Summer 2015 Update

I’ve realized that the months of May, June, July and now August have gone by and I haven’t updated my blog.  Let me tell you that it isn't because of a lack of good cheeses to review. I have been enjoying some lovely cheeses including new Quebec cheeses and wonderful chèvres. I also had a problem with my computer which took me awhile to learn how to repair. The reason I haven't updated this blog is I have been spending most of my spare time in the garden this summer.

Earlier in the year, my partner Chris and I have decided to convert the side of the apartment building where we live, into a garden. It was a semi-shaded grassed area that actually consisted of mostly weeds. We spent the first few weeks digging and turning-up the clay soil and incorporating soil and compost to the various bedding areas.  We dug up, divided and moved a variety of different Hostas that we had previously planted in the front yard, into this more suitable shady garden.  We divided and moved quite a few daylilies (Hemerocallis) that we had previously planted along the side of the building into another area of the yard that we dug up.

Garden area before

Garden in progress

Garden now

Last year, I had planted some herbs in the sunnier area of this garden and later in the season I planted a variety of perennials (irises, astilbe, sedum, yarrow and daylilies) I had received from one of my co-worker's mother. Since the sage and oregano that we planted last year was doing well in this area, we added lemon balm, dill, lemon verbena and rosemary which were part of a lovely selection of herbs; I had received as a birthday gift from some of the girls at work.  I also enjoy having another variety of herbs (basil, parsley & mint) close at hand planted in containers on my balcony.

Here I am working hard at it

Now, after a few months the garden is still a work in progress. The pathway we designed to run through the garden is still being worked on, as we find suitable bricks or paving blocks that we keep adding to it.

 

 

 

 

 

Needless to say, I've been having a lot of fun this summer working in the garden. Sure it is a lot of physical work but as the garden was progressing we became a bit whimsical in our approach and it was quite enjoyable.

Lord of the Hundreds

Lord of the Hundreds is an award-winning, firm, raw sheep's milk cheese, produced by The Traditional Cheese Dairy in East Sussex in South East England.

Located in the village of Stonegate in East Sussex, TheTraditional Cheese Dairy operated by Cliff and Julie Dyball produce artisanal cheeses, using traditional handmade methods, made with cow, sheep and goat’s milk that is provided by single herd local family farms. All of their cheeses are approved by the Vegetarian Society as they only use animal-free rennet.

Lord of the Hundreds was originally created by James and Pat Aldridge of the Eastside Cheese Company at Oxted in Surrey, England. James Aldridge was a key figure in the resurrection of farmhouse cheese-making in England in the 1980s and 90s.

The name "Lord of The Hundreds” originates from Saxon times. This Lord, who controlled an area of land divided into 100 shires, was responsible to collect the taxes from the locals for the King.  A marker denoting the spot where people would come to pay their dues to the Lord was located behind James Aldridge's house.

The Tradional Cheese Dairy worked with the original recipe for the Lord of the Hundreds for several years, making many alterations to improve taste, texture and consistency until they finally found perfection.

Lord of the Hundreds is made from the raw milk of Friesland ewes provided by Boydells Dairy Farm in north Essex. When making this cheese, after the curds have formed, they are ladled into square baskets. The cheese is not pressed; when making the cheese, the excess whey is drained under its own weight, forcing out the sides of the baskets giving the cheese its unique textured rind and shape. Each tomme (or wheel) is brined and turned every day to distribute the moulds evenly and encourage the rind to develop. Lord of the Hundreds has an affinage period of 6 to 8 months minimum. The tomme measures approx. 18 cm (7") square and weights from 4 to 4.5 kg (8 - 10lbs).

Lord of the Hundreds has a light grayish-yellow coloured, rough textured rind, with a golden yellow coloured paste that deepens to an amber colour on the edges near the rind. The dense firm paste has a dry, grainy, slightly crumbly texture. Lord of the Hundreds is a complex cheese with a great balance of both savoury and sweet; light notes of grass, roasted hazelnuts and salty caramel. A tomme that has aged longer has a harder paste and a more robust flavour.

Lord of the Hundreds pairs well with a wide variety of foods and drinks. Try it with fresh figs; serve it with membrillo (quince paste), dates and/or pears. Pair it with a crisp, grassy white wine or a medium-bodied Pinot-Noir or Spanish Tempranillo.

Lord of the Hundreds is the winner of numerous cheese awards. It received both Gold and Silver medals at The British Cheese Awards from 2008 to 2012. It recently received the Bronze medal at the 2014 World Cheese Awards.

The Traditional Cheese Dairy has developed and refined its range of artisan cheeses over the past ten years; from the traditional farmhouse Broad Oak Cheddar, to Olde Sussex a traditional hard British farmhouse cheese, to the delicate taste of another award-winning, semi-soft washed-rind Burwash Rose. All their cheeses are made using traditional methods and only always from raw milk.

http://www.traditionalcheesedairy.co.uk/

Photo source: http://kentandsussexguide.com/

Photo source: http://www.eastfriesians.com.au/

Thomas Hoe Stevenson Aged Blue Stilton

Stilton is without a doubt, one of the best known British cheeses. It is produced in two varieties: the Blue Stilton, a semi-firm, pressed, blue vein cheese with rich complex flavours and a piquant finish; and the lesser-known White Stilton cheese which is a milder, semi-soft cheese.

