news for you:
Yak Cheese: Exotic, But Healthy?
It doesn't surprise me a bit that yak cheese could be healthier than cow cheese. It just sounds right, doesn't it? I'd love to try yak cheese sometime. If anyone knows where I can find some, let me know!
Yak Cheese: Exotic, But Healthy?
It doesn't surprise me a bit that yak cheese could be healthier than cow cheese. It just sounds right, doesn't it? I'd love to try yak cheese sometime. If anyone knows where I can find some, let me know!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
