Past Newsletters

December 2006

"Holiday Cheer" Made Better with "Holiday Cheese!"

The holiday season is a favorite time of the year for us at Monthly Clubs, not only because we have our own family and friends nearby, but also because we know that we'll be a part of so many other celebrations when they receive the treasures of this month's cheese selections. If you haven't already found that special gift for someone you've been shopping for, it's not too late! Visit us at www.monthlyclubs.com and be amazed at the variety of fantastic features we offer. Our club memberships make unforgettable gifts for anyone, especially that "hard to shop for" person in your life.

L'Edel de Cleron—Cheese From the Mountain Of Gold

Historically, when milk production levels were down at summer's end, farmers in the French Alps would cope with the reduced lactic quantities by producing smaller cheeses. As small goat cheeses were commonly referred to as "chevrotins", they implemented the term "vacherins" to describe their small cow's milk cheeses (as you've likely ascertained, the word "vache" means "cow" in French). In a region of the Alps that straddles the Franco-Swiss border, you will find the Jura Mountains, and within these giants is the famous Mont d'Or, a mountain that is claimed, in part, by both the French and the Swiss. Not surprisingly then, the vacherin cheese named after this mountain, Vacherin Mont d'Or, has been made by both the French and the Swiss—since the 1700's in fact. Its popularity transcended the highest peaks of the Jura, and yet, despite how well-liked this cheese was, it once was at the heart of a reviled debate. You see, although most of the Mont d'Or region of the Alps lies in France, both countries called their cheese Vacherin Mont d'Or. That was, until 1973, when to the outrage of the French, the Swiss clandestinely arranged to commandeer exclusive legal rights to the name. Considering how passionate the French have always been about their cheeses, it is incredible that they responded with incommensurate restraint, simply acquiescing to a subtle name change. Today, French Vacherin Mont d'Or is either labeled "Le Mont d'Or" or "Vacherin du Haut-Doubs," renamed to reflect the indisputably French region from which it comes.

Since true vacherin is banned in the US because it's made from unpasturized milk, we managed to procure L'Edel de Cleron. It is created by following a traditional Vacherin recipe. The only recipe difference is that this cheese is gently pasteurized. This cheese is sometimes referred to as Faux Vacherin. Its creamy, almost runny consistency when it's ripe is identical in texture to the real thing down to an identical strip of red pine that surrounds it. Because these young cheeses are fairly delicate, they're banded with bark (usually spruce, fir or pine) to hold the shape for storage and serving. Each L'Edel de Cleron is bound with a thin strip of red pine known as a sangle (which you should not remove or this cheese may lose its shape before you can finish it). The practice of applying such sangles has even given rise to a unique vocation, that of the sangleur who, working in the forests of the Jura, lifts the special strips from felled pines.

Tasting Notes: L'Edel de Cleron is a creamy, soft cheese with a nice bite of mushrooms and herbs. The flavor of L'Edel de Cleron is perfumed with scents of the forest. The texture is very rich and creamy with hints of red pine that contribute a gentle bitterness due to its inherent tannins. Try serving this cheese with simple crackers and a good fruit bowl, or spread the cheese on toast and melt it in the oven.

Society Bee Roquefort—From Forgotten Lunch to Legendary Cheese

Once upon a time a young shepherd was guarding his herd of ewes near the "Grotte [caves] du Combalou," a large cliff face that dominates the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the beautiful region of the Aveyron in southern central France. He was just about to prepare his midday meal when his eye was caught by a beautiful young lady in the distance. Fascinated, he attempted to follow her. He left his dog to look after the herd and hid his lunch consisting of bread and cheese in the cool, damp rocks of the "grotte." Sadly, our shepherd never found the young woman, ending up simply returning to his herd, tired and disappointed.

Months later he came upon the lunch that he had hidden. The bread had decomposed and given the cheese streaks of blue veins. In a move that sounds at least mildly unsanitary today, he tried the abandoned cheese and found that the taste was remarkable. And thus, Roquefort cheese was born. This exquisite alchemy is the product of milk, bread, air and time. It did not take long for him to share this mystery with his fellow herdsmen and within a short time, many of the caves had been converted into "cabanes en bois," or "huts of wood," so named for the oak planks built in the interior of the caves where cheeses were left to ripen. Incidentally, the word "cabanes" is still with us today; the people that work in the modern day affineur cellars are called "cabaniers."

The center of Roquefort cheese making has always been Roquefort-sur-Soulzon. Roquefort's name-controlled AOC status is probably the oldest in all of France. The cheese is said to date back to the time of Pliny the Elder in ancient Rome (circa 75 AD). Today Roquefort is made with pure sheep's milk, which is inoculated with a special type of blue mold, penicillium roqueforti, obtained from bread left to mold in the caves of the Combalou Mountains where the original Roquefort cheese was accidentally created. Ripening, which is of paramount importance, takes a minimum of 3 months and can legally occur only in the caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the chalky Combalou Mountain, the Northeast part of which has partly collapsed over its clayey bed. This geological accident opened a series of caves in the debris, with vertical faults and fissures, known as fleurines, which provide natural ventilation.

