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/

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/

BellaVitano

BellaVitano is an award winning, firm, pasteurised cow-milk cheese produced by Sartori Cheese located in Plymouth, Wisconsin.

BellaVitano is an Italian style cheese that combines the rich and creamy flavour of cheddar cheese with the tasty, fruity, nutty flavour and the gritty texture of parmesan.

Sartori Cheese is a fourth-generation family owned and operated company that's been in operation since 1939. Sartori Cheese produces various Italian style cheese; from a classic Parmesan, Fontina, Asiago, Romano and their award-winning line of Sartori Reserve Bellavitano cheeses.

The Sartori Reserve BellaVitano artisan cheeses include a spellbinding lineup of BellaVitano cheeses that have been skillfully combined with various flavours. Sartori's Master Cheesemakers have perfectly combined a diversified selection of rich, fruity, Old World flavors with the original texture, creamy with the crystalline crunch of the BellaVitano.

The award-winning line of Sartori Reserve BellaVitano artisan cheeses includes; Balsamic BellaVitano, Black Pepper BellaVitano, Chai BellaVitano, Espresso BellaVitano, BellaVitano Gold, Merlot BellaVitano, Raspberry BellaVitano and their latest limited edition addition, the Cognac BellaVitano. 

Regardless of whether you prefer the spiciness of Chai, the berry and plum notes of Merlot, the tart Raspberry ale, fresh roasted Espresso, BellaVitano is a cheese that pleases everybody.

BellaVitano pairs well with Chardonnay, Merlot or Pinot Noir wines.

http://www.sartoricheese.com/our-cheese/

Le Chèvre Noir

Le Chèvre Noir is an excellent pasteurized goat-milk cheddar that was created by cheesemaker Louise Lefebvre in 1988 for Fromagerie Tournevent in Chesterville, Quebec. It was introduced to the market as an aged cheddar in 1989. Fromagerie Tournevant, a goat dairy was started in 1976 by Lucie Chartier and René Marceau. The Fromagerie Tournevent has been operated under Damafro for the past several years; they in turn have recently been acquired by the Agropur cooperative.

What distinguishes this cheddar Le Chèvre Noir at first glance is the beautiful snow-white colour of its paste that is emphasized by the contrast of its outer black wax coating. It has a firm and crumbly texture just like real aged cheddar with its crunchy protein crystals. Chevre Noir has a sharp taste with a bit of tang, but it is balanced out by the creamy texture of the cheese. Chevre Noir reveals many flavours; butter, nuts and a wonderful lingering finish of caramel with a pinch of salt.

Le Chèvre Noir is produced in different size formats and also available in different stages of aging from 1, 2 or 3 years. My favourite version of Chèvre Noir has been aged for 3 years; I find it has just that extra little bit of zing.

Like all aged cheddars, Chevre Noir should be served rather cool. Long exposure to dry air causes its fat to evacuate to the edges. Le Chèvre Noir is ideal served with fruits and nuts accompanied with a full-bodied white, a rich red wine, a Port or premium beer.

http://www.damafro.ca/prod_chevre-noir.html

http://www.lagrandefamille.ca/prod_chevre-noir.html

Beaufort d'Alpage

Beaufort d'Alpage is an alpine cheese from the Rhone-Alps region of France. The production area of the Beaufort covers the high mountains of Savoie in the three valleys Beaufortain / Val d'Arly, Tarentaise and Maurienne.

Beaufort is a very large cooked pressed firm cheese made exclusively with the raw milk of Tarine also called Tarentaise and Abondance breed of cows. These cows are agile and strong and perfectly suited for the rough terrain of the high pastures.

There are three different types of Beaufort; Beaufort, Beaufort d’été (which is a summer Beaufort) and Beaufort Chalet d’Alpage. Beaufort d'Alpage is only a small part of the summer production (about 10,000 wheels). Beaufort d'Alpage must be manufactured using traditional methods, in a mountain chalet that is 1,500 meters minimum above sea level and with the milk of a single herd of cattle. The AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) specifications impose an annual production limit of 5000 liters of milk per cow or a daily production of 16 liters. Keep in mind it takes about 500 litres (130 gallons) of milk to make a Beaufort of 45 kg (99 lb).

To make Beaufort, the milk is heated and then the curd is pressed into a beech-wood hoop mold which gives the cheese its distinctive concave shape on the side (heel) of the wheel. A large wheel of Beaufort can measure up to 76 cm (30 in) in diameter and 16 cm (6.3 in) in height. The wheels are aged for a minimum of 5 months to upwards of 12 months in a mountain cellar that maintains a high humidity and cool temperature.

