A new cheese arrived today at work.  No matter how busy things get or how hectic the preliminary setup for service becomes, I always get excited when it’s time for a cheese “briefing”.  The cheese in question today is one that has been in production for centuries, but is new to me.  It’s called Castelmagno and it is delicious.

Castelmagno is from Piedmont in the Northern part of Italy.  The region is known for many culinary delights, especially its fantastic wines Barolo and Barbaresco.  The earliest recorded mention of this cheese was in 1277 when it was used for trade.  It is also reported that it frequently appeared at Charlemagne’s dinner table.  Likely, the cheese existed much before the thirteenth century to have been considered a commodity at the time, and its popularity and reputation had to have been widespread for it became a mainstay of a world leader’s diet.

Castelmagno comes in a large drum and looks a bit like a giant blue cheese with a natural rind on the outside.  In fact, Castelmagno can develop blue mold under the right circumstances, though it is rare.  If it does, it is considered a delicacy, but Charlemagne reputedly cut the blue parts off when he ate it – I guess there is no accounting for taste!  Without the blue mold, it remains a lovely subtle and tangy cheese with an appealing crumbly texture and layers of cascading flavors.  It reminds me a lot of the wines from the region – intensely mineral and with a rough-hewn and somewhat rustic beauty that needs a seasoned palate to fully appreciate its virtues.  I can’t say that this is a cheese that everyone will love the first time they try it, but it is one that deserves consideration for its truly unique personality.

I couldn’t help but think how delicious Castelmagno would be with a bit of quince paste or honey, the traditional accompaniment.  I have also read that it is popular in Piedmont for cooking and is sometimes melted into risotto or served simply grated on top of fresh egg noodles.   The crumbly texture leads me to believe that it would melt nicely, just as an aged cheddar would.  I’m looking forward to seeing if it turns up on our menu anywhere, or maybe I’ll pick some up myself and see if I can use it in my own kitchen.

Castelmagno has DOP status, which means that the Italian government, to some degree, controls its production.  It is currently made with pasteurized cow’s milk, but can also have smaller amounts of goat’s and sheep’s milk added.  The Italians classify it as a blue cheese even if it doesn’t have blue veins.  It is usually aged from two to five months, and some affineurs age it for longer.

If you can find Castelmagno, it’s a cheese worth checking out.  Keep an eye out for it at your local cheese shop and you’re in for a unique Italian experience that is fit for an emperor.

The city of Ragusa has existed in one incarnation or another since 2000 BC.  Currently it is considered a historical treasure.  In the 17th century, an earthquake destroyed it.  It was rebuilt with stunning baroque architecture everywhere and now it houses several notable churches and cathedrals.  Having learned this about Ragusa very recently, I’ll hope to visit there someday, but the way that the city even came on my radar in the first place was by way of the delicious cheese that is made there called Ragusano.

The cheese, Ragusano, has an interesting history rivaling that of the city from which it comes.  It was known to the Ancient Greeks and has been in production since that time.  When settlers from Sicily and other parts of Italy came to the United States, it became one of the number one imported cheeses.  It was essentially a commodity cheese like cheddar or Parmesan is now.  Traditionally, Ragusano had been made in big wheels, but because it is easier and more efficient to stack brick shapes in the hull of a ship, the cheese is now made that way instead.  In Sicily it is sometimes called Scaluni meaning step because it looks like a step in a staircase.

To make Ragusano, cheese-makers begin by boiling and stretching the curd just like Mozzarella.  This puts it in the family of pasta-filata (literally translated spun paste) cheese or stretched curd cheeses.  It can be eaten young in which case it is a mild and sweet, but if aged it becomes intensely salty and sharp, still exhibiting a subtle sweetness on the finish.  You’re likely to get the young version only in Sicily – another reason to visit.  When aged, it has a crumbly texture, but there is still a satisfying bubblegum-like chewiness.

I love Ragusano for the spicy finish that makes my lips tingle a little.  One theory is that cheese made in hot places often has that spicy finish because of the diet of the cows who give the milk to make the cheese.  It can also be smoked in which case it carries that designation affumicato.  It is truly one of the more unique cheeses that I have ever had and I could eat it by the plateful with a glass of Marsala given the chance.

I hope you’ll get the chance to try some Ragusano.  I’m going to experiment with it for cooking.  I imagine it would be delicious in a grilled cheeses sandwich, or shaved over a pasta dish or a salad.  Keep a look-out for it at your local cheese shop and pick some up if you see it.  You’ll be happy you did.

I have loved my visits to Seattle.  Dan and I are so lucky to have such wonderful friends to stay with while we’re there.  We have so much fun exploring the culinary terrain with them, and there is so much to explore.  Seattle has great restaurants, access to Washington’s wine country, amazing farmer’s market, and a burgeoning dairy industry that will soon rival that of my home here in New England.  One example of the many “new to me” cheeses that I tried while there was Dinah’s Cheese from Kurtwood Farms made by Kurt Timmermeister.

