DECEMBER 2022 CHEESE CLUB

 
 

 WINE CLUB | CHEESE CLUB

ALL CLUB MEMBERS GET TO ENJOY THESE 3 CHEESES:

Queso Oveja Curado con Ajo Negro | La Mancha, Spain

Raw sheep’s milk
This hefty aged cheese screams “winter!” It’s from a region known for its robust, nutty, mature ewe’s milk cheese (think Manchego). You’ll get lush grassy notes, along with a bit of wool, walnuts, and a gob full of savory, earthy, umami black garlic.
From this month’s wine club lineup, this cheese pairs well with: 2019 Cérvoles Colors

Caña de Oveja | Murcia, Spain

Pasteurized ewe’s milk
Next up is another banger from Spain. This cream bomb comes in a log shape with a bloomed rind, like a brie, which means it ripens from the outside-in. Note the difference in texture between the creamline (that area just under the rind, which is the ripest part of the cheese) and the paste. Sheep’s milk has lots of solids — namely fats and proteins — so it tends to be very rich and mouth-filling.
Try it with: 2021 Vietti Moscato d'Asti

Appel Paneer | Ferndale, Washington, USA

Pasteurized cow’s milk
This is a local, Indian-style grilling cheese. And since winter is prime time for #hotcheese, we’d highly recommend tinking around with something extraordinary like this.
Now let’s nerd out a bit, shall we? Meltability in cheese is determined by its pH — the acidity levels in cheese generally range from 4.98-7.44. Any cheese with pH on either end of the spectrum will have fewer melting properties, meaning it will be more solid or more creamy depending on where it sits on the pH scale. Paneer rests on the lower end of the meltability spectrum with higher acidity, so it keeps its consistency even with heat. So pop it onto a griddle or grill, bake it in the oven, or fry it.
Try it with: Besides its saltiness, paneer is sort of a blank slate, so you can go savory or sweet with it. We’d recommend the 2021 Vignerons d'Estezargues “Cuvée des Galets”.

6-CHEESE MEMBERS ALSO GET TO ENJOY THESE 3:

Tomme de la Chataigneraie | Auvergne, France

Pasteurized goat’s milk
This gorgeous natural-rinded cheese has an almost powdery, lichen-looking exterior that might make you think it’s going to be a stinker. But it’s not! It’s sweet and yogurty with a vegetal note closer to the rind.
Try it with: Broadbent Rainwater Madeira

L’Etivaz | Canton of Vaud, Switzerland

Raw cow’s milk
Next up we have a traditional cheese is made in small batches, using copper cauldrons over an open fire and aging it in cool, humid caves. This cooked, pressed thing of beauty is very complex.
Try it with: It tastes of mountain pasture, and its roasty, toasty nuance comes out with a piping hot cup of coffee. For wine, try the 2020 Le Berger Bois d'Arlene Mediterranee.

Le Roulé | Champagne, France

Raw cow’s milk
To make this simple, fatty, fresh cheese, they take an acid coagulated cheese (a lot like cream cheese) and roll it in savory herbs (hence its name). This delightful bundle looks pretty on a cheese board and is a total crowd pleaser.
Try it with: NV Mary Taylor Veneto Frizzante

 
 

AND SOME TIPS TO KEEP YOUR CHEESE HAPPY AT HOME

  • Protect your cheese from drying out by keeping it in your fridge in a lidded container (like tupperware), a plastic baggie, or the crisper drawer.

  • After opening, always use fresh plastic wrap for any cheese you’re not planning to eat within a day, unless it’s being kept in a container (which we recommend).

  • In general, we suggest eating your cheese within a week or so of purchasing. Some cheeses will last longer, but, you know, why wait!

  • Keep bloomy rinds and blues separated when possible. The molds are quite zealous and will grow on any cheese they can latch onto, so just keep them in separate containers and you’ll be fine.

  • A word about mold: If it’s growing on your semi-firm or firm cheeses, just cut it off and eat it! This white and blue mold is just fine — these cheeses lack the water to host the nasty molds. But if mold is growing on your fresh mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, or fresh chèvre, throw it out.  The amount of water in these cheeses provides a great environment for the nasty stuff. If you start to see mold, you can be sure that the filaments are already running throughout the cheese :(

  • For the best flavors, take your cheese out of the fridge for an hour or so before serving. When cheeses are too cold, all their delicious flavors, aromas, and textures get shy. Serve at room temperature to enjoy to the fullest.

This month’s cheese was carefully curated by Seattle’s Resident Cheese Lady, Rachael Lucas, ACS CCP, CCSE. Rachael is a cheese buyer for the Ballinger Thriftway in Shoreline, a fromage writer for tastewashingtontravel.com, and she’s on the Board of Directors for WASCA (Washington State Cheesemaker’s Association).