Beaufort d'Alpage is without a doubt one of the finest firm cheeses in the world. It has a wonderful aroma of milk, butter, flowers and honey. A young Beaufort will have a mild, fruity taste while an aged Beaufort has a stronger aroma and more complex flavours that linger on the palate.  The paste of a winter Beaufort has a pale whitish colour while the summer versions have a more yellow paste due to the cows munching on the alpine flowers. The chlorophyll from the grass and carotene from the alpine flowers give the summer cheeses its beautiful colour and grassy and flowery aromas. Beaufort is richer and creamier than other mountain cheeses.

An excellent way to serve Beaufort is with smoked salmon. It pairs nicely with a Chablis or a white Burgundy wine. Beaufort melts well and is a great choice for a cheese fondue. You must try the exquisite Fondue Savoyarde; made with equal parts of 3 cheeses from the Savoie region; Beaufort, Abondance and Tomme de Savoie.

Photo source: http://www.fromage-beaufort.com/

Taliah

Taliah is a beautiful English-style, cloth-bound cheddar, aged for one year, made from unpasteurized sheep-milk, produced in the Centre-du-Québec region.

The name Taliah comes from the Hebrew origin meaning female lamb.

Taliah has a lovely golden butterscotch coloured firm paste with a rustic crystalline texture and a light musty cave smell. Taliah has a natural rind that is covered with cheesecloth. Unlike most cheddars, Taliah has a nutty flavour with a caramel sweetness, not too salty and a lingering robust flavour that is perfectly balanced.

Taliah's complex flavours go perfectly with those ripe crunchy fall apples. It pairs wonderfully with a sparkling cider, brown ale, an oaked Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The full bodied complex flavours you receive with cloth-bound cheddar is one of the reasons cheesemakers are returning to this old-school method.  The cloth that is applied on the exterior of the wheel allows the cheese to breathe and promotes microbe germination that provides those wonderful flavours to disperse into the cheese. Block cheddars that are either waxed or plastic sealed give a sharper saltier bite unlike the rich complex flavours of cloth-bound cheddars.

Taliah was conceived by Valérie Brousseau and Alastair Mackenzie of Saint-Christophe-d'Arthabaska, which is located at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. They run a farm with pure-bred East-Friesian sheep which provides the milk for the cheese. All their animals; sheep, beef, pork, rabbit, duck and chicken are fed only prime quality food, free of antibiotics, hormones and chemicals. 

They have established a partnership with cheese-maker Olivier Ducharme at Fromagerie Du Charme to produce their cheese. They are currently working together on a Stilton-style blue cheese which should be available soon.

http://www.taliah.ca/

Check out these two cloth-bound cheddars also made here in Canada; The Lindsay Bandaged GoatCheddar and the Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar.

Le Moutier

Le Moutier is a ripened, firm, pasteurised goat-milk cheese produced by the monks at Fromagerie de l'Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac located on the picturesque lake Memphrémagog in Québec's Eastern Townships.

Le Moutier is a Swiss-type cheese dotted with small openings in the cooked paste. What distinguishes this cheese is its pristine white colour, due to being made with 100% goat-milk. Le Moutier has a firm yet flexible and elastic paste. It has a light springy texture and a delightful sweet goat-milk taste and aroma. Le Moutier cooks well; it melts and browns at high temperature. Le Moutier is an ideal choice to introduce to a child or adult who is new to goat-milk cheese.

Le Moutier is produced in a small round wheel, this firm goat-milk cheese looks identical to St-Benoit cheese, a cow-milk version that the Abbaye St-Benoît also produces.

Le Moutier is appropriately named after the town and abbey located in the Jura Bernois district in the Swiss canton of Bern. 

The Fromagerie de l’Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac which is directed by Brother Patrick Flageole, is the only cheese dairy in North America that is run by Benedictine monks. The first cheese created at the Abbey in 1943 was the famed blue Ermite cheese, which is still a celebrated cheese. The Bleu Bénédictin has also picked up several awards, including the Grand Champion in 2000 and the Champion in the blue cheese category in 2002 and 2006. In 2010, Le Moutier won a gold medal in its goat milk category at the World Cheese Awards.

The monks of the Abbaye Saint-Benoît-du-Lac make their living from their cheese-factory, an apple orchard, a cider-factory, a farm and a store where their products are sold.

Le Moutier pairs nicely with a sparkling apple cider from Cidrerie Abbaye Saint-Benoît.

