Today I had the pleasure of trying out more of the cheeses from Taste of Cheese’s December Cheese Box and I have much to report on the Valencay. Not only is it phenomenal (cheese-tastic?) but it also has a great story behind it, and I’m a sucker for a good story.

Valencay is a raw-milk chevre from the Loire Valley in France. It’s lovely pyramid form is blanketed in a soft ash mould. Legend has it that the Valencay was at one time a pyramid with a point – NOT as in a cheese with something to say. When Napoleon returned to France after failing to conquer Eqypt, it is said that the sight of this pyramid of cheese pissed off the little guy to the point of saying “Off with it’s head!” (Wrong Frenchman – I know!!)

Anyways, after it’s evolution Valencay continued on to become a beloved French chevre, sweet with a bit of a tang and a texture which is a mix between crumbly and melty. It is a bit lactic and herbal and everything else that a great chevre should be!!

I wish I hadn’t tried this one first today. If it had been last on my list of 4 I would have definitely gobbled up more.. but it’s ok! I’m probably going to have to keep testing the Valencay. Maybe every day till it’s gone, you know, just to make sure it’s staying ok!!

Can’t wait!! yummmmmm!!

Stay posted for some exciting pics of the cheese label art I’ve been doing using the oodles of “etiquettes” (aka labels, in French) to make some sweet ephemeral design!!

Edel de Cleron

Another day, another cheese!

It seems that the need for photographing the cheese in Taste of Cheese’s cheese boxes has become my best reason for giving new or forgotten cheeses a try! Another one of the November Cheeses is the Edel de Cleron, a widely accepted pasteurized version of the Vacherin du Haute-Daubs… While I’m almost certain that I’ve tasted it before, I couldn’t remember what it tasted like – probably not a good sign!
So, after I broke it out of it’s little box, I took some pictures – and then some liberties with it. I could already detect it’s strong, barnyardy aroma before I even broke into the rind! Given my tendency to dislike these smelly cheeses, I could have just walked away, but instead I bravely cut into it’s light, sticky rind and dug out a little hunk. I stuck it up under my nose to force myself to really get the aroma and then I opened wide and popped it in.

And I must say, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I was expecting!! SO, I didn’t LOVE it. I wouldn’t DIE for it. But if someone said “Hey, Stacey! I have some Edel de Cleron here and I just can’t finish it” I would probably make myself available to assist them.

It was smooth and creamy, but much lighter than, say a rich triple cream. It did have that barny flavour but it wasn’t overpowering. I tend to go for sweeter cheeses, but if you’re not the same then this will be a great cheese for you. It had nutty, woody undertones that likely were brought forth by the strip of bark surrounding the little cake. Instead of seeming sour, it was more tangy. It would probably be better for me on a plain, crusty bread. All in all, it was much better than I expected… but still not my favourite. But you can’t really expect to love ‘em all, can you? well, maybe you can. I’m just not there yet.

If you can’t LIVE without this cheese, check out my November Cheese box at tasteofcheese.ca!

I’m heading up to a camp in Haliburton, ON this weekend (to get better at singing.. not cheese) so, have a wonderful fall weekend… take advantage of the supposed-to-be-warm weather!

World's Smelliest

Even though this is old news, I thought you might want to know what cheese you shouldn’t buy and then walk around with… people might start to think it’s you!

in 2004 the Vieux Boulogne was voted the world’s smelliest cheese by a robot  nose and a bunch of people noses! It’s smellier than a cheese that was banned on French public transit! ewww. I just don’t know if I’m brave enough to go out and try this one.

here’s the rest of the story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/beds/bucks/herts/4044703.stm

So here they are.. my bottom of the barrel, or barn! BUT – don’t take this list to mean you shouldn’t try these cheeses. In fact, go try them and come back and tell me why you think I’m completely crazy for not liking them!!

Again, I’ll go from the best of the worst, to my least favourite! I won’t bore you with super long descriptions, just some key words.

5) Pecorino Toscano Stagionato DOC, Italy, Sheep Milk
- Salty smell, more barn-like than the other Pecorino we tasted, too peppery

4) Liberty’s Cream, USA, Goat
- Goat taste should be hidden more but it is very strong, very lactic, odd herbal flavour

3) Roncal, Spain, Sheep Milk
- Very gamey, a strong sheepy aroma, grainy texture

2) Cabecou Feuille, France, Goat
- This little cheese is wrapped in a Chestnut leaf which leaves a very bitter, unpleasant flavour; off spicy aftertaste

1) Le Moulis, France, Cow Milk
- Smells like a barn, unpleasantly tangy, underlying bitterness, very yeasty.
The Winner of my cheese losers!

And there you have it, the cheeses I wont be begging to try again.

