Past Newsletters

Vol. 4 No. 11

Congratulations to the Paquins for placing our 100,000th Order!
Instead of 25 free cigars, we have given them a complimentary 12-month membership to The International Wine of the Month Club!

My wife Kathleen and I live in Clifton, Virginia which is a suburb of Washington, DC. I am an executive of a financial services company and my wife is studying horticulture. We both enjoy working outdoors, sports cars and of course, fine wines.

We purchased a membership to The International Wine of the Month Club for my father on the occasion of his birthday. He is the stereotypical person who has everything and is very difficult to buy for. My wife came up with the idea of a wine club (worse case was that we could enjoy the benefits of our gift whenever we visited!). We particularly liked the fact that a gift would arrive year round which would undoubtedly initiate a monthly call to discuss this month 's selection and catch up with each other. We initially looked at a well known club offered by a competing web site but were disappointed by our initial impressions of the wine quality and variety. We then found The International Wine of the Month Club using a search engine (Google). The quality and niche nature of the selection was very interesting and we found the price to be competitive with other offerings.

My father is now looking forward to enjoying the bouquet of the first installment!

Charles & Kathleen Paquin,
Clifton, Virginia.

ANTIQUE GRUYERE

When I first started learning about and tasting cheese, I had an eye opening experience... what I had long considered to be a single cheese, Gruyere, is in fact many cheeses! Just as Eskimos distinguish between a dozen different sorts of snow, so too do the Swiss appreciate a wide range of Gruyeres. Young and aged Gruyere, mountain Gruyere, summer and winter Gruyere, Gruyere from small village cheesemakers and from large commercial dairies. Depending upon season, source and age, the flavor and texture of each cheese are significantly altered.

The rind is paramount in creating texture and flavor

One of the many things about farmhouse cheeses that has always amazed me, is that each day's production is unique! With wine you have a yearly vintage, with cheese you have a daily vintage. For example, the production of farmhouse cheddar only makes 10 to 12 cheeses in one batch from a single day's milking. Those cheddars will taste similar, but different from tomorrows. Gruyere cheese takes it one step further. Each cheese is its own batch. Therefore, every gruyere is unique, even if it 's made in the same place on the same day.

The basic recipe for Gruyere begins with about 130 gallons of fresh milk. The milk is poured into a large vat. The starter is added, and then the rennet. The milk is left to coagulate, which results in the milk looking like a big bowl of milky-jello, known as curd. The curd is cut into ½ inch pieces, before the cooking stage. As the curd is gently stirred, the temperature is raised by a few degrees every 2 minutes, until it reaches about 113°F. Then the temperature is raised by a few degrees every minute until it reaches 131°F.

At this point, the curd lies in a mass at the bottom of the vat. Cheesecloth is slid under the curd and the corners are tied and attached to a hook. The curd, wrapped in the cheesecloth, is lifted out and drained of whey. Then the wrapped curd is placed in a large wooden mold, which looks like a huge "spring-form" cake pan, and left to settle for up to 2 days. During that time it is turned and pressed frequently, and then rubbed with salt or immersed in a brine bath for a few hours. Salting is necessary for the flavor of the cheese and to create essential molds on the rind. The rind on gruyere style cheeses (as with all cheese) is paramount in creating the texture and flavor of the cheese.

Then as is the way with most European cheese-making, the cheese is handed over to an affineur (aging facility) that is responsible for the maturing of the cheese. During the maturing process each cheese is turned, rubbed and lovingly taken care of until it is sold (anywhere from 8-24 months).

Fresh cheese is the bouquet of the fields... hard cheese is a concentrated incarnation preserved for your pleasure

Originally hard cheeses were made in the summer or fall when there was a surplus of milk. If a cheese was to last through the winter and early spring it had to be "sturdy" enough to go the distance and, perhaps more importantly, remain palatable. In most cases this was the only source of dairy during the winter.

In essence, hard cheese is the traditional way of preserving milk for the winter months, similar to canning fruits and vegetables. Some people liken hard cheese to making a good stock... the more water that evaporates the more intensely flavored the stock. If fresh cheese is the bouquet of the field, hard cheese is it 's concentrated essence preserved in a rind.

France Boasts More Than 500 Types of Cheese!

Our next two selections hale, like so many other fine cheeses, from France. Despite being a relatively small country (roughly the same square mileage as the state of Texas), the long history and diverse geographical features of this land have led to the development of many very different styles of cheese. The following two featured cheeses typify these differences, but believe us, even though they demonstrate varying styles, there are still a great many more out there from the country, and we will continue to bring you these fine examples in the future, as we have in the past.

FRENCH MUNSTER

Have you ever wondered why so many commercially available cheeses have depictions of jolly, red-cheeked monks upon their labels? Well, we’ll tell you… These monks are a personification of centuries of dedication and experience in the art of cheese making. This image is only exaggerated in that it usually shows these monks with bright smiling faces and red rosy cheeks; but the use of the monk as an icon on cheese labels is historically quite accurate. In fact, by the year 1550 there were more than 50 varities of cheese developed primarily, if not exclusively, by members of the clergy. Benedictine monasteries, for example, regarded milk products and cheese as the ideal foodstuff and insisted on exact adherence to preparation procedures and hygiene regulations. It was the preservation of this exacting attention to detail that eventually would lead to the development of the Appelation D'Origine Controllee (AOC), which certifies not only authenticity of cheese products, but also their excellence.