Try Le Moutier cheese in this delicious Onion Soup with Apples  recipe courtesy of Wikibouffe.iga.net.

http://www.fromagescda.com/artisan/Abbaye_St_Benoit

http://www.st-benoit-du-lac.com/

Photo source: http://www.lapresse.ca/

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers is a firm, raw goat-milk farmer’s cheese produced by the Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion located in Québec's Estrie region.

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers (which translates into The Happy Cheesemakers Cheese) has a firm, washed rind that is ochre in colour with white brushed highlights. The 2 kg  (4.5 lbs) round wheels of Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers are aged from 60 to 90 days. The wheels are washed in brine, which promotes the establishment of brevibacterium on the rind, giving the orange hue to its crust.

The beautiful ivory-white coloured paste is firm, yet elastic, with small perforations. The cheese has a creamy texture with a well-balanced, long-lasting distinctive flavour with hints of floral and honey and goat milk.

Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion is operated by Isabelle Couturier and her partner Alain La Rochelle. Their cheese-making premises and goat farm are located in St. Ludger near the Appalachian foothills between Lac-Mégantic and Saint-Georges de Beauce. At Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion all the processes of transforming the milk into cheese are done by hand; mixing the milk, cutting and stirring the curd, molding and brushing and salting the wheels are all done in the traditional manner by hand.

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers pairs well with a Québec cidre de glace (apple ice-cider). The Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion suggests trying slices of the Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers melted over sliced pears that have been braised in maple syrup. Delicious.

http://joyeuxfromagers.wordpress.com/

Pacific Rock

Pacific Rock is a firm, washed rind, pasteurised cow-milk cheese from La Maison Alexis de Portneuf located in Saint Raymond de Portneuf near Quebec City.

                                                                                                                            

Pacific Rock is a firm, aged, farm-style, pressed cheese similar to Red Leicester cheese from England.

Pacific Rock has an orange coloured washed-rind sprinkled with a white powdery dusting. The paste has an eye-catching rich deep-orange hue and a firm texture very similar to cheddar cheese but more moist and crumbly. Pacific Rock has a slightly nutty, caramel, mellow flavour with a citrus tangy finish.

Pacific Rock is a versatile cheese; it can be added to salads and sauces, it melts beautifully and is a colourful addition to any cheese plate. Pacific Rock pairs well with a brown ale or a full-bodied white like Muscadet or Chenin Blanc.

Pacific Rock gets its name from Canada's beautiful West Coast, which is bordered by steep cliffs that drop into the Pacific Ocean. La Maison Alexis de Portneuf's founding ancestor, Alexis Cayer had traveled to the west coast on the Canadian Pacific train and was captivated by the breathtaking landscape.

La Maison Alexis de Portneuf is committed to preserve the quality and authentic character of every specialty cheese they produce. The World Champion Le Cendrillon, La Sauvagine, Saint-Honoré, La Roche Noire are but a few, among the vast selection of cheese they produce.

http://www.alexisdeportneuf.com

Mimolette

Mimolette cheese is also known as Boule de Lille after its city of origin, Lille in Nord Pas de Calais, France. It is also known as vieux Hollande and in some areas of Belgium and the Netherlands Mimolette is known as Commissiekaas.

It is said that Mimolette was originally made by the request of Louis XIV, who was looking for a French cheese to replace the very popular Edam cheese from Holland. However to differentiate it from Edam, they coloured the cheese with annatto, a natural orange colorant.

This 6 months aged Mimolette is produced by Isigny Sainte-Mère, a cooperative dairy located in Normandie, France.  The fame and fortune of Isigny Sainte-Mère was built on the unique flavour of its butter and the rich, silky texture of its crème fraîche. Isigny Sainte-Mère produces approximately 60% of the Mimolette in France.

Mimolette is a round shaped, uncooked, pressed paste, pasteurised cow's milk cheese, weighing 2.5 to 3 kg (5.5 to 6.5 pounds). Apart from its distinctive round melon shape, slightly flattened on top and bottom, Mimolette has a stricking bright orange coloured paste.

Mimolette can be eaten at various stages of maturity. A young, Mimolette (aged 3 months) has a moist semi-firm springy paste and rind.  With the semi-old (aged 6 months), old (aged 12 months) and extra-old (aged 18-24 months) the paste of the Mimolette darkens to a deeper pumpkin coloured hue and becomes much harder with age, sometimes even hard to chew.

The greyish-tan textured crusty rind on an aged Mimolette is the result of Acarus siro mites. The action of these living cheese mites on the surface of the Mimolette contributes to its peculiar appearance and distinctive earthy flavor and intense aroma.

