"Cheese Bites" ... A Fab Five ...

I was chatting with Anneke, a gal-buddy of mine up along the Sunshine Coast; a good Dutch girl who loves her cheese. She was bemoaning the cost, and the too large size of the pre-packaged artisan cheeses up where she is in BC, Canada, and she can't seem to use it all up before it becomes a “science project.”

It reminded me again, what a benefit it is to seek out a cheesemonger who cuts their own cheese and can provide you with a smaller portion—usually a minimum of ¼-oz—to suit your individual need. But, we all aren’t so fortunate to have one close at hand.

However, I was just at Haggens in Fairhaven (Bellingham, WA) this morning and while in the cheese section of the supermarket was delighted to see a basket of single portion .06-lb cheese, called “Cheese Bites” available for purchase. I found a Tintern, a Cotswold, Beecher's "No Woman," Irish Whiskey Cheddar and Chipotle Cheddar.

I commented to the cashier how pleased I was with their Cheese Bites and she said they are very popular. Their client base includes a lot of students and retired folks. If your store doesn’t already do so, ask the store manager if they will package and sell these solo servings. They want your business, so why not ask?

Ah, but now let’s get down to the fun stuff … All five cheeses are made with pasteurized cow’s milk.

Tintern is a mature, very creamy cheddar, blended with chives and shallots. I really enjoyed the taste of the chives, but it didn’t overpower the cheese. Tintern has a distinctive bright green wax covering. It’s named after the Abby of the White Monks of Tintern in Wales. Shelf life is around 4 months and you can find out more about it at www.somerdale.co.uk/abergavenny.htm .

Cotswold is an English double Glouster w/chives. Very tasty, much like a mild cheddar with the added taste of the chives, but more creamy, not as crumbly. It would be super with crackers and grapes, or melt it in an omelet or a casserole.

I could well understand how Cotswold and Tintern are called “pub cheese” and would taste good with beer, unless you must have wine with your cheese and then would recommend a full-flavor red.

No Woman is by Beecher’s Handmade Cheese. Wow! I liked this one! Jamaican Jerk spices are added, which gives the cheese a warm, smoky, spicy flavor. It left a really enjoyable aftertaste on my tongue. If you go to their website: http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/ you’ll see they recommend serving it with dried mango and roasted almonds. I had it with a crisp apple and almonds … perfection! They also recommend pairing with beer or wine: a Hefeweizen or Red Ale, or a chardonnay.

Irish Whiskey Cheddar is a rich and creamy aged cheddar with unique undertones of the smooth, woody and robust taste of pure Irish whiskey. Entrenched in the history and traditions of Ireland, cheddar and whiskey are a dynamic duo. One thing I didn’t care for was that it seemed to coat the inside of my mouth. A good taste, but these other cheeses didn’t have that lingering feel.

I left the Chipotle Cheddar from Rogue Creamery for last because I thought it would have the strongest taste and I didn’t want it to overwhelm the taste of a more mild cheese. This is a tangy cheddar base, marbled with ground chipotle peppers. It’s briefly aged to infuse the cheddar with the KA-POW of chipotle. When I first bit into this cheese, I was surprised it didn’t have more of an immediate chipotle taste, but then the flavor literally unfolded in my mouth. This would be yummy on quesadillas or in chicken mole. Check out more on this cheese at http://www.roguecreamery.com/.

... a delectible cheese with which to end the taste of the Fab Five Cheese Bites!

Coming soon: my visit to Grace Harbor Goat Farm in Custer, WA.

Friends bearing gifts ...

I was to meet some friends for happy hour at Packers Oyster Bar at Semiahmoo Resort. Julie Viereck was waiting for us when I arrived. She came bearing gift. She unwrapped a wedge of something green and said, “taste this cheese.” One does not tell Julie, “No.” So, taste, I did. A rush of wasabi horseradish overwhelmed my mouth. Whoa there, Nellie-san!



I like flavor infused cheese, but I had never had anything like this. It’s handcrafted by Yancey’s Fancy out of Corfu, New York. They offer among other cheeses, a line of six flavored cheddar cheeses, this Wasabi being one of the six. Their Jalapeño/Peppadew™ Cheddar is a consistent award winner, and I’ll have to try that one at another time.



Although my prior experience with wasabi had always been in conjunction with sashimi or in a California roll, I can well imagine this cheese melted on a piping hot baked potato accompanying a T-bone steak. I understand it doesn’t stand up to cooking, but would be interesting to pair up with some other dish. We ate it with sharp cheddar crackers and pretzel-like crackers. I found it went better with the cheddar crackers.

Yancey’s Fancy uses local pastuerized cow milk in their traditional Euro-style cheeses, which is then cured on Canadian hardwood shelves. They employ hands-0n techniques and pride themselves on the "unique 'mouth feel' and taste sensation." They can be reached directly at http://www.yanceysfancy.com/ or (585) 599-4448 857 Main Road, Corfu, NY 14036. Check out their website for the rest of their cheese line.



Or go to your local Costco. Julie said a recipe card was included with the Wasabi Cheddar that she bought there. I think it cost around $5.49/lb at Costco. Yancey’s Fancy offers a 100% money back guarantee.

Sayonara!

A little bit of this, a bit of that, add up to WOW!

Wednesday evening Antje and her sister, Nel, invited me over to share a bottle of wine. It was a last minute gathering and we threw together an impromptu platter of leftovers. I brought along what I had left of a really great Humboldt Fog® aged goat cheese, sliced kielbasa, and some raspberry jam. Antje cut some spinach naan she had purchased at Trader Joe’s, and had some black olive tapenade she had made, leftover from some other gathering.

We spread the creamy Humboldt Fog on the naan with the tapenade … a trio made in heaven! The raspberry jam was a wild-hair choice, but the sweet complemented the goat cheese when combined on the naan flat bread.

Oh baby, it was a feast! A nice, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. WOW. No fuss, no muss; all great tasting! Only topped by the great conversation enjoyed that evening.

Thanks, Antje!

I purchased the Humboldt Fog at The Market at Birch Bay here in Washington. Check out your local supermarket or cheesemonger. The taste sensation will be well-worth the search.

While on the subject of goat cheese, I just visited Tim and Grace Lukens at their Grace Harbor Goat Farm in Custer, WA. Look for upcoming article and photographs.

Humboldt Fog®
Our signature offering, Humboldt Fog® is an elegant, soft, surface ripened cheese. The texture is creamy and luscious with a subtle tangy flavor. Each handcrafted wheel features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash along its center and a coating of ash under its exterior to give it a distinctive, cake-like appearance. An American Original.

Cypress Grove Chevre
www.cypressgrovechevre.com
1330 Q Street, Arcata, CA 95521 (707) 825-1100
info@cypressgrovechevre.com