Past Newsletters

January 2008

International Cheesemaking Traditions: Cheese at It's Finest!

Gorgonzola, an Authentic Italian Treasure

Gorgonzola is a tangy cheese made in the northern Italian village of the same name located on the outskirts of Milan. Legend has it that this cheese was made there for the first time in 879 AD. Its exact date of origin still remains a mystery, though there are some indications that it might go further back than the legend even states. The Romans, exhausting themselves as they herded the cows from the Alpine pastures to the meadows of the lush Po valley, aptly named this cheese stracchino, which comes from the Italian word stanco, meaning tired.

This unique cheese is made with either unpasteurized or pasteurized milk to which a mold is added. At about four weeks the cheese is pierced with thick needles to encourage the spread of the mold. Gorgonzola comes in two varieties: the young, sweet dolce and the aged naturale. Ripening in three to six months, the cheese is usually wrapped in foil to keep it moist. Its color ranges from white to straw-yellow with a distinctively marbled blue-green mold. Gorgonzola is a rich, soft paste with herbs, produced exclusively from milk of the D.O.C. (certification of authenticity) regions. It is a cheese rich in minerals and vitamins with a texture that makes it excellent for salads and dips. The quality and authenticity of Gorgonzola are guaranteed in a number of ways. Very strict regulations are adhered to regarding the production standards, not to mention the fact that only the cheese made with milk from the D.O.C. region qualifies it to be true Gorgonzola. Each block of cheese, according to the law, must be branded at the location of production and must bear the name of the producer. It goes without saying that the cheese blocks must be branded with the Consortium's stamp, confirming that the cheese is, indeed, 100% Gorgonzola from Italy.

Tasting Notes

A traditionally creamery cheese, Gorgonzola imparts a sharp, spicy flavor, the blue-green ripples providing an excellent contrast to the rich, creamy cheese. The taste ranges from mild to sharp, depending on age. Gorgonzola is typically and excellently served as a topping for salad but it is also excellent with fruit.

The Secrets of Camembert

Traditional Camembert is made from the fresh raw milk of Norman cows, which is high in fat and very rich in proteins and vitamins. (Unfortunately US law only allows us to import pasteurized Camembert.) The milk is heated and poured into large vats. A natural rennet is added; and, once the curds have formed, they are ladled carefully, so they won't break, into individual cheese molds. When the cheeses have drained sufficiently, they are turned over. On the second day, the cheeses are removed from the molds and taken to the salting room. Here dry salt is shaken onto all surfaces of each cheese. On the third day, the cheeses are placed in the drying room, where the mold rind forms. The ripening period is approximately twelve days, depending on the season, after which the cheeses are ready for packing. Once packed in their distinctive boxes, they are aged for another four or five days before being sent to market.

The flavor of Camembert is definitely the main reason for its worldwide popularity, but we cannot talk about Camembert without mentioning the distinctive Camembert box. Originally Camembert was sold in straw cases. Toward the end of the 19th century, railways and steamboats spread all over Europe, and this created new opportunities for Camembert to be sold throughout France and abroad. Unfortunately the straw case style of packing did not protect the cheese for long journeys. In the town of Le Havre around 1890, a French cheese exporter, M. Rousset, decided to use spruce wood boxes similar to those used for other French cheeses. Around the same time, Eugène Ridel, created a nailed and stapled circular poplar wood box—an instant hit, and now a famous tradition.

Open the lid on your Camembert box, and you will notice immediately an aroma of mushrooms with a subtle braised cabbage undertone. These two aromas are the quintessential elements of true Camembert. The rind is an ivory white with red flecks through it, and if you stroke the cheese you will feel the downy texture of the penicillin rind. The rind is essential to create Camembert as the mold rind grows around the cheese it sends out microscopic roots (rhizomes), and it is these roots, working from the outside in, that turn the texture from chalky to voluptuously soft and gooey.

Tasting Notes

It's a personal choice as to whether you eat the rind or not. Eating the rind will intensify the flavor and give you an added dimension in texture. The Camembert you have received is perfectly ripe. If you ever see Camembert with a thick chalky center, the rind did not complete the ripening process. As with most cheeses, the flavor becomes more intense as the cheese ripens. Once ripe, Camembert should be eaten within 5-7 days.

Salemville Amish Blue

Salemville Cheese Cooperative has been making cheese since 1984. Amish farmers from the community's families contribute their milk to each day's cheese production. The herds range in size from 4 to 25 and cows are milked twice daily.
Salemville Cheese Cooperative is collectively managed by an Amish community committed to sustainable agriculture. This commitment transcends to the quality of their Blue Cheese, which is best described as beautifully veined, creamy and rich with a deep, almost smoky flavor.

History of Blue Cheese

Most cheese historians believe that blue cheese was discovered by accident when cheese was aged in caves where molds grow naturally. Gorgonzola is one of the oldest known blue cheese dating perhaps back to the 9th century. Other blue cheeses such as Roquefort are believed to have come in the 11th century and Stilton sometime in the 18th century.

American blue cheese manufacturing has become a vibrant part of the cheese industry, anticipated to become 50% of the cheese market in the coming years. Most American blue cheese is made from cow's milk (like Danish blues) rather than goat's milk (like French Roquefort). Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois are the primary locations of blue cheese producers.

Tasting Notes

This cheese has a mild, earthy flavor, well balanced and flavorful. This cheese is nationally and internationally renowned for its quality, balance and flavor. Crumble on salad or pasta tossed with garlic and olive oil, stir into hot mashed potatoes, or make into delicious blue cheese salad dressing. Blue cheeses are good with big, bold red wines.

Culture Corner
Cheese	Pronunciation	Recommended Wine/Beer
Gorgonzola	gor-gohn-ZOH-lah	Try Gorgonzola with red wines, dessert wines or sweet whites.
Camembert	kam-um-BARE	Camembert is best with burgundies and red wines.
Salemville Amish Blue	sa'l?m-vil	Tawny port, Madeira and sherry