Most cheese lovers will appreciate an aged Mimolette for its exquisite spicy, salty flavour and its wonderful lingering caramelized butterscotch finish. Mimolette pairs nicely with desert wines such as a French Banyuls.

http://www.isigny-ste-mere.com

Pionnier

What happens when two of Quebec's finest cheesemakers collaborate to fabricate a new cheese? You get, what I believe to be one of Canada's greatest cheese; Pionnier.

Pionnier is a firm, washed rind, cooked paste cheese, made from a blend of raw cow and sheep milks. The large 40 KG wheels which are aged for 10 to 12 months are branded with a muslin label integrated in the crust.

The history of the Pionnier is explained on the muslin label; "C’EST ELLE, C’EST LUI, C’EST EUX", which translates to "It's Her, It's Him, It's THEM". She is Marie-Chantal Houde from Fromagerie Nouvelle-France (maker of Zacharie Cloutier winner of the 2011 Sélection Caseus Gold & 2013 Bronze), he is Jean Morin from Fromagerie du Presbytère (maker of Louis-D'Or winner of the 2012 Sélection Caseus Émérite and Bleu d'Elizabeth winner of the 2013 Sélection Caseus Gold and 2013 Émérite award). They have put their hands and heads together to create the Pionnier another award winning cheese (2013 Sélection Caseus Bronze & a special award for Best Raw Milk Cheese).

The Pionnier has a lovely honey coloured paste that is rich and creamy. Pionnier has a strong fruity, buttery and hazelnut flavor, with a perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, followed by a complex lasting aftertaste. This artisanal mountain style cheese reminds me of the French Savoie cheeses; Abondance and Beaufort d'Alpage.

Remember, Pionnier is an artisanal cheese and is produced in limited editions. If you get your hands on a piece, savour it.  The Pionnier pairs nicely with a white Chardonnay de Chablis or a Merlot de Savoie.

www.fromagepionnier.com

Le Maréchal

Le Maréchal is a firm raw cow's milk cheese produced by Fromagerie De Granges in the Vaud region of Switzerland.

Artisan cheesemaker Jean-Michel Rapin from Granges-Marnand in Broye started making Le Maréchal in 1992. The cheese is named after his grandfather Emile Rapin who was a blacksmith-farrier, which is called a maréchal-ferrant in French. A large picture of his grandfather which reflects his original and robust character is on the label of every wheel of Le Maréchal.

The cheesemaker and a team of local dairy farmers that supply the milk to make Le Maréchal, are bound by an agreement they created to guarantee good quality milk in a production process that looks after the cows and nature in general and guarantee an original, creamy tasting cheese.

Le Maréchal is a robust mountain style cheese similar to Gruyere but the wheels are much smaller weighing 6 kg. It is aged for 130 days. During the ripening process the rind is hand-rubbed with aromatic herbs.

Le Maréchal has a dry brown rind that is flecked with herbs. The firm cooked pressed paste has a beautiful golden colour which is smooth and solid with few holes. It has a nutty and herbal aroma.

Le Maréchal has a melt in your mouth texture and a rich, nutty flavour with sweet tones of butterscotch and berries.

Pairs nicely with figs and a glass of dry white wine or a Beaujolais.

www.le-marechal.ch/

Photo source : www.lake-geneva-region.ch

Ibores

Ibores is a firm raw goat-milk cheese from the ruggedly beautiful region of Extremadura in the province of Cáceres in the southwest part of Spain.

Ibores cheese has a Denomination of Origin protection; it is made exclusively from whole, raw milk from goats of the Serrana, Verata, Retinta breeds and their crossbreeds. Ibores cheese is matured a minimum of 60 days, some wheels labeled 'Artisanal" are aged at least 100 days.

Ibores comes in a small 1.2 kg (2 lbs.) flat cylindrical wheel measuring 15 cm (6") across and approximately 9 cm (3.5") high. It has a striking orange-ochre colour rind that has been rubbed with pimentón (paprika) and a dense ivory colour paste with a few small crevices.

Ibores has a buttery and moist texture with a pleasant creamy taste on the palate. Ibores is slightly acidic and a moderately piquant flavour with a lovely goat-milk lingering tangy finish.

Ibores pairs nicely with an oaky flavoured Spanish red wine from Rioja.

http://www.quesoibores.org

Chemin Hatley

Chemin Hatley is a firm organic cheese made by Fromagerie La Station de Compton located in Québec's Eastern Townships.