Cheese Plate at Artisanal Master Class

44 recorded cheeses. Many more that went undocumented. When you eat more than 50 different cheeses in 3 days, you’re bound to have some favourites, the ones that slide over your tongue like a breath of fresh air or a gulp of caramel. You’re also bound to have some that make your taste buds feel like you’re punishing them with dirty hay. After taking the Master Class at Artisanal, I definitely have some new favourite cheeses, and unfortunately I now have a docket of cheeses I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. Ok, well maybe that’s a little harsh!

The Winners: My Top 10
(I’ll start at 10 and work up to the very best one!!)

10) Manchego, Spain, Sheep Milk
The Manchego was sweet, caramelly, and nutty all at once! It had a dry, grainy, crystallized texture that you could really feel between your teeth. It was actually not as strong as I had expected it to be.  mmm mmm! It was like eating candy!

9)  Fleur du Maquis, France, Sheep Milk
This sweet little wheel of smooth sheep is encrusted with herbs like rosemary, fennel seeds, juniper berries and bird’s eye chile. This cheese has such a fresh, herbal flavour that carries throughout its smell and flavour. You could really taste the terroir (where it came from) of this cheese!

8 ) Comte DOP, France, Cow Milk
Comte is a firm, pressed cheese with a claim to fame! It has been stated that one can pick out over 83 distinct flavours! Maybe my palette just isn’t refined enough, because while I tasted a glorious mix of baked bread, nuttiness, chocolate, butter and cream, I definitely didnt taste 83 things! Nevertheless, this chewy cheese is going to be fannnntastic on some toast the next time I can get my hands on it!

7) Alp Drackloch, Switzerland, Cow Milk
Alp Drackloch is a yummy, luxurious cheese that a big Swiss cow made just for me! (let me dream, ok?) This very rare cheese is made only in the summer in a very specific region of Switzerland. Like my last pick, Alp is nutty and toasty on my tongue and the strong taste lingers around for a while even after all is said and done… a great way to drag out eating cheese!

6) Sea Hive, USA, Cow Milk
When I saw this cheese on the tasting list, I was so excited! I had been reading about this honey-rubbed and salt-encrusted cheese for ages before I made it down to NYC! Sea Hive is a firm cheese that exudes a perfect sweet and salty flavour. The saltiness comes through strongly with a bit of a spicy bite. It’s so complex it makes my head spin – I had to try a few bites before I really could appreciate the whole thing!

5) Rocky Sage, New York, Goat Milk
Rocky Sage is a light, fresh goat cheese made by Coach in New York State… Coach, you say? A cheese made by a noted bag and accessory designer?? How could it be bad! I half expected the cheese to come covered in the Coach logo, but I was instead met with a cloudy white cone of smooth goat cheese. It was a tad chalky yet still crisp, herbal and even a bit spicy! Overall, it was a designer delight! (I didn’t, however, like the rind… but to each their own!)

4) Smokey Oregon Blue, Oregon, Cow Milk
Smokey Oregon by Rogue Creamery was the only blue to hit my top 10, and why, might you ask? Because every morsel of it was udder (excuse my pun!) perfection! It has a sweet and smokey smell, that translates seamlessly into the lingering taste. The smokey flavour is subtle, not overbearing and the 100% natural full cream makes each bite melt away. The whole cheese has a fudge-like quality! This is one cheese I might even drink a beer for! We were suggested to try it with a Rogue Brewery Chocolate Stout… which sounds pretty tasty, if I might say so!

3) Ossau-Iraty, France, Sheep Milk
Ossau-Iraty is a fantastic, firm, fabulous cheese! It is delectably smooth and goes down like a dream. It is nutty and fruity and sharp and sweet all at the same time, which almost seems impossible! It is a buttery concoction of ewe curds that will never get old.

2) Nettle Meadow Kunik, New York, Goat Milk
Butter. Cream. Tangy. Sweet. Smooth. Refreshing. Clear. All of these are fittingly used to describe this Triple Cream of all Triple Creams. Of every cheese we tasted, this was the most amazing creamy cheese. I can’t say I tasted it in bites, because it was so smooth there was nothing to bite down on! It slid over my taste buds and definitely left them wanting more… I had to refrain from eating my piece in just one big bite – I thought that might be rude! I truly can’t even put into words all of the wonderful things about this cheese. You’ll just have try it for yourself.

1) Gouda (Aged 4 Years), Netherlands, Cow Milk
If you love salty and sweet, like I do, than this old Gouda is just for you! It looks and tastes like caramel and butterscotch, with sugar crystals breaking through in each bite. It has a big, bold, lingering flavour that rests in your mouth like the chewy outside of a candied apple. The salt makes each taste complex and makes me want to taste it many more times! If I were ever to taste a cheese I might want to sprinkle on some ice cream, this is the one! I wonder if that would be gross?

And there you have it! 10 amazing cheeses! Next up, the ones that didn’t make my cut.