CHEESE CLUB

Chevre is the French word for goat, and is ubiquitously used to refer to soft, spreadable unaged goat’s milk cheese in the U.S. Differing from ricotta, as it is not produced from whey, the flavor of a fresh chevre is closely related to the location where the milk is produced. (Remember Capricho de Cabra? Same style. Different place, different flavor).

LaClare Creamery in Wisconsin sources all of its goat’s milk from within 15 miles of its farm, and is one of the only farms in the U.S. to use 100% domestically produced goat’s milk to make its cheese. The result, due to the goats’ nutrient rich diet, is a clean, fresh, mild and milky flavor that lends itself well to any number of uses.

There are endless choices of fresh chevre available to us year round, and while spring is the best time to savor the flavor of these varieties, it is always a great idea to opt for a domestically produced cheese over factory made varieties from overseas, when available. American cheesemakers run at seriously thin margins, due to our infrastructure not being built to support small farms and artisan food producers. So support American cheeses as much as possible!

A seasonal favorite at French Market that returns to our cafe menu and to our grab-and-go case as a dip/spread when the weather warms up, this ricotta is a step above the rest!

Ricotta, literally meaning ‘recooked or refined’, is made from the whey, or byproduct, of another cheese being made. The whey is acidified and heated, forming a fine, light curd.

Differences between ricottas, and cheese that aren’t aged in general, are subtle. The lack of aging (though there are varieties of aged ricotta in Italy) eliminates a huge amount of cheesemaking variables and dwindles the opportunities for variation, down to the source of the milk and the few quick steps it takes to make the product.

Based in Connecticut, Liuzzi’s hand-dipped ricotta has an incomparably rich and creamy texture that lends itself equally well to sweet or savory applications. At FM we drizzle honey on top, add fancy olive oil, and a bit of fleur de sel. The ‘hand-dipped’ aspect of this Ricotta refers to its gentle handling while making the cheese, so as not to disturb the curds and densify the cheese. The result is fluffy, creamy, and a real springtime treat!

AUSTRALIA | SHEEP & GOAT | PASTEURIZED

Spring is here, and that means sheep and goat cheese is in!

Though it is technically not, we often refer to this fluffy stuff as a marinated ‘feta’ due to the similar ways we like to enjoy it. Responsibly and sustainably raised sheep and goats produce the cheese on the Australian ‘Farm of the Year’ in Meredith, just west of Melbourne

The jar that the cheese arrives in is attractive enough to set on the table with a spreader nearby to slather onto crackers, crusty bread, or use as a component of an antipasto. The rich, smooth, and creamy texture of this blend of milks is what separates it from the pack — little fluffy clouds of cheese!

This one is perfect for last-minute gatherings, and those avoiding cows milk, but still desiring an unctuous, spreadable cheese. Though the cheese usually doesn’t make it past its first night, you can save the oil in the jar to use on roasted vegetables later!

If you like it as much as we do, you can find it in our large grab-and-go fridge in the glass jar.

One of our all time favorites, and something we aim to have available at all times in the case, Vlaskaas is our preferred representation of Gouda style cheese.

Striking a perfect balance between the salty and sharp notes that come with age and the fresh creamy backbone of a young gouda, Vlaskaas is aged for 5 months in the Netherlands. The producer, Beemster, rediscovered the cheese in 2004 after reviewing recipes that had previously been made but forgotten. Vlaskaas had traditionally been produced only once a year — at the time of the flax harvest in the Netherlands — but Beemster found the cheese to be too delightful to only make once a year, and it is now available
year round.

Many a French Market employee has declared Vlaskaas their favorite all around cheese, and for good reason. We love Vlaskaas as a crowd pleasing addition to any cheese board, or (due to its sturdy nature) something to keep around the house as a utility cheese that can be melted into a dish or snacked on. Visit beemstercheese.us for cooking ideas!

Flavor Profile: butter, sweet milk, almond

Food Pairing: potato, cauliflower gratin

Accoutrement Pairing: fresh fruit, charcuterie

Wine Pairing: Muscadet, Beaujolais

Perhaps the most visually iconic cheese we carry at the French Market, a wheel of Mimolette is spherical in shape and, depending on the time of year, resembles a cantaloupe melon or pumpkin.

The cheese was originally commissioned by King Louis XIV, as he wanted a domestically produced cheese that was similar to the very popular Edam from the Netherlands. Mimolette is traditionally produced in Lille, in the far northeast of France, but often these days in Normandy as well. It is difficult to not be intrigued by the bright orange interior of Mimolette (the color is the result of natural annatto seed coloring added to the milk), and the flavor is equally unique, with a salty, umami character that makes it difficult to stop snacking upon.