Blue Stilton has been granted the status of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the European Commission. To receive the PDO status, a product must be made traditionally and entirely manufactured (prepared, processed and produced) within the specific region and thus acquire unique properties. To be called "Blue Stilton", it can only be made in the three counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Milk used in the making must be local cow milk, which is pasteurised before use. The Blue Stilton must never be pressed and must be made in the traditional cylindrical shape with its own natural rind or coat. The delicate blue veins radiating from the centre is Stilton’s typical characteristic. A true "Blue Stilton" which is aged for a minimum of 9 weeks, must have a "taste profile typical of Stilton" with its distinct tangy flavour from the use of the fungi Penicillium roqueforti and its creamy crumbly texture.

Thomas Hoe Stevenson Aged Blue Stilton considered by many as the "Authentic" Stilton, is produced by Long Clawson Dairy . This Aged Blue Stilton is named after Thomas Hoe Stevenson, who was one of the original cheesemakers at the dairy. Long Clawson Dairy was founded in 1911 when 12 farmers from the Vale of Belvoir in Leicestershire, formed a co-operative to produce Stilton Cheese in the village of Long Clawson.

Thomas Hoe Stevenson Aged Blue Stilton is still traditionally produced, perfectly aged and hand-selected in order to ensure the finest quality. These wheels are aged for a minimum of 15 weeks. The longer affinage allows the Stevenson Stilton to develop a more balanced, less aggressive, mellow flavor with a smooth creamy texture and tastes a lot less salty than other blue cheeses.

Thomas Hoe Stevenson Aged Blue Stilton is a pasteurised cow-milk, semi-firm cheese with a natural greyish tan coloured rind and a creamy-buttery-yellow coloured paste with greenish blue veins radiating from its centre. It has a smooth creamy buttery texture, with a well-rounded flavour that is clean and earthy. Stevenson Stilton is a versatile cheese; it is a perfect addition to any cheese plate, an excellent ingredient in a variety of dishes (from salads, soups and main courses) or as a dessert served with figs or dates, walnuts, biscuits and breads. The full flavour of Stevenson Aged Blue Stilton pairs nicely with more full flavoured wines it is a perfect match for ports or desert wines or try it with a Shiraz.

Long Clawson Dairy has progressed in the past 100 years. Today, milk is supplied by 43 local farms, all from within the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas. These farms range in size, producing between 350,000 to over 4 million litres of milk per year. Long Clawson Dairy is one of the six dairies in England that is licenced to produce Blue Stilton. Although best known for their Blue Stilton, they also produce a number of other delicious English cheeses and cheese products, such as Blue Shropshire, Aged Red Leicestershire and a range of sweet & savoury cheese blends.

http://www.clawson.co.uk/

http://www.stiltoncheese.co.uk/

Beemster X-O-

Beemster X-O- is a very-firm, pasteurised cow-milk cheese with a wonderful caramel sweetness. Beemster X-O- cheese which is made in Holland is actually an eXtra-Old Gouda that has been aged for around 3 years.

Beemster cheese is produced by a farmers co-op located in the canal lined pastures of the Beemster Polder in the North of Holland.

The Beemster Polder, which is located north of Amsterdam, is a remarkable example of reclaimed land in the Netherlands. In 1612, Dutch engineers using a system of dykes and windmills, drained the marshes and bogs of the Beemster Polder and converted the wet lands into pastures. The Beemster Polder is the oldest and most renowned of the polders in The Netherlands and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The unique blue coloured clay soil found in the Beemster Polder is rich in nutrients and minerals. This terroir yields grasses that are thicker and longer than others areas and grass that is more fertile, giving the milk produced on this land an especially sweet and creamy quality. The farmers of the Beemster Polder are aware of the value of their fertile land and to this day they use no pesticides on any of the pastures within the Beemster polder.

It is important that the quality of the milk is of the highest standard to make Beemster cheese. This standard is provided by continuously testing the milk as it arrives at the dairy from the individual farms. Cheese-making then begins with the so called ‘curdling’ of the milk. This is done by adding rennet to the milk and to allow the proteins and fat components found in the milk to coagulate. After the milk is curdled, some of the whey is drained and water is added to wash the curd. This creates a sweeter cheese and a reduction of lactose. Beemster’s cheese curds are stirred and raked by hand during cheese making. Beemster is the only coop left in Holland which still uses this artisan technique in cheese making. The whey is then completely drained and the curds are placed into molds and then pressed to form into its wheel shape. Then the wheels are placed into a brine bath that starts the aging process from within the cheese. The cheese wheels are then removed from the brine and dried for a few days before they are coated with a yellow wax coating to prevent the cheese from drying out. The wheels are then transported to warehouses where they age on wooden boards where the temperature and humidity is controlled to make ripening conditions ideal. All Beemster cheese wheels are hand turned, inspected, and polished every day for up to 26 months to ensure perfect maturation.

As Beemster cheese wheels age, the textures firmness will change from semi-firm when it is young, to firm when old and very-firm to hard when it is X-O (extra old). A wheel of Beemster X-O- cheese weighs approx. 11.5 kilos (25 lbs) and measures approx. 38 cm (15") in diameter and 10 cm (4") in height.

Beemster X-O-'s very-firm paste has a rich deep pumpkin orange colour with small white dots, which are formed by the crystallisation of the proteins and minerals during maturation. Beemster X-O has a smooth and creamy taste which develops into a full-bodied, wonderful butterscotch caramel sweetness, with a bit of crunchiness and a strong nutty finish.  

Beemster X-O- pairs nicely with port wines, sherry, as well as sweet whites, such as Riesling. It is a great addition to any cheese platter served with dates, figs and walnuts.

Check out this video on the making of Beemster cheese directly from the Beemster Polder in Netherlands.

www.beemster.ca

http://beemsterkaas.nl/