Showing posts with label Cow Milk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cow Milk. Show all posts

2013/02/07

Neufchâtel

Why not offer cheese to your Valentine this year?

You can't go wrong with a cute heart shaped French cheese, good crusty bread and your favourite bottle of wine.
 
Neufchatel - Coeur De Bray

Neufchâtel - Coeur de Bray is a soft bloomy rind, cow’s milk cheese from the Pays de Bray located in the French region of Normandie. Neufchâtel received its AOC (Appelation d'Origine Controlée) designation in 1969.

Neufchâtel is believed to be one of France's oldest cheeses dating back to the Middle Ages. 

The white edible moldy rind of Neufchâtel is dry and velvety. The lightly pressed, uncooked, cream coloured pâte is firm yet supple and slightly grainy. After an affinage of 8 to 10 weeks, the mold starts flavouring the cheese leaving a pleasant mushroom aroma and a salty sharper flavour.

The popular shape for Neufchâtel cheese is the heart, but the AOC allows it to be made in six different sizes and forms of either briquette, cylindrical or square.

Neufchâtel pairs well with a nice Bordeaux red such as a Pomerol - Château Treytins.

 
Neufchatel - Coeur De Bray

 
Neufchâtel can be found as a farmer, industrial and artisanal cheese. Here is a list of the official AOC Neufchâtel producers in the France's Normandie region.

There are other heart-shaped cheeses that can be served on Valentine’s Day, such as the Coeur du Berry a lovely French goat-milk cheese.

2012/11/16

Le D'Iberville

Le D'Iberville is a beautiful raw organic cow-milk, semi-soft, washed rind cheese from Québec's Montérégie region.

Le D'Iberville 

This farmstead cheese which has been ripened for 60 days has a lovely herbal aroma. The exquisite pale ochre washed rind covers a rather soft pale-yellow paste punctuated with small openings due to its molding method. Le D'Iberville has an herbaceous floral flavour with lingering notes of creamy mushrooms.

Le D'Iberville pairs well with a California Zinfandel.

Le D'Iberville is produced by La Fromagerie Au Gré Des Champs who are located in Saint-Jean-sur Richelieu.


Meet the Gosselin family, Québec's first certified organic cheese-makers and passionate organic farmers from La Fromagerie Au Gré Des Champs.


 

2012/11/08

Jersey du Fjord

Jersey du Fjord is a firm cow-milk cheese produced by Les Bergeries du Fjord located in Quebec's Saguenay area.

Jersey du Fjord

Jersey du Fjord gets its name 'Jersey' for the breed of cow-milk and 'Du Fjord' from the geological fjords formed along the deep, cold waters of the Saguenay River that links Lac St. Jean to the Saint Lawrence. 

Jersey du Fjord is inspired by the traditional English Cheshire cheese, a dense semi-hard cheese produced in the English county of Cheshire. Cheshire is made in the form of a cylindrical wheel that is as high as it is wide. It distinguishes itself by its moist, crumbly texture with small crevices punctuated through the paste. This feature is related to its manufacturing process where the curd is milled and therefore lacks consistency.

Jersey du Fjord is produced in a 20 kg (44 lbs.) wheel that is aged 10 months. The natural rind is golden coloured speckled with gray mildew and the crumbly paste has a butter coloured hue. It has a mild, salty taste with a slight marine aroma with a hint of orange zest and a lingering slightly sharp aftertaste.

Jersey Cattle

The Jersey breed of cows is a small, docile breed of dairy cattle that is popular for the high butterfat content and high percentage of protein in its milk.

Les Bergeries du Fjord produces the award winning Jersey du Fjord along other farmstead cheeses, such as La Blanche Du Fjord and La Belle de Jersey. The dairy is located in La Baie, Quebec.


2012/10/31

Ermite

Ermite is a pasteurized cow-milk blue cheese produced by the monks at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac located in Québec's Eastern Townships.

Ermite

Blue Ermite has a semi-soft cream-coloured paste with a blue-green mould and natural rind. The paste is crumbly yet creamy in the mouth with some granular bits. Ermite is a relatively mild blue cheese, with tangy slightly salty after tones and has a pleasant mushroom aroma.

Ermite, is fabricated in a 2 kg. (4.5 lbs.) wheel which is treated with Roquefort penicillium. The wheels are aged for five weeks, then removed from the ripening rooms and are then washed to remove the natural molds that have formed on the rinds.

Cheese fabrication at l'Abbaye Saint-Benoît was launched in 1943, at this time the Benedictine monks only made the Ermite blue cheese. Through the years they have added other quality cheeses to the range of products they produce such as the award winning Bleu Benedictin, Frère Jacques and Le Moutier.

l'Abbaye Saint-Benoit

Ermite blue cheese is a perfect addition to any cheese platter; it is great for cooking or in salads.

