MAY 2023 CHEESE CLUB

 
 

 WINE CLUB | CHEESE CLUB

ALL CLUB MEMBERS GET TO ENJOY THESE 3 CHEESES:

Buche du Chévre | Loire Valley, France

Pasteurized goat’s milk
This bloomy rinded cheese ripens like a brie, which means ripening occurs from its downy, bloomed rind on the outside-inward. The soft, gooey layer under the rind, known as the creamline, is the ripest part of the paste. It’ll have more nuance than the rich, creamy, warmed milky paste in the center. Note the textural complexity in this cheese that elicits a whole lotta “mmmmm”s.
From this month’s wine club lineup, this cheese pairs well with: 2021 Marco Felluga Friuli Bianco

Black Sheep Fresh | Chehalis, Washington, USA

Pasteurized ewe’s milk
This local freshie is a seasonal cheese that’s only made in the spring and summer when the animals are grazing on lush pasture. It’s a clean, bright, tangy, soft cheese with full-fat richness, a tick of sweetness, and kiss of honey and vanilla. As the season progresses and the animals are fattening up on grass, flowers, herbs, and whatever else they can find in the pasture, the solids (fats and proteins) increase, which creates more complexity in the cheese.
Try it with: NV Alma4 Almacita Brut

Tomme de Rilhac | Corrèze, France

Raw cow’s milk
Now for a rustic truckle from central France. Whenever there’s not enough milk for a full wheel of Cantal or Salers, this approachable dude is usually what’s produced. It tends to be a winter milk fromage whilst the cows are grazing on dry hay, which produces a protein-rich cheese with a light blonde hue. The younger version is a great melter, but the more aged version has been inundated with cirons (cheese mites are not just for mimolette!). These mites help to enzymatically break down the cheese and impart a greater deal of complexity and earthy tones.
Try it with: 2020 Jaboulet Parallel 45 Cotes du Rhone Blanc

6-CHEESE MEMBERS ALSO GET TO ENJOY THESE 3:

Griffin | Thomasville, Georgia, USA

Raw cow’s milk
This porter-washed tomme comes from cows who are lucky enough to graze on pasture year-round, and this makes for a bright freshness in the cheese that can’t be replicated. The malty notes from the porter don’t impart a beery flavor — rather, they impart complexity and a warm character.
Try it with: 2022 Bodega Krontiras Mikron Malbec

Bethmale du Chévre | Bethmale Valley, France

Raw goat’s milk
Next up is this aged, washed rind tomme from the French Pyrénées. It boasts notes of dusty peanut butter, wildflowers, young stone fruits, and so much more. Bethmale has a pliable texture, and it melts like the best of 'em. Don’t be afraid of that stank — this cheese is quite friendly. It’s stink and pink season (stinky cheese and rosé, that is)!
Try it with: 2022 Mas de Valériole 'Vé' IGP Mediteranée Rosé

Pecorino Tuada | Tuscany, Italy

Pasteurized sheep’s milk
Pecorino Tuada is an ash-coated cheese that gets aged in caves for 8-9 months — enough time to develop a firmer texture and impart a sweet, nutty, earthy complexity that’s typical of aged ewe’s milk formaggio.
Try it with: 2021 Lovely Creatures Cabernet Sauvignon

 
 

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).