Here we are in the month of April already. The time is flying by fast and there is not a California Poppy to be found. Well… we decided to celebrate the season of Spring anyway by finding
some amazing seasonal Spring cheeses. You don’t normally think of cheeses as a seasonal food but every season has a dramatic influence to the flavor and texture of cheese. Spring is a prime time for a lot of cheeses production because it marks the start of the lactation cycle and the animals are all back out to pasture, feasting on the first grasses of the season.
Istara Ossau Iraty
A wonderful semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese produced in an area that includes two neighboring provinces: Ossoau Valley and Iraty, a forested area in the French Basque Pyrenees. The texture of Ossau Iraty is smooth, dense, and creamy. Pleasant notes of earth, grass and roasted nuts. The finish provides a long savory nut butter that pairs amazing with Chardonnay or Pinot Nior.
Buche de Chevre
This is an incredible soft-ripened cheese made from goat’s milk. This cheese has an intense goat flavor with layers of cream, grass that instantly melt in your mouth. It is perfect for crumbling on top of salads, fruit or serving with a few crackers, blackberry jam and a glass of wine. This Chevre loves our Grenache Rose’. By the way… try it crumbled over watermelon, you'll thank me later!
English Cheshire
English Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest British Cheeses dating back to the 11th century. It is a firm pasteurized cow’s milk cheese who’s texture is creamy but also a bit more crumbly than cheddar. It is made with vegetarian rennet giving it the creamy waxy texture. This is a full-flavored cheese with no hint of bitterness but has that familiar semi-sharp cheddar, buttery creamy finish that pairs perfectly with Tackitt Merlot.
Fun Fact:
Cheshire is not only the most written about cheese in history but it is also the oldest English cheese. It was around when the Romans conquered Britain and the Romans love it so much, they built the walled city of Chester to control the district where the cheese was made. Cheshire Cheese was the favorite cheese at the court of Elizabeth I and in the 1700’s the Royal Navy ordered it to be stocked on every ship. Over the centuries it has been mentioned in over 3000 times in different stories, movies, books, and magazines the most famous being the Domesday Book dated 1086. This book was designed to record everything that people owned in England and parts of Wales so that King William could determine how much money in taxes he could raise as well as an understanding of what he gained in the lands that he just conquered. Cheese was considered an asset during that time due to its long shelf life and health benefits. Today it is a Keto favorite… who knew?
Recipe of the Month: Cheshire Cheese and English Garden Herb Quiches
Brought to you by Helen Graves from Great British Chefs
