Our September cheese club selections are as amazing as ever! Get the details on the three featured cheeses right here.
We are proud to showcase the amazing Canadian cheese makers and this month cheese club members get to sample a selection of cheeses from 3 different Canadian provinces.
Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser, Noyan, Québec
The Fritz Kaiser Cheese factory was founded in 1981 by Fritz Kaiser in Noyan, Quebec, near the border with the state of New York.
The cheese factory specializes in producing washed, bloomy and mixed-rind cheeses.
Soeur Angèle
This cheese was launched in 2008 and named in honour of Sister Angèle, a famous Québec nun, alive today, known for her love of cooking and for her cooking classes and T.V. cooking show. For every kilo of Soeur Angèle cheese sold, part of the profits are donated to the Fondation Dignité Jeunesse, which was founded and is headed by Sister Angèle. This double cream cheese has a fresh mushroom aroma, combined with the taste of goat’s milk and cream. Sœur Angèle, under its white and fluffy rind has a melt-in-your mouth to runny texture, with a very soft core. The mushroom aroma of the rind complements the creamy and buttery taste.
Suggested wine / beer: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Belgian beer.
Udder Way Artisan Cheese, Hannon, Ontario
At The Udder Way Artisan Cheese Co., they take pride in continuing the traditions of Canadian cheese making while also pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Their cheeses are made using the finest local milk from Guernsey and Holstein cows, and goats, and sheep. They made a commitment to use local farms because not only is it important for the quality of their cheese, but also for the sustainability of the industry.
Montebello
As a fresh cheese, Montebello is pale yellow in color, and semi-firm creamy texture with small holes throughout. The flavor is somewhat fruity. When aged, the cheese becomes quite brittle and granular in texture with a stronger fruity flavour and a lingering sharpness on the tongue.
Suggested wine / beer: Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Ripasso, Chardonnay, Belgian beer.
Natural Pastures, Courtenay, BC
Natural Pastures Cheese Company’s traditional cheeses are handcrafted with the fresh, wholesome milk of Vancouver Island cows and water buffalo. The story started in 2001 where the family’s Heritage Dairy Farm came to a crossroads.
They wanted both to preserve their values and to diversify their offerings, so they founded Natural Pastures Cheese Company. The company has since outgrown what the Heritage Dairy Farm could provide, and they now purchase milk from other cow and water buffalo farms on the island.
Aged Farmhouse
On their website they say that “Paul Sutter, Head Cheesemaker at Natural Pastures, loves the creative process involved in transforming fresh milk. “You can transform this fresh milk into an incredible variety of cheeses. You can tailor each cheese, fine tuning the temperature and adjusting the culture, until it’s exactly the way you want it. Then, through the aging process, you can transform that cheese again from mild to strong.” This cheese has the same flavours as the Boerenkaas that has a sweet nutty flavour and bold, tangy finish, but aged 1 year. This is a complex cheese containing a medley of flavors. Upon taking a nibble, you might taste toasted nuts, butterscotch, vanilla, and even bourbon. This cheese exhibits the perfect balance of salty and sweet, meltiness and crunch. Sweet, fruity start, followed by cooked milk and toasty notes with a slightly acidic nip on the finish.
Suggested wine / beer: Merlot, Cabernet ,Cotes Du Rhone White, IPA.