The rind of Mimolette is created by adding cheese mites (yes, live mites) to the exterior of the cheese. The activity of the mites on the exterior of the cheese enhances the flavor of the cheese and gives it its signature aged look. Mimolette is available at several different ages, but we exclusively carry it at an age of 12 months or ‘vielle’ as we feel this is the most balanced point in its life.

Due to the lack of moisture in the cheese and tendency to become oily when heated, we prefer Mimolette as a snack with a glass of beer (like while watching a game) or on a cheese board with savory or sweet accoutrements.

Flavor Profile: fruit, nut, caramel

Food Pairing: pasta

Accoutrement Pairing: green olive, dried fruit

Wine Pairing: Vintage Port, Côtes du Rhône

SPAIN | SHEEP | UNPASTEURIZED

Hailing from Spain’s Basque region, where more famous cheeses such as Manchego are produced, Idiazabal maintains a good level of production and representation as a more compact wheel with a smoky flavor.

Idiazabal packs a lot of flavor and is a great value that fits a distinct flavor profile among many homogeneous cheeses. Traditionally the smoking process is optional, with the smoky flavor coming from the fireplaces near the aging of the cheese, but most of the cheese is lightly smoked today.

The cheese is made with the milk of Latxa and Carranzana dairy sheep, which, due to their seasonal milking, do not produce as high of a volume of milk annually as other dairy breeds in the region. Using unpasteurized whole milk, the flavor is big and bold. (Lovers of smoked Gouda should definitely try!). And it pairs well with savory accoutrements, cured meats, or the traditional basque pairing of membrillo (quince paste).

Idiazabal is a wonderful addition to any board, sliced atop a burger, shaved over salad, or grated into a pasta dish!

Flavor Profile: smokey, buttery

Food Pairing: shaved over salad

Accoutrement Pairing: jamon serrano, fruit jam

Wine Pairing: Garnacha or Tempranillo, Txakoli

Switzerland | Cow’s Milk | Unpasteurized

Perhaps the most widely known Swiss cheese next to Emmentaler, Gruyère is wonderfully balanced, exemplifying all the characteristics of the Alpine style of cheesemaking. For selecting a specific Gruyère, we have good reason to stay with the Gourmino Collective, as this Gruyère has won the world cheese championship three times, including last year.

Using a recipe dating back more than 900 years, Le Gruyère is made by three master cheesemakers, with one saying, “Looking out the window from the dairy, I can watch the cows of my milk suppliers grazing. They all graze within a radius of one kilometre.”

The Surchoix variety we receive is aged for 12 months, with a more robust flavor than Emmentaler, a bit less acidity, and a delightful stone-fruity punch through the toasted chestnut flavor. Due to their acidity and method of production, both Emmentaler and Gruyère melt evenly without the fats separating, which makes it ideal for fondue. It’s also one of the reasons we use it so extensively here at French Market, including on our Croque Monsieur, Onion Soup, Gruyère, Croissant, and Quiches.

Flavor Profile: roasted hazelnuts, cooked cream, vanilla

Food Pairing: croque monsieur, french onion soup

Accoutrement Pairing: hazelnuts, apricot jam

Wine Pairing: Vermentino, Crémant d’Alsace

Switzerland | Cow’s Milk | Unpasteurized

Our third cheese is relatively new, created by Gourmino master cheesemaker Michael Spycher 25 years ago. Naming the cheese after the small river flowing next to his dairy, Spycher makes and ages Hornbacher in his own cheese cellar, and until 2014, the cheese was only available in his small on-site shop.

With a wheel weighing in at just 12lbs (compared to 200 for Emmentaler and 70 for Gruyère), Hornbacher is one of the smaller, newer varieties of Alpine cheeses featuring more pinpointed, concentrated flavors. Gourmino describes Hornbacher as the “baked potato cheese,” and within the Alpine cheese flavor wheel it skews decidedly umami with notes of roasted nuts and caramelized onion.

Hornbacher is delightful shaved or sliced thinly atop country bread with caramelized onions or onion jam, or added to a mixture of Emmentaler and Gruyère in fondue. Savory flavors will do it well, but a salted caramel from France alongside Hornbacher might be an interesting combination! Hornbacher is one of our Alpine favorites and another class from Gourmino that deserves a spot on every holiday cheese board. Enjoy and find it at the counter all season long!