Chemin Hatley is named after the road that stagecoaches used to travel on between Québec and Boston. La Station's farm and cheese factory are located along this Hatley Road located in Compton in Southeastern Québec.

This farmstead cheese comes in a 4 KG wheel which is ripened for 3 months and made with organic thermised cow-milk. The pressed semi-cooked paste is cream-coloured with a rather smooth elastic texture that features small crevices. Chemin Hatley has an orangey coloured rind and a distinct floral aroma.

Chemin Hatley has a creamy buttery texture with a moderate fruity aftertaste. Chemin Hatley pairs well with a fresh aromatic white wine from Bordeaux.

 

Fromagerie La Station de Compton is operated by Pierre Bolduc with his wife Carole and their sons. Their certified organic farm produces award winning farmstead cheeses such as Alfred Le Fermier, one of my favourite Quebec raw milk firm cheese, their popular Raclette de Compton as well as Comtomme.

http://www.fromagerielastation.com/

Don Heliodoro

Don Heliodoro is a unique ewe´s milk cheese produced by Central Quesera Montesinos located in Jumilla in the Region of Murcia in the southeast of Spain. Montesinos has been a leading Spanish manufacturer of specialty cheeses since 1978.

Don Heliodoro is a delightful firm sheep-milk cheese that is covered with rosemary. It is produced in both pasteurised and raw milk versions and also without rosemary. The cheese is bathed in virgin olive oil every 15 days during the first months of affinage and then it is covered with rosemary and left to mature anywhere from 6 to 14 months depending on the type.

Don Heliodoro comes in a 3 kg wheel measuring 19 cm (7 1/2") in diameter and 10 cm (4") high. Don Heliodoro has that pleasant Pecorino aroma, characteristic to sheep's milk cheeses. Don Heliodoro is firm with a pale yellow paste that is dense yet still crumbly in texture. The cheese has a pleasant acidity, a bit spicy with rich olive oil and nutty flavours. Don Heliodoro is a real delight for all fine cheese lovers.

Don Heliodoro pairs nicely with a thick body red like a Sangiovese wine such as a Chianti Classico or a Spanish Malbec.

http://www.montesinos.es/

Valbert

Valbert is one of Québec's finest artisanal cheeses produced by La Fromagerie Lehmann located in Hébertville in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Québec.

Valbert is a non-pasteurized cow-milk cheese with a firm, semi-cooked, pressed paste. Valbert is a large mountain style 6 KG cylindrical wheel that is aged a minimum of 6 months. The brushed rind has a golden-pink hue with the name Valbert embedded in its rind. The firm, cream coloured paste has small crevices that develop as it ages.

The Valbert I selected is aged 12 months. It has a chewy texture with a wonderful nutty, buttery flavour and quite a pronounced lingering fruity taste. It paired nicely with a white Riesling.

Valbert, received its name in homage of the Swiss hamlet the Lehmann family is originally from, located in the foothills of the Jura mountains.

Jacob and Marie Lehmann and their children arrived in Lac-St-Jean and started farming in 1983. The area's cool climate, the high quality grasslands due to the fertile soil and the Lehmann's passion for the love of the land all play an important role in the distinguished cheeses produced at La Fromagerie Lehmann.

The Lehmann's selected the Brown Swiss cow for their farm, as this breed is distinguished for its ability to transform grass and hay in one of the richest milk. For generations, the Brown Swiss has also made its mark in the production of high quality cheese.

From when they young and even today, the Lehmann children Sem, Isaban and Léa have all been involved. Whether it's caring for the animals and pastures, helping with the milk and cheese production to the marketing duties, every member of the family plays an important role to achieve a delicious and acclaimed product. 

Kénogami (a soft washed rind cheese), Pikauba (a semi-firm pressed paste cheese) and Valbert are all award winning artisanal cheeses produced by La Fromagerie Lehmann.

 According to Jacob Lehmann;

“Since the land is so precious, we must take care of it. We do not use GMOs, pesticides or chemical fertilizer. We count on a large variety of forage plants to provide a healthy diet of hay for our animals in the summer and grains in the winter.”

“At “Fromagerie Lehmann”, our entirely artisan production is based on a balance between the plants, the animals and the humans in creating a natural-flavoured, durable product.”

“Artisan products …. a philosophy, a way of life.”

Jacob Lehmann of Fromagerie Lehmann was the laureate of Le Renaud Cyr 2012. A recognition of his savoir-faire and contribution to Quebec's artisanal produce and cuisine.

Source:

http://fromagesduquebec.qc.ca