September 2017 Cheese Club

Fall is my favourite time of the year!  Usually, September provides relief from the heat and humidity of August and leaves begin their transformation to stunning shows with shades of orange, red and yellow.  The weather is perfect to get together with friends for a last picnic or for a walk in the woods, and apples are ready to be picked.

It is also a great time of the year to enjoy wine and cheese!  (When isn’t?)  This month, cheese club members will have a selection of cheeses to savour on their own or to incorporate in cooking.  You could make croutons with Perles de chèvre and use them as topping on hot squash soup, Le Délice des Appalaches for making Broccoli Cheddar and Apple Gratin or the 4 year cheddar with a warm apple pie.  Delicious!

Cheese Club – September 2017

FROMAGERIE CAITYA, Sawyerville, Québec

Les Perles  de Chèvre with Garlic

• Type of milk: Goat’s milk
• Texture: Soft

This soft fresh bright tasting goat’s milk cheese is marinated in canola oil and garlic and parsley. You can add these to your salad or serve them on a slice of bread or crust, heated in an overhead broiler.  You can also use them to garnish a pizza or focaccias.  The leftover oil makes an excellent, flavourful dressing (1 tbsp  of balsamic vinegar for 3 tbsps of leftover oil, salt , pepper!  You can replace the balsamic vinegar with lemon juice or lime juice.

Tasting Notes

Les Perles de chèvre with garlic offers a discrete goat cheese flavour and reveals notes of hazelnut.  The brittle texture soon softens in the mouth.  The garlic taste is subtle, leaving the delicate tasty, soft and creamy texture to do their magic.  The caprine taste is not too strong and just adds to the overall flavour dancing in your mouth.

Pairing opportunities:

If you combine this cheese with other ingredients choose a wine that complements the more dominant flavour.  If you enjoy the cheese on a baguette or a cracker, choose a fruitier white wine such as the Fetzer Chardonnay or Nederburg The Winemaster’s Sauvignon Blanc.  The delicate flavours of Les Perles pair well with fruity light red wines such as the Seriously Cool Red VQA Red Blend.  When choosing a fresh, crisp beer for this cheese try the Schneider Weisse.  For those who prefer a non-alcoholic alternative try apple juice or elderflower cordial.

FROMAGERIE RANG 9, Plessiville , Québec

Le Délice des Appalaches

• Type of milk: Pasteurized Cow’s milk
• Texture: Semi-soft
• Awards and distinctions: 2015 World Cheese Awards Silver medal winner in the Soft or Unpressed Cows’ Milk Cheese with Savoury Additives class.

Aside from the fact that it’s a true delight, its name, Le Délice des Appalaches, is inspired by the fact that the cheese maker is located in Plessisville, at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, a region where the climate is especially conducive to growing exceptional forage and raising dairy herds of unparalleled quality.

Tasting Notes

Le Délice des Appalaches has a soft, creamy, generous texture that lingers in the mouth, giving you time to discover the aroma and flavour of a well-aged cheese enhanced by the delicious flavours and aromas of Pomme de Glace ice cider made by the Clos Saint-Denis orchard.  Eat it at any hour of the day, and daydream about all the different ways you can cook with it.  It works seamlessly with cranberries, hazelnuts, and maple syrup.  It melts very well, making it ideal for a fondue or in a béchamel sauce to accompany pork dishes.

Pairing opportunities

If looking to pair this cheese with red wine look for a Cabernet Sauvignon such as the Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon or a Syrah like the Fat Bastard Syrah Pays d’Oc.  Le Délice des Appalaches pairs well with a semi-dry Prosecco like the Astoria Prosecco or a Pinot Grigio such as the Gabbiano Pinot Grigio IGT.  When choosing a beer look for a less hoppy beer; try the Tyskie Beer.

 Fromagerie des Basques, Trois-Pistoles, Québec

4 year old Cheddar

• Type of milk: pasteurized cow’s milk
• Texture: Firm

This 4 Year Old Cheddar is everything you would expect from this Canadian staple.  It is firm and white, yielding eventually to gentle pressure to crack and crumble into satisfying, bite sized pieces.  Perfect on dark piece of bread topped with an apple wedge, on a hearty whole grain cracker to match its full flavour, or, a warm apple pie.

Tasting notes

This firm pressed cheese has a creamy yellow colour and a smooth texture.  It has a mild and milky aroma and the rich flavours of the milk and hazelnut becomes more pronounced with age.  At four years old, it is sharp and piquant, but with a soft and pleasing after taste. The real treat here is the pairing of this cheese with the 49% Ludwig chocolate. Who would have guessed that two wildly different tastes could come together to create such a scrumptious flavour combination? Take it from us – pairing cheddar and chocolate creates a culinary combo of sublime delight.

Pairing opportunities

Best to pair this cheddar with medium-bodied wines that have aromas of ripened fruit or woody notes.   A Pinot Noir or Merlot are good choices.  Try the Inniskillin Pinot Noir VQA or the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot.  A dry white like the Black Cellar Sauvignon Blanc or a Chablis like the Bouchard Père & Fils Petit Chablis would complement this cheddar.

You can also pair this with with a cold apple cider like the Strongbow Gold Apple Cider.  This cheddar is a perfect companion to dark, full bodied stouts and ales. Try it with the Broadhead Dark Horse Stout.