Flavor Profile: roasted nut, caramelized onion

Food Pairing: baked potato, root vegetables

Accoutrement Pairing: onion confit, blackberry jam, walnut

Wine Pairing: Gerwürtztraminer, Amontillado Sherry

Switzerland | Cow’s Milk | Unpasteurized

Noah’s Notes: 
Last, but certainly not least, comes the “spiciest” of our Alpine cheese selections. Appenzeller hails from the Appenzell Innerrhoden canton in the East of Switzerland, and there are several varieties of Appenzeller produced, each identified by the color of its label.

Our preference has always been black-label Appenzeller, which has the sharpest and most robust flavor. Made from raw cow‘s milk, each wheel weighs about 15lbs and is washed with a secret herbal brine as it ages for at least 6 months in a damp 57°F cheese cellar. The texture and raw ingredients of this Appenzeller are similar to others on the board, but the flavor profile offers a completely different experience, with the influence of the aging environment evident. The Appenzeller trade association states that this one is a must for those who love tart cheese.

The Appenzeller trade association consists of four stakeholder groups responsible for the production and protection of cheese in the region,including the actual canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, 800 milk producers, 42 cheesemakers, and five distributors. The association operates as a non-profit and makes decisions democratically, demonstrating how regional unity and pride can preserve time-honored processes, support small-scale farmers, and offer traditional, high-quality products across the world. It’s also one of the main reasons why we are able to get exceptional cheeses like Appenzeller at prices even less than those produced here in the states.

Flavor Profile: nutty, clover spice

Food Pairing: ham, croissant

Accoutrement Pairing: fresh fruit, toasted notes

Wine Pairing: Dry Riesling, Chasselas

France | Cow’s Milk | Pasteurized

The brothers Donge use the same 30 local farms to provide milk for this Triple Crème. Their interpretation of this relatively new (in cheese terms) style is supremely rich and creamy, boasting at least 75% butterfat in the dry matter of the cheese, which is more than any of the other cheeses featured this month.

Though the style originated in Normandy, similar Triple Crèmes are produced all over France, and the world, with great success, including several we carry on a rotating basis here at French Market: Brillat Savarin (hailed as the first ever produced), Delice de Bourgogne, Delice des Cremiers, Cambozola, and Pierre Robert. However, when it comes to buttery, creamy, and spreadable, this cheese is unmatched.

The rind really isn’t part of the fun here, but the tall interior paste makes it easy enough to scoop and spread onto a cracker or slice of baguette. And like most Triple Crèmes, this cheese goes well with sweet accompaniments, as well as tart ones that help cut through the seriously butter interior.

Flavor Profile: salt, butter, tang

Food Pairing: prosciutto, pear

Accoutrement Pairing: baguette, almond, green grape

Wine Pairing: Alsatian Riesling, Disznoko Tokaji

France | Cow’s Milk | Pasteurized

The spirit of cheese is a living thing ever evolving, just like cheese itself. As a result, new cheeses, and methods for its production, are being introduced all the time. Fromager d’Affinois from Fromagerie Guilloteau in the Rhone Alps of southeast France — perhaps the most ‘mass-produced’ cheese we’ve featured so far — is a perfect example.

Launched in the relatively near past of 1981, Fromager d’Affinois is produced using an innovative filtering process that yields milk richer in proteins and minerals. The result is an incomparably luscious and velvety texture that makes this cheese the ultimate crowd pleaser and consistently one of the most sought after cheeses in our case.

Despite being widely available, d’Affinois is a special cheese that you will always want to have around — whether for spreading on crackers or melting into a mind-blowing mac and cheese.

Flavor Profile: sweet, milky, mild

Food Pairing: cheesecake, strawberry

Accoutrement Pairing: raspberry conserve, flatbread cracker

Wine Pairing: Chablis Grand Cru, Beaujolais Gamay Noir

Italy | Cow’s Milk | Pasteurized

Noah’s Notes: 

We have gone to great lengths to be able to carry cheeses from Caseficio Dell’Alta Langa, produced in the Piedmont region of Italy. And though it took about three years to figure out how to make it happen, it was worth it, as this Robiola Bosina is one of our absolute favorites in the case.

In the mountainous terrain adjacent to Switzerland and France, many cheeses here are made with milk from a combination of cows, goats, and sheep. In this case, the cheese is a blend of cow and sheep’s milk, resembling brie but offering a completely distinct flavor profile.

Robiola Bosina isn’t aged for long and retains a sweet cream flavor that balances against the nutty sheep’s milk beautifully. When young, the cheese is delightful at breakfast spread on an english muffin, with jam to accentuate its sweetness. As it ages, the texture becomes runnier and the flavor a bit more pungent, though it always retains a pleasant milkiness that makes it a great pairing for any number of accoutrements.