A perfect example of the labor of love relationship that these monks had with their cheese comes in the delicious form of Munster cheese. The word Munster actually derives from the Latin word monasterium, meaning monastery. In the case of French Munster cheese, the monks that developed it came originally from Italy, settling in the Alsace-Lorraine region that is northeastern France, as well as an area that is now found in Belgium. Typically, inhabitants of these areas have preferred soft, cream cheeses to the hard cheese varieties from the hilly regions of the central-massif to the southwest. And this preference has led to the development of some delightful soft cheeses, including Brie and Camembert, as well as Munster. In fact, Alsatians still eat Munster with at least one meal of the day. This tradition has been going on for centuries, thanks to the monks that settled here in the 7th century, in what was then called the Flecht valley. Upon settling in this region, now called the Munster valley, they brought vast cultivation to the land, extending pastures as far away as the banks of the Rhine river.

The milk that is used in the production of this cheese comes from cows that feed on the lush green pastures of Alsace. This milk is regarded as being particularly rich and delicious. Morning and evening milkings are performed to obtain the milk for this cheese. The milk is skimmed slightly and then slowly heated before rennet and lactic bacteria are added for curdling. Following coagulation, the curd is cut in order to release the whey, followed by casting of the mixture in round moulds of varying diameters, ranging from 7-19 cm. The cheese is then kept for 24 hours in a moderately warm room before being removed from its mould, at which time the ripening process begins.

Munster has a very complex flavor, with descriptions that range from salty to earthy to woody to nutty to beefy, while some even state that there is a mushroom-like taste present. The salt flavor is typically consistent and comes from either dipping the cheese into light brine or sprinkling it with fine salt, which imparts its flavor during storage in a humid cellar. While stored, it is turned every two days and rubbed with a mixture of brine solution and ripening ferment, which continues for at least 21 days. The result is a soft-pasted cheese with a potent aroma and an orange-yellow to reddish-orange colored rind. While Alsatians will tell you to enjoy this local treat with Gewurztraminers or Reislings (Alsatian wines), any fruity red such as Beaujolais, or even a full red like Burgundy or Bordeau will go quite nicely. Its flavor even lends itself nicely to pairing with a full-bodied beer, making it a complementary treat for nearly all appetites.

BRIN D'AMOUR

Though also from France, this cheese comes from a very different region than Munster, an area often referred to as a mountain in the sea. That description has been used for centuries to describe the great isle of Corsica, located in the Mediterranean, to the southeast of the French borders of the European continent, just north of the Italian island of Sardinia. Another difference from its distant French cousin is that this cheese is made from sheep 's milk. There are two things that will likely be among the first that you’ll notice about this cheese: 1) the name, and 2) the herb-covered rind. So let us discuss these two points of interest in turn.

All Points Bulletin: Be On The Lookout For This Cunning, Wickedly Delicious Cheese

The name Brin D'Amour, roughly translated, means a bit of love, which highlights how the Corsicans feel about this delicacy. Yes, this cheese has quite the romantic side, not surprising to those who have ever visited the beautiful island of Corsica. However, you should be warned that many poor souls have fallen victim to the savory, romantic appeal of this delicious cheese, emptying their pockets in an uncontrollable desire to get more and more. It is true that some have become prey to its character, specifically its ability to stimulate an insatiable desire to have more, so consider yourself warned.

Interestingly, this crafty cheese has a double life, often traveling around the world using the alias Fleur du Maquis. This name comes from the brush of the same name (Maquis) that grows on the island of Corsica. It is found, in particular, in areas were the sheep that produce the milk necessary for creating this cheese graze. Growing along side this aromatic brush are wild herbs, which are eaten, along with the Maquis brush, by these sheep, which adds full flavor to the milk. While using different names may confuse some individuals on the hunt for this island cheese, its appearance will quite often give it away, or as some would say, blow its cover. However, it is this cover, or rind, that makes this cheese something to behold. Let us now delve deeper into the rind of this crafty cheese. You will find a great many herbs, such as savory, rosemary and thyme cloaking its interior. Sometimes it can be found with dried peppers and juniper berries as well. But despite all its cunning attempts at camouflage, you will now know, as an informed individual, what to look for. Beneath this rind you will find a creamy, soft, white interior with a sweet, rich, herby flavor.

If you choose to approach this cheese, you may not want to do so alone. Be sure to arm yourself with the appropriate wine. While its edible rind (which should, incidentally, be eaten with the paste), packed with dried herbs is difficult to pair with many wines, a chilled rose is normally a good match. For a sure fire partnering, have a bottle of Viognier in your corner; its notes of dried flowers will work nicely (all dramatic flare aside, this cheese can be enjoyed, at no risk to yourself, by itself—wine is not a requirement).

Tasting Notes

Gruyere

The Gruyere you taste today has been aged for well over a year to give this rare Alpine Antique cheese an exceptionally full flavor. It's got an incredible nose, and a dry texture, yet it 's creamy on the tongue. I find it to be ten times more delicious and infinitely more interesting than what you will find at your market. And it 's smooth, with the spiciness of a great Rhine wine!

French Munster

There are variations of Munster from both France and Germany, although this version from the Alsace region of France is by far the most complex and full-bodied. It is a washed rind cheese, and has a very bold aroma. The flavor is also full, with a beefy undertone and deep nuttiness. It is wonderful served at the end of a meal, or anytime especially with fruits such as cherries or plums. A versatile cheese in terms of flavor partnering and meal planning, some suggest that this cheese is particularly well appreciated following a sauerkraut-based dish. As a snack, try some Munster with rye bread or rye crackers, and don't be afraid to warm it up for an extra treat.

Brin D'Amour

This is a beautiful individual round cheese, covered with a blend of dried green herbs. Inside the delicate coating, you’ll find a creamy white interior with a soft and rich texture. The herbs surrounding the cheese add their flavor to the creaminess of the fresh sheep 's milk taste. It is best enjoyed alone or with savory accompaniments, such as olives, tomatoes, or peppers.