Cheese

This is the final entry on my cheese blog. I hope you have enjoyed reading the entries, as much as I have researching and writing them.

One of the most important things to do with cheese is try it! Everyone has different tastes and will like a different cheeses to others. It has to be tasted to be appreciated.

Cheese can be eaten as a snack and many can be used in cooking. They can add variety and flavour to any dish and the best thing to do is experiment.

Le Roule

Le Roule, with crackers

Le Roule is instantly recognisable from the fact it is hand rolled and filled with garlic and herbs. Made in a swirl pattern this soft cheese is made from cow’s milk.

Le Roule was created around 1980, due to an original idea. It was made for the first time in Britain in 1981 and then in Germany on 1982 and then al over the world.

One of the reasons that Le Roule became so popular was the fresh and distinctive taste. Made from milk, salt and without colouring and rennet; this cheese is suitable for vegetarians.

Port Salut Affine

Port Salut Affine, with crackers

Originally invented by Trappist monks in the 19th Century, Port Salut is made from pasteurised cow’s milk from Brittany.

It has a distinct orange crust with a mild flavour, and comes in discs approximately 9 inches in diameter and weighs around 5 Ibs.

Made in Brittany this cheese sometimes has a strong smell and this is due to the maturity. The smell of the cheese becomes stronger the longer is it left to mature. The smell does not affect the flavour.

Hand made Port Salut cheese or ‘Entrammes’ as it is sometimes known, is still produced in various monasteries throughout France.

Swiss Emmental

Swiss Emmental

Emmental or Emmentaler, as it is sometimes known, is made in Switzerland and originally came from the Emme Valley in the Canton of Bern.

It is a hard cheese made form cow’s milk. Know in North America, Australia and New Zealand as Swiss cheese, Emmental is not protected which means it is now widely available; France, Bavaria and Finland are all exporters of Emmentaler cheese.

It is a hard yellow cheese and is another cheese with large holes. Three types of bacteria are used in the production of Emmentaler and these are: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus and Propionibacter shermani. In the later stages of the production P. shermani releases carbon dioxide, which in turn makes the bubbles that become the holes.

Dolcelatte

Docelatte, with crackers

An Italian blue veined cheese, made from cow’s milk, translates its name from Italian in to ‘sweet milk’ in English.

Dolcelatte is a soft cheese and was created by the Galbani Company and has a registered trademark. It was developed for the British market to provide a mild version of the traditional Italian blue cheese, Gorgonzola. Dolcelatte is milder in regards to the smell and the taste.

The production is similar to the methods used to produce Gorgonzola. One min difference is that it is made from the curd of only one milking and takes around two to three months to produce and age the cheese.

The fat content of Gorgonzola is lower than Dolcelatte, and the taste is comparable to dolceverde and torte gaudenzio cheese.

Cheese Platter

Choosing the cheese

As I mentioned before in a previous blog you need to select the cheeses that will have different flavours; at least one from each of the different milks, and then at least one of each different texture; soft, hard and semi soft.

You could also select cheeses depending on the theme you plan on having. You can choose them from a particular country or depending on a beverage they pair well with; such as champagne.

Buying the right amount

A general guide line is around 1 – 2 ounces of each cheese for every person you have coming over. This will allow them to sample all of the cheeses without over doing it on one in particular.

Accessories

When displaying the cheese you can use anything from a serving plate, to a plastic tray to a marble board. That is entirely up to you depending on what you have available. Be inventive!
Make sure you provide people with some form of cutlery so they may help themselves to the cheese.

Decoration

Research what goes well with the cheeses you have chosen. Grapes are an easy choice and also crackers. You may find buts and olives are better suited to your choices. Some fruits such as apples and pears go well with cheese but remember the presentation is also a must. Don’t just throw it all on a plate and leave it.

Norwegian Jarlsberg

Norwegian Jarlsberg, with crackers

This is made from a mild cow’s milk and originating from Jarlsberg, Norway this cheese is made with large irregular holes.

With a yellow way rind, and a firm yellow interior this cheese has a mild, nutty flavour which is also slightly sweet. Jarlsberg can be used for anything from cooking to eating as a snack. It has a creamy supple texture and in Norway, it is produced in limited quantities, and is aged for a minimum of one year and you are able to tell how old the cheese is by the size of the holes; the larger they are the older the cheese is.

The cheese is made using a part skimmed pasteurized milk and is cultured using the strict standards of excellence. It is a healthy cheese and provides quality protein and calcium with a relatively low fat content.