Keepin' it simple ...

I don’t think it’s necessary to be snobby about artisan cheese. Admittedly, there are cheeses that are held in very high esteem—cheese royalty; sought after because of their extraordinary flavor or provenance. It’s awesome to consider that Americans have access to a broad and delicious diversity of cheese from the world over (Look for an upcoming article about local neighborhood grocery stores carrying artisan cheese.) And, true, there are people so well attuned and trained that they can taste a cheese and identify in the taste alone the specific dairy the cheese came from and whether it was a spring cheese or winter. But, I’m a simple woman, and I’m on a simple journey to experience artisan cheese.

Here’s a perfect example of what I mean.

After getting home late from work last night I didn’t really want to fix an all-out meal. I looked through my pantry and came across a can of Progresso Traditional Hearty Chicken and Rotini soup. Good enough. A can of soup is a great leaping off point.

I cut up a little chicken I had leftover from the night before, tossed it into the soup heating in a pan, sprinkled in a little Oregano, a pinch or two or three of Chicken Seasoning (garlic, salt, onion, lemon and orange peel, red pepper) and I was ready to dine; 10 minutes flat. It was fast, filling, and tasty, but was missing that yummy-factor.

I went through the refrigerator to see what else I could add to the soup, and came across a little bit of Comté. It’s firm enough to grate, so why not? I dished up the hot soup, grated a couple of tablespoons or so of the Comté on top of the soup and dug in with gusto. It MADE the simple soup a delightful experience! Amazing how a little grated artisan cheese transformed my canned soup from ho hum to Mama mia!

KISS

Comté or Gruyère de Comté
Alpine, hard, natural-rind cheese made from cow’s milk. Fat (45%). Has a taste that is only slightly fruity and a little stronger than its mild-tasting cousin, Emmenthal. The paste is ivory yellow and firm, and the crust is a bit rough. Comes in convex-walled wheel of about 75-lbs. This cheese has been made since the 13th century. Enjoyed with a red Burgundy, a Côtes-duRhône, a Muscadet or even with Beer. (A Basic Guide to Cheese by Pascale Maby)

Care for a little honey with that?

While my friend Susan and I were indulging in a bagel-n-cream cheese and coffee at the Bellingham Barnes and Noble, I chanced upon a copy of a new cheese periodical, culture magazine. This baby is published four times a year and I had the Spring issue in hand.

Lovely presentation of information and photography; articles about artisan cheese things of interest here and abroad. I'm going to learn a lot flipping through these pages! I also think I put on 5-lbs just reading about Gorwyld Caerphilly from Wales, and the honey drizzled Picolo made at Andante Dairy in Petaluma, CA, or boar sausage with an Italian Pecorino.

So many cheeses, so little time! I'll do the best I can.

Culture is published Winter-Spring-Summer-Autumn by Cheese Toast, Inc., in Lynnefield, MA, for a mere pittance of $30 per year.

You can subscribe at www.culturecheesemag.com

Check with your local library to see if they carry this magazine. Maybe you can even ask if they would consider offering it! Do your part for cheeselovers everywhere!

Treasures in our own backyard ...

Isn’t it often the case that a treasure trove in one’s own neighborhood is often overlooked? That would do such a disservice to Pleasant Valley Dairy in Ferndale, WA. I drive by this family-owned and operated dairy frequently during the course of a month. It just makes sense to start my cheese sojourn close to home.

Ownership of the dairy just recently passed to the third generation of Snook: Seth and Jenny. Joyce Snook is the cheesemaker, and they create raw whole milk Gouda, Farmstead and Mutschli (Moo’shlee).

All of their cheese is from fresh raw whole cow’s milk. Their “ladies” have consistently won top quality milk awards. They look peaceful and well cared for as they wander about the fields. Several came up to me and let me scratch their foreheads. Soft brown Poppy was particularly sweet.

Because the Pleasant Valley cheese is made with raw milk, they age the cheese for at least 60 days. They also offer a longer aged Farmstead, which imparts an agreeable sharpness.

Joyce makes the Pleasant Valley Gouda in the tradition of a Dutch culturing process, with the European style red wax covering. It has a creamy texture, mellow with a nut-like flavor.

Their Farmstead is created using a French process. Compared to the Gouda, it is a little dryer and the texture is firmer, and the flavor isn’t quite as sweet as the Gouda.

The third type of cheese they offer is Mutschli, made with a process from the mountains of Switzerland. It’s a smooth, firm cheese; sweet with a nut-like flavor.

If that weren’t enough, Joyce hand blends their Gouda with caraway, cumin, jalapeño, Fines Herbes, and/or peppercorn. They also offer a natural, wood smoked Gouda. And during the Christmas season they offer a clove blended Gouda.

I particularly enjoy the Fines Herbes and the smoked Gouda.

I threw together a bacon salad for dinner a couple of nights ago and decided to include thinly sliced farmstead, aged 90 days. I dressed the salad with a mango juice/orange juice/olive oil. What a lovely contrast in tastes!

Pleasant Valley shapes their cheese into 2 or 6-pound wheels, after which they are placed in a salt brine for a short time and then age them naturally in their curing room. If you don’t want a whole wheel, Jenny will cut your order to your specification.

Check them out for yourself!

Pleasant Valley Dairy is at 6804 Kickerville Road, Ferndale, WA 98248. You can e-mail them at cheese98248@yahoo.com. Credit cards are not accepted. Open 10am-6pm Closed Sundays. Their website is undergoing revamp and they hope to be shipping their delightful cheeses.