Flavor Profile: earthy, fresh cream, sea salt

Food Pairing: mushroom, shallot, flatbread

Accoutrement Pairing: raspberry jam, crostini

Wine Pairing: Franciacorta, Lambrusco

Bourgogne, France | Cow’s Milk | Unpasteurized

This delightfully pungent classic is a quintessential example of this month’s theme of “taste of place.” Named after the town (yes, Epoisses) where it originated at the start of the 16th century, it remains today the pride andj oy of its fewer than 1,000 residents. On first glance (or smell), Epoisses can be a bit intimidating, but it really is a quite simple, straightforward cheese, and not nearly as potent in flavor as it is in odor.

Made with just cow’s milk and salt, it ages for at least six weeks and is washed with a mixture of brine and Marc de Bourgogne, a local pomace (byproduct of winemaking) brandy that encourages the growth of bacteria and yeast to produce the distinct orange color and smell.

Even after working with Epoisses for years and experiencing in all stages of ripeness, I don’t think I fully appreciated or understood the allure of this cheese until a recent trip to Omaha, Nebraska, of all places. There, a friend and I stumbled upon a charming French bistro with a handwritten specials board listing an item simply called “Epoisses.” Of course, we ordered it and received a little wheel of Epoisses with sliced bread and a bit of jam (all it really needs). Allured by the creamy, round interior and rich umami of the crazy rind, I devoured far too quickly, without any regrets.

Flavor Profile: garlic, mushroom, fruit

Food Pairing: fresh baguette, cumin seed

Accoutrement Pairing: honeycrisp apple, spicy jam

Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir (Burgundy), Merlot (Argentina)

Basque, France | Sheep’s Milk | Pasteurized

Last month we featured a cow’s milk cheese from the Basque region of France, a place where sheep’s milk reigns supreme. This time the milk is sheep, but the cheese is blue!

Urdiña is a new one for us, and a great exercise in experiencing “taste of place.” The Basque region is known for Manchego and other salty, nutty sheep’s milk cheeses, and Agour produces almost exclusively sheep’s milk cheese with natural rinds that impart a bit of umami flavor. When we went in for our first taste, we were prepared for the immediate salinity and delighted as it gave way to a creamy backbone and delightful tang from the blue. The natural rind reduces the overall moisture of the cheese a bit, but in turn provides a much more developed and full flavor profile that lends itself to this style of sheep’s milk cheese.

Urdiña is quickly becoming one of our favorites, with characteristics indicative of the place it is from, and a unique, approachable flavor.

Flavor Profile: nuts, spices, apricots

Food Pairing: green salad, grilled vegetables

Accoutrement Pairing: sour cherry, tart fruit compote

Wine Pairing: Trockenbeerenauslese, Reserve Tawny Port (Borges or Cruz House)

Pays de la Loire | Goat’s Milk | Pasteurized

One of our all-time favorites, Tomme de Chataigneraie is a beautiful cheese to behold on a board and backs up its good looks with a supremely distinct texture and wonderfully nuanced flavor. Produced on the western edge of the scenic Pays de la Loire in western France, the goats graze in a chestnut forest (chataigneraie).

Much like pigs eating acorns to produce nutty, delicious ham, the chestnuts contribute to the nutty flavor of this cheese. In our experience, the texture is uncommon for goat’s milk cheeses. It is firm enough to slice, but still soft and unctuous. The rind is a real showstopper on a board, with a vibrant orange-yellow rind attributed to the aging by Herve Mons, a cheese affineur we consider one of the true “rockstars” of the cheese world. To achieve this perfect crust, he acquires the cheese young and ages it for about three months.

We don’t carry anything else quite like this one, and it is one of the most approachable cheeses in the case, despite the intimidating rind!

Flavor Profile: smooth, herbal, chestnut, chestnut, and more chestnut
Food Pairing: mushroom, sage
Accoutrement Pairing: dried cranberry, dried cherry, almonds
Wine Pairing: Brut Champagne, Chablis

Auvergne, France | Cow’s Milk | Pasteurized

This is one of our favorite blue cheeses. There are few blues that are so perfectly balanced and equally at home as an ingredient in a dish, topping for a salad, component of a cheeseboard, or spread on a piece of baguette as an afternoon snack.

It is also a great example of a few idiosyncrasies of the world of cheese today. As with many European cheeses, the name is simple and refers to the shape of the wheel (the ‘fourme’ a distinct tall narrow cylinder in this case) and the town where the cheese originated: Ambert. There it is! A cylinder of cheese from Ambert.

Fourme D’ambert also highlights the difference in price between a high-quality cheese produced in Europe and one produced right here in the United States. It’s difficult to imagine how a cheese that is produced in France, packaged, shipped across the ocean, shipped again to the midwest, and cut and packaged here before sale could cost about half of what many cheeses that are produced in this very country cost us.