Ermite pairs well with Ambre de Pommes (a Michel Jodoin blend of eau-de-vie and apple juice aged 18 months in oak barrels), or a late bottled vintage porto, or a red Tempranillo Rioja wine.


2012/10/12

Extra Old Île-aux-Grues Cheddar

This 2 year old cheddar is a firm non-pasteurised, pale yellow, sharp-tasting, cow's milk cheese from Île-aux-Grues, Quebec.

Extra Old Île-aux-Grues Cheddar

Cheddar cheese is named after the village of Cheddar in Somerset, located in South West England where it was originally made. The name "Cheddar cheese" is widely used around the world and has no Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) within the European Union.

Cheddar cheese has been produced since the 12th century, however in Canada it was first made in the 19th century. The manufacture of Cheddar cheese includes the process of 'cheddaring' which makes this cheese unique.
Cheddaring refers to an additional step in the production of Cheddar-style cheese where, after heating, the curd is kneaded with salt, cut into cubes to drain the whey then stacked and turned. Strong, extra-old Cheddar, needs to be matured for up to 15 months.
The Fromagerie Île-aux-Grues located in the heart of Quebec's majestic St. Lawrence River, have been making cheese for over 35 years. The history of the dairy is closely linked to agricultural production, the main economic activity of the island. In 1976 the island's dairy farmers formed a cooperative to protect their agriculture and their terroir. Today, their farms produce quality milk exclusively for the production of cheese on the island.

As well as producing mild, medium, sharp and extra-sharp cheddars the Fromagerie Île-aux-Grues have developed an extraordinary line of fine artisanal cheeses including; Le Riopelle de l'Isle, Le Mi-Carême, La Tomme de Grosse-Île and Le Canotier de l’Isle.

This extra sharp Cheddar from L'Île-aux-Grues has matured for two years. It is off-white in colour and has a firm dry and granular paste and a pronounced lingering nutty flavour.

L'Île-aux-Grues 2 year old Cheddar can compliment any cheese platter. Try it in your favourite grilled-cheese sandwich, with Apple Pie, Apple Cheddar Soup, Zucchini Bread or this delicious Tomato Cheddar Pie.


For more information on the manufacture of Cheddar cheese check out:

2012/08/24

Le Pizy

Le Pizy is a soft ripened pasteurised cow-milk cheese from the Lanaudière region of Quebec.

Le Pizy cheese
Le Pizy has a soft, mild, salty butter flavoured paste and an ivory coloured bloomy rind that emits hints of whey with a slight mushroom aroma. Le Pizy is a small circular 200 g. (7 oz.) flattened cheese wheel.

Le Pizy is produced by Fromagerie La Suisse-Normande located in St-Roch de l'Achigan, Québec. La Suisse-Normande operate a lovely goat farm and this gives them greater control over the quality of the raw cheese.  The fresh cow milk used for Le Pizy is supplied by their neighbors’ herd. La Suisse Normande are familiar with food, health and care given to the animals and the neighboring cow farm has the same values and the way it conducts its farm.


Making of Le Pizy at Fromagerie Suisse-Normande


La Suisse-Normande produce several artisanal type cheeses among them Le Sabot De Blanchette and Le Barbu two of my favourite Quebec chèvres.


2012/08/03

Rogue River Blue

A year ago this week, at the 2011 American Cheese Society Convention, I had the opportunity to taste Rogue River Blue cheese from Oregon for the first time. I quickly became a big fan!

Rogue River Blue

Rogue River Blue is an award winning blue cheese, which is wrapped with chestnut leaves that have marinated in pear brandy. This raw cow's milk, natural rind, blue cheese is aged between eight and twelve months and has a moist creamy texture with crunchy granular bits. The flavours are quite complex with notes of burnt cream, coffee, ripened berries and a lingering sweet note of pear brandy. Heavenly!
Rogue River Blue pairs well with a German Gewürztraminer, a Cabernet Franc, a desert wine or even a pear brandy.

Rogue Creamery is one of the USA's oldest dairies, in operation since 1935, located in the beautiful Rogue Valley of southern Oregon. Rogue Creamery has been known for a while now for producing repeat award winning blues and cheddars and the unique Rogue River Blue.

Rogue River Blue Awards;
World’s Best Blue Cheese – 2003 World Cheese Awards, London, England
Best in Show - 2009 American Cheese Society in Austin, Texas.
Best in Show - 2011 American Cheese Society, Montreal, Canada


Meet the owners and cheesemakers of Rogue Creamery.



Episode #2 Rogue Creamery from Everyday Wonder Productions on Vimeo.

2012/06/14

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth


The perfect cheese to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; Le Bleu d'Elizabeth

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth is an award winning blue cheese made by La Fromagerie du Presbytère. The cheese is made with thermized organic cow milk, it has a thin amber natural rind with lovely blue and greenish coloured veins running through the pale yellow paste that is semi-firm.

