Past Newsletters

Vol. 6 No. 12

Variety is the Spice of Life

The selections in this month’s Cheese of The Month Club delivery all come from eastern Europe: two from France and one from Spain. However, each of the cheeses comes from a different animal offering different textures and flavors. The Pont L’Eveque, from France, is made from cow’s mile. The Bourdin Goat Log, also from France, is obviously made from goat’s milk. The Roncal, from Spain, is made from sheep’s milk. Enjoy the variety!

Pont L’Eveque

Pont L’Eveque has a story that dates back to the thirteenth century. Surviving texts of the time specifically mention Angelot, the cheese from which Pont L’Eveque has been developed. In 1263 A.D., Guillaume de Lorris proclaimed in his book Roman de la Rose that a good table wine always finishes with a dessert of dangelot . Since this time, Angelot developed, in the capable hands of Norman farmers, into a cheese that is now known as Pont L’Eveque.

This cheese takes its name from the title of a bridge in a small seaside port town between neighboring Norman towns of Liseux and Deauville in Northwestern France. During the 1600's, cheeses were sent from this port all over France, where admirers enjoyed its rich, creamy flavor and supple consistency.
The Port L’Eveque rind is edible, and when consumed along with the cheese, contributes to the full-bodied flavor that many enjoy. The bouquet of this cheese, which some claim is reminiscent of the countryside of Normandy, can have a rather strong character. Its intensity and beefiness of flavor may not be for the tame of heart.

A red wine of similar body partners nicely with this cheese and in particular, complements and balances the full flavor imparted by the rind. We suggest a nice flowery rosé for those who wish to tone down the influence of the bouquet. In whatever manner you choose to work this delicacy into your diet, we hope you enjoy this, one of the world's ancient and long-treasured cheeses.

Tasting Notes: Pont L’Eveque is similar to a camembert, but the rind is washed before aging with a brine solution. This gives the square-shaped cheese a much more pronounced flavor and a rustic, farmyard aroma. It is particularly well suited to full bodied red wines.

Bourdin Goat Log

The country of France yields more varieties of cheese than any other country has to offer, and each one as distinctive as a fingerprint. And France is about the same size as Texas! So it was with thoughtful consideration that we chose the fresh goat cheese log. In the cheese lover's paradise of France, the professional cheesemaker learns his craft as painstakingly as an attorney at law. It is with these traditional artisan techniques that the fresh goat cheese has been crafted, making it one much prized by connoisseurs.

Bourdin goat log is a classic French cheese. Taking inspiration from the walnut covered German Brie and the wine soaked Ubriaco, the goat log is also a perfect base to add your own touch of flavor to. Adding fresh herbs or spices like crushed black peppercorns, a little rosemary and thyme, or marinating it in oil can make this tasty cheese absolutely delectable. You can even lightly dust it with paprika. Also known as chévres, this goat cheese makes an excellent dessert served with bread and fruit, and commonly appears on European dinner tables as a typical after dinner treat.

The French wines recommended to drink with this unique cheese are modest white wines or rosés. For excellent domestic and international wine selections, please check out the Wine of the Month Club at www.winemonthclub.com. Join the ranks of those that have the duet of fine wines and cheeses delivered right to your door! Or, treat yourself to other flavorful delicacies or beautiful flora each month through Monthly Clubs. At www.chocolatemonthclub.com or www.flowermonthclub.com, we guarantee that you will be delighted with the fine products that come to you each month.

Tasting Notes: This style of fresh goat log is a staple in French markets, and for very good reason. It has a soft and moist texture and a gentle but creamy flavor. While this wonderfully versatile cheese may be eaten by itself, it is the perfect backdrop to let your culinary imagination run wild! It can be paired with fruit, honey or preserves and is perfect to add depth into any salad. A traditional European way of serving fresh goat cheese is alongside olives and/or olive oils.

Roncal

Roncal cheese is exceptionally popular, not only in Spain, its country of origin, but in many regions in the world. Is it because this cheese hasn't been around very long and therefore neither has the recipe? Absolutely not! In fact, the history of this cheese goes back many centuries. The traditional hand crafted methods of making Roncal cheese are jealously guarded family secrets, unwritten and handed down only through verbal communication throughout the ages from one generation to the next. Luckily, one needn't know exactly how it's made to indulge in the delight of its flavor.

While we might not know the recipe, we can tell you some other interesting facts about this cheese. It comes from a region in the very north of Spain, in the province of Navarre, along the Spain-France border. The name of the area where it is produced, unsurprisingly, is the Roncal Valley; a rural farming community whose inhabitants, according to local laws, are all equally entitled to use any of the pastures of this valley for any livestock of their choice. It is certainly transparent enough from reading such laws that the Roncalese are shepherds by tradition, a practice that dates back to the middle ages, and stems from the decision by King Sancho García in 882 A.D. to bestow grazing rights to the inhabitants of the valley in thanks for the courage shown in the battle against the Saracens.

With such a long history of shepherding in this region, it is no surprise that a governing body has long been responsible for managing elements of the practice. The Valley's Municipal government mandates that sheepherders follow strict time-tables for seasonal grazing. Roncalese farmers move their flocks of Rasa-Aragonesa and Lacha sheep each year, from the winter pastures in La Bardenas Reales in southern Navarre, to the summer pastures higher up in the valley. In this way, milk can be obtained nearly year round, and cheese production can continue unabated as it has for centuries.

“The Bottom Line: They’ve been making this fabulous cheese in Spain for nearly 3,000 years – isn’t it about time for you to taste it?” Cheese Primer.

Tasting Notes: Roncal is not only a name-protected cheese, but was the first cheese to be granted that honor by Spain in 1981. It's made in the Roncal valley, in the Navarre region, where some of the registered sheep herds which produce the milk date back to the thirteenth century! It has a rich olive-like flavor that has been savored in Spain hundreds of years. It may be difficult to find in other countries. It is traditionally enjoyed with Navarra red wines of the same region.

Culture Corner
Cheese	Pronunciation	Recommended Wine/Beer
Bourdin Goat Log	BOAR-d’n	French wines are recommended such as modest white wines or rosés.
Pont L’Eveque	PAWHN-leh-VECK	Try a nice flowery rosé with this cheese.
Roncal	Roan-KAHL	Roncal is traditionally enjoyed with Spanish red wines from Navarra, the same region that produces the cheese.