This month we decided to feature one remarkable cheese maker: Glengarry Fine Cheese. They are located in Eastern Ontario just north of the village of Lancaster, on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. Margaret Peters-Morris & her team make delicious cheeses from the fresh milk of their Holsteins raised on the family farm. Margaret, a self-taught cheese maker, went from making cheese at home to running the most successful cheese shop in the region. So enjoy three of their their mouth-watering offerings!
Glengarry Fine Cheese, Lancaster, Ontario
Glengarry Fine Cheese is situated on the farm of Margaret Peters-Morris’ family ancestral lands. It is farmed by the Peters family and provides the quality hay, grass and grains which the Holstein herd is fed each year. The dairy is across the road from the cheese factory, the milk that goes in their quality artisan cheese begins at the family farm.
Figaro
- Type of milk: pasteurized cow’s milk
- Texture: Soft
The Figaro, made in the tradition of Chaource cheese from the Champagne region of France, is a soft surface-ripened lactic cow’s milk cheese. The Figaro differentiates itself by its mild milky and fresh taste when the cheese is young but that becomes more intense when aged to 6 weeks. It has a very delicate texture with a unique rind that combines appearance of both ripening moulds and yeasts. Aged 3 weeks, shelf life 8 weeks.
Tasting Notes
The softness of Figaro “delivers cheesecake ecstasy on the tongue with its rich creamy texture” (Kathy Guidi). It has a thin skin rind that encases a sweet-to-tangy, dense and luxuriant interior. Cheese maker Margaret Morris says that, “at two to three weeks old the cheese will be fresh, lactic and mushroomy, and, as it ages it will start to ripen and become ‘fondue-like’ under the crust.” It is absolutely delicious, full of yeasty aromas, complex texture, and musky finish.
Pairing opportunities:
A light-bodied Riesling with fresh apple and citrus flavours would nicely accompany Figaro. Figaro has delicate notes and a delightfully smooth texture pairing well a young Cabernet Sauvignon. When choosing a beer to pair with Figaro look for a softer, fruitier beer like the St-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale.
Big Brother
- Type of milk: Pasteurized cow’s milk
- Texture: Semi-firm (according to Glengarry – we think it leans to firm)
Tasting notes
This is a robust washed rind cheese with lots of character, semi firm (to firm) in texture, 
with a rich buttery colour and flavour that lingers in your mouth. It has complimentary flavours of rich nuttiness, fruitiness, and grassy characteristics layered over a slathering of butter.
Pairing opportunities:
Big Brother would pair well with a fruity Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. For a white wine, try a Pinot Gris. This cheese pairs well the creamy, smooth and hoppy Maclay’s Traditional Pale Ale.
Aged Lankaaster
- Type of milk: Pasteurized cow’s milk
- Texture: firm/hard
Margaret Peters (the cheese maker) says: “You eat a piece of it and you want to go in a closet alone and keep eating it. It is a cheese that you will never forget the taste of,” and we agree!
Awards and Distinctions
One of Canada’s most awarded and internationally acclaimed cheeses!
2011 Royal Winter Fair’s Grand Champion, 2013 Global Supreme Champion, 2015 American Cheese Society’s Best in Show.
Tasting Notes
Aged Lankaaster has a soft, sweet aroma that is reminiscent of a gouda, with buttery, toasty undertones. The paste is firm and dry, with an almost granular texture that melts away on the tongue. It is complex, balanced, sweet and savoury with no bitter or sharp notes to disrupt its rich smooth finish. It is rich and dense, a little chewy, with butter and nutty flavours, caramel and a mild fruity pineapple tang.
Pairing opportunities:
If you like red wine with your cheese, you could opt for a Pinot Noir . For a white wine, try a Pinot Gris. This cheese pairs well with the light-bodied Erdinger Weissbier.