Following preparation in dairy farms, the cheese is salted and then pierced with needles. It is then placed in long rows on top of oak planks lining the natural caves. Thus starts a long maturing and aging process, which takes place under the careful watch of maîtres-affineurs (master maturers). The well-known green-blue marbled appearance of Roquefort develops when the cool, damp air is swept in through the fleurines, developing the roqueforti mold within the cheese's pierced channels.

Roquefort should always be protected either by its original wrapping or a sheet of aluminum. This will prevent it from drying out and ensure that its deliciously unctuous texture remains well preserved. It is advisable to place it on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator, though it goes without saying that a damp, cool cellar represents an even better solution. Care should be taken to avoid drastic changes in temperature, as this can spoil the cheese.

Tasting Notes: Roquefort has a tingly pungent taste, a distinct bouquet, and a flavor that combines the sweet burnt-caramel taste of sheep's milk with the sharp, metallic tang of the blue mould. When destined for a cheese board, Roquefort should be brought to room temperature at least one hour before being served, just like a good wine. Only at room temperature will it offer the full splendor of its aroma, softness and sophisticated flavor. Serve it after dinner with sweet fruit and wine – a perfect desert.

Fine Cheese. Fine Wine. Fine Chocolate.

If you are enjoying these world-renowned cheeses, you have just begun to sample the many fine products offered by Monthly Clubs. We offer six different high quality products that can be delivered to your door each month. In addition to cheeses, Monthly Clubs offers fine domestic and international wines, excellent beer from America's best microbreweries, delicious chocolates, fine hand-rolled cigars from around the world, and beautiful fresh-cut flowers. See what you're missing at www.monthlyclubs.com.

French Brie—The Queen of Cheeses

Acclaimed as one of the world's great cheeses, Brie is characterized by a downy-white edible rind and a cream-colored, buttery-soft interior that will ooze at the peak of ripeness. Though several countries produce this popular cheese, we have selected the finest selection from France. Considered the best in the world, the French tradition of making Brie dates back to the 8th century.

Clearly the French have the art of making Brie down to a science. We are proud to deliver the quality and flavor that only an authentic cheese such as this can offer. The selection of this great cheese is an all-important process, which is why we employ the great expertise of the folks at Zingermans. Brie must be perfectly ripe for the best flavor, and so we bring you one that is plump and resilient to the touch, with a rind that might show some pale brown edges.

How this cheese earned its regal subtitle, "The Queen of Cheeses", is an interesting story. At the Congress of Vienna in the year 1815, representatives of 30 nations were brought together after the Battle of Waterloo to reconstruct the map of Europe. As a reprieve from the serious business of rehabilitating whole regions of the world after the devastating battles that took place, these gentlemen invited those in power to prestigious balls and banquets. On one such occasion, several were discussing the merits of various cheeses, at which point they decided to choose, and present, a cheese of their liking at the next fete. Monsieur de Talleyrand brought a Brie, which was immediately and unanimously proclaimed "Queen of Cheeses."

Slave to the Rind

The rind on any cheese plays a very important role, but in no other cheese-style is it as responsible for affecting the flavor and texture as much as in Brie or other mold-ripened cheeses. With these cheeses, the maturing process is critical, for without the proper care, the rind can die, or worse, run rampant. In either case, the cheese is lost. It is an important role of the affineur to coax the rind to flourish, and then select just the right moments to "tame" the rind, so the cheese evolves into the alluring, tasty mystery that captivates so many.

The mold's job is to protect the fresh curd. Any fresh cheese would begin to grow a rind of mold if left in the right conditions. The rind actually extends the life of the fragile curd, acting as a barrier to contaminants and holding in the moisture. Rinds also have a lot to do with the ripening of the interior. The mold grows "roots" down into the cheese and as the roots grow, they change the consistency from firm to soft. These roots are not visible to the naked eye, but if you've ever cut into a cheese and it still has a chalky center, it is because the "roots" did not yet extend to the center.

Tasting Notes: This creamy cheese is made with incredibly rich milk, producing a voluptuous center. Because wild grasses and flowers flavor the milk, each has a unique flavor, influenced by the flora of a particular time and place. It has a silky texture and nutty, whipped cream flavor.

Culture Corner
Cheese	Pronunciation	Recommended Wine/Beer
L'edel de Cleron	le-AY-del-duh-kleh-RAW	Fruity reds. Light reds. Chardonnay. Riesling is also good with this cheese.
Roquefort	roke-FORE	Rhone reds, a sweet white Sauterne, or a dry Riesling. Also good with Zinfandel Port.
French Brie	BREE	Particularly good with a light champagne.