Though the process and reasons for this are complex, I like to boil this down to one simple reason: Europe has been doing this a lot longer than we have! This is one of the oldest cheeses being produced in France and dates back as far as Roman times! Because they have been producing this cheese for so long in this same area, there is a great deal of infrastructure, knowledge, and support for its production. Essentially, the more volume of something you produce and sell, the less costly it becomes to make it. The French invest heavily in the production of cheese, protect certain varieties from becoming too industrialized, and eat lots of it! This makes the production of cheese akin to us growing corn, and keeps the cost low for a high-quality product. While this is all the more reason to buy more American made cheese and support producers of a high-quality product in our country, there’s no reason to not enjoy something that has been time-tested and has remained a favorite for so long. 

The cheese itself is ‘semi-firm’ and easily spreadable, but structurally sound enough to be cubed. The mouth feel is unctuous and creamy, with all the richness of a triple creme balanced by the sharp bite of the ‘blue.’ Extremely versatile, enjoy it with dried or fresh fruit, honey, and baguette. 

Flavor Profile: sharp, tangy, buttery, mushroom

Food Pairing: fresh fruit, salad topping

Accoutrement Pairing: honey

Wine Pairing: Port, Chenin Blanc

Pyrénées, France | Cow’s Milk | Pasteurized

The most obscure cheese of this month’s offering, Coeur Basque is a unique cheese with a very distinctive flavor profile. It is made in the very southwest of France, in the Iraty valley, which is known for its sheep’s milk cheeses. Sheep are the livestock animal of choice in these mountains, in the same region that Manchego is produced in Spain, so a cow’s milk cheese from this area is somewhat of an anomaly.

Coeur Basque is extremely difficult to find information about, and when searching the internet we have come across different sources that claim the cheese is aged for over a year. The producer, Onetik says “This is a one of a kind cheese with a dry texture, rough and pungent yet with a subtle charm much like the Basque country where it’s made.” They also state that it is aged for 6 months… 

The flavor is a bit vegetal, with a creamy mouthfeel that lingers. Grilled vegetables would compliment it well, and nuts will bring out a different side to this one. Enjoy something that may or may not be available to us for long.

Flavor Profile: tangy, milky, earthy

Food Pairing: fresh fruit, grilled vegetables (e.g. zucchini, asparagus)

Accoutrement Pairing: cured meats, spiced niuts, tart dried fruits

Wine Pairing: Loir Valley reds

Pag Island, Croatia | Sheep and Cow’s Milk | Pasteurized

The original plan for this month’s cheese club was to highlight exclusively French cheeses, and in this slot we had a cheese called Fleur du Maquis produced in Corsica.

Fleur du Maquis is a wonderful semi-firm cheese coated in herbs. We had been getting it regularly for a couple of months at French Market, and it had become a customer favorite that we were excited to feature in the club … until the FDA (or maybe USDA?) stepped in. Due to an unknown issue, probably having something to do with the herbs on the outside of the cheese, or a seemingly arbitrary production issue that the FDA had an issue with, Fleur du Maquis is now not being imported to the country and we have no idea when or if it will be back! We mention this to show that the world of cheese is complicated, and things come and go frequently. There are thousands and thousands of cheeses being produced all over the world that we will never taste in our lifetime, and though we are featuring specific cheeses through this club, cheese is an idea and should be approached with an open mind.

If there is a specific cheese you are after, especially something more obscure of course, keep in mind that it may not be available for any number of reasons, but also know that a good cheesemonger should be able to help you find something that is similar and may provide you with the joy that the one you sought gave you. 

In this case, the most appropriate substitute we could think of comes from another island off the Southern coast of Europe (Croatia), and is a blend of cow and sheep’s milk. Pag Island produces mostly sheep’s milk, with its location contributing to the salty, brine-y flavor of the cheese. Dalmatinac is a great find, easy to eat with a variety of accoutrements, and a favorite of anyone that ends up trying it in lieu of something more familiar, like Gouda. The salty bite is so pleasant, and balanced by the addition of creamy cow’s milk, that the cheese could lend itself to anything from a sandwich  to being featured on a global cheese board. To the point of our inability to procure the Fleur du Maquis, there is a thriving cheese culture and economy in virtually every European country, Croatia included, each with its unique characteristics. Enjoy!

Flavor Profile: buttery, nutty, sharp, herbal

Food Pairing: prosciutto, bruschetta, anything with tomato

Accoutrement Pairing: rosemary crackers, cured meat

Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc, brown ale