Bleu d'Elizabeth has a soft rich creamy texture with a well-balanced salty taste leaving a slight caramel flavour on the tongue. Bleu d'Elizabeth is not an overbearing blue cheese it can be served and enjoyed alone, as an attractive and well appreciated addition to any cheese platter or added to your pasta dishes or salads. Here's a tasty recipe for a Waldorf salad using Le Bleu Elizabeth.

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth is the second gold medal winning cheese to come from Fromagerie du Presbytère run by brothers Jean and Dominique Morin who are fourth generation farmers. The family farm named Louis D'Or (also the name of their other gold winner cheese) is located in Ste. Elizabeth de Warwick in central Quebec near Drummondville. The organic milk used to produce their award winning cheese come from the farm's mixed herd of Holstein, Jersey and a few Canadienne cattle.

http://www.fromageriedupresbytere.com/

2012/05/15

Les Métayères

Les Métayères is a semi-firm cheese, with a non-cooked pressed paste and washed rind. It is made from non-pasteurised cow milk. The cheese is aged approximately 90 days.

Les Métayères

The milk of Les Métayères cheese is thermised but non-pasteurised. Thermised milk is raw milk that has been heated for at least 15 seconds at a temperature between 57 and 68 degrees C. This method helps to preserve the flavours in the milk and at the same time reduces the number of micro-organisms.
Les Métayères is a mild cheese with a smooth rich and creamy pâte with a subtle fruity flavour and nutty aroma. It pairs nicely with a dry white Italian Soave wine.

Les Métayères is produced by La Fromagerie Du Champ à la Meule located in Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes in the Lanaudière region of Quebec.  La Fromagerie is operated by Martin Guilbault and his family, they also manufacture the popular Victor et Berthold, Fêtard and Laracam cheeses.

Martin Guilbault and son Martin Junior from La Fromagerie Du Champ à la Meule

Les Métayères cheese was created to help finance the Maison Saint-Gabriel a 17th century school and farm-house run by the Sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. The congregation founded by Ste. Marguerite Bourgeoys is located in Montreal's south-west district of Pointe Saint-Charles. The cheese is named in honour of les Métayères, the name given to the nuns who worked the farm. 

Ayrshire cattle

All the cheeses at Fromagerie Du Champ à la Meule come from the milk of Ayrshire cows.

2012/02/25

Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar


Avonlea clothbound cheddar
The Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar is a farmstead type cheddar from Prince Edward Island that is made using the traditional English cheddar making methods.  The cheddar is wrapped in cloth to age, yet it is allowed to breathe and remain moist.
This pasteurized cow’s milk cheddar aged 18 months is somewhat crumbly but creamy in the mouth, with a smooth earthy flavour with a distinct pleasant tang.
The Avonlea cheddar pairs well with Guinness beer or a nice Portuguese port.
The Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar is produced by Scott Linkletter of COWS Creamery in Charlottetown, PEI. COWS is also well known for their famous ice-cream.

2012/01/25

Alfred Le Fermier

Alfred Le Fermier is an excellent organic raw cow milk artisanal cheese from Fromagerie La Station de Compton.
Alfred Le Fermier
Alfred Le Fermier has a lovely orange tinted yellowish washed-rind that produces a nice woodsy rustic aroma due to the cheese having been ripened for eight months on spruce boards. The cooked, pressed, firm, golden paste leaves delightful nutty, butter and floral lingering flavours.  
Alfred Le Fermier pairs well with a California fumé blanc.
Alfred Le Fermier cheese is named in honour of Alfred Bolduc.  Mr. Bolduc was the first of the family four generations ago to settle in Compton, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.  An eye-catching silhouette of Alfred Bolduc is pressed into every wheel of cheese the Fromagerie La Station make.  Fromagerie La Station produces excellent farmstead organic cheeses and raclette.

Read on my visit of Fromagerie La Station de Compton

2011/11/21

Louis D'Or

Louis D'Or is an organic raw cow milk cheese with a washed rind and a firm pressed cooked paste.

Louis D'Or

Louis d'Or is a huge 40 kilogram wheel farmstead cheese made by Fromagerie du Presbytère in Sainte-Elizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec. Inspired by the traditional cheese-making know-how from the Jura region, the cheese-maker Jean Morin created an amazing cheese.
The Holstein and Jersey cows at the organic Ferme Louis d'Or are fed dry hay daily. The pastures provide the herd with clover, timothy grass, bluegrass and other organic grains. As a result of this, the milk used to produce the cheese is of exceptional quality. The 9 month aged cheese has a smooth texture, warm nutty and floral notes in both aroma and taste. The 24 month aged Louis-d'Or soft yellow paste show small crystals infiltrating its smooth texture leaves you with more complex lingering flavours.
Louis d'Or is the winner of numerous cheese awards. It was chosen "Grand Champion" at the 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, 3rd place award for “Best in Show” at the 2011 American Cheese Society cheese competition and Golden Caseus at the 2010 and 2012 Selection Caseus.