We were introduced to Dinah’s Cheese at Picnic, a great little food and wine shop in Phinney Ridge, by owners Jenny and Anson Klock.  My friend André and I had stepped in to buy some wine, and struck up a conversation with Jenny, and she insisted that we try it, and we were glad that we did.  We left with a half wheel.  Between the five of us in attendance at our dinner party, we ate nearly the entire thing that evening, and I wished we had bought the whole wheel.  It was the only selection among six cheeses purchased that day that was nearly finished.  While we enjoyed the others very well, there was something about Dinah’s that kept everyone going back for more.

Dinah’s cheese is named for Dinah, the cow.  From her pictures on the Kurtwood Farms Blog, she looks like a Jersey.  I highly recommend reading it – you’ll find out all about the adventures of Kurt and Dinah, and some of the other cows such as Joe, Boo, and Luna.  In general, I love cheese made from Jersey milk because of the intense rich buttery character that it has.  Some other favorites that come to mind right away are Tarentaise from Thistle Hill/Spring Brook Farm, Grayson from Meadow Creek, and Green Hill from Sweet Grass Dairy.

Dinah’s is modeled on camembert, which is a really tricky cheese to make.  It’s tough to get the curds to set just right, and developing a bloomy rind, such as the one on camembert, that tastes good is something that many domestic cheesemakers struggle with.  Timmermeister has managed to execute a cheese that has wonderful richness, a sweet complex yet subtle flavor, and a delicious rind.  The texture is decadently creamy – we enjoyed spreading it on some baguette that the kind folks at Picnic sent us home with.

Like many of the cheeses in Washington, Dinah’s is still very small production.  I’m hoping that someday, these wonderful cheeses will make it out to the East Coast, but until then, Seattle is only a plane ticket away.  I’ll be looking forward to my next visit there when I know I will find some more outstanding cheeses to try.

On Congress street between Longfellow Square and the Old Port area in Portland, Maine, there is a fabulous collection of miniature markets under one roof.  My friend Annie and I stumbled upon it while walking around the area.  In truth we were drawn into the market by a selection of cheese that was visible from the front.  We are both mega curd nerds, and so we couldn’t help ourselves from stopping in to check it out.

At the cheese kiosk inside, we took some time looking over their very impressive selection.  The two twenty-somethings behind the counter really knew their stuff from talking with them a little bit.  Most everything on display was at least familiar to me by name, though there were certainly plenty that I hadn’t tried before.  One cheese in particular caught my eye because of its odd brown color.  Turns out it was the famous Scandinavian cheese called Geitost (pronounced YAY-toast).

Geitost is made by combining whey from cow’s and/or goat’s milk and boiling it down with some cream until it caramelizes.  Its texture is semi-firm and it has a really sweet flavor balanced by salt and tang.  It’s traditionally served to children for breakfast shaved onto warm flatbread.  I enjoyed the little remnant I bought with an apple for breakfast this morning and it was delicious.  I’ll keep an eye for it, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it in any my local markets or specialty shops.  Leave it to Portland’s food-obsessed residents to introduce me to something new and interesting.

If you see it around, pick up a little chunk to try.  I can attest to the fact that it makes a delicious breakfast eaten alone, but it is also commonly melted into sauces to flavor game dishes.  Geitost fondue anyone?  I think you’ll be intrigued and beguiled by its simple but unique charms.

You may have read my entry on Winnimere, probably my favorite all time cheese from Jasper Hill Farm a few days ago.  Imagine my surprise when the kind folks from the dairy retweeted and posted a link to my blog on facebook.  I was elated, overjoyed, and jumping up and down with excitement.  Of course, I immediately added them on twitter and FB, and as a result found out about their unveiling of a new cheese called Caspian.  I sent a text to a friend at work asking if we could get it in, and he responded that we already had it – four wheels of it in fact!  WIN!!!!

Caspian is closely modeled on a French cheese called Banon which is made from goat’s milk and wrapped in vinegar and eau de vie soaked grape leaves.  Banon is made from raw milk and apparently gets pretty funky if allowed to age.  I have never had it, but I think I would like it based my love of stinky cheese and what I’ve read about it.  They have named their version of Banon for Lake Caspian which is near the dairy.  Like their other cheeses, it takes its name from local landmarks and/or historic events.

The folks at Jasper Hill have used pasteurized cow’s milk instead of raw goat’s milk to make Caspian and wrapped the cheese up in grape leaves that have been soaked in icewine!  The taste is every bit as good as you would expect.  The paste is creamy and buttery with some nice tangy grassy notes.  It might even remind you a little of exceptionally creamy goat’s milk.  Then there is a sweet “grapey” finish, no doubt imparted by the icewine-soaked leaves.  I’d be really curious to see how it ages since it is practically scoopable just out of the package.  I was quite taken with it to say the least.

Caspian is yet another winner from Jasper Hill in my book, and I had excellent response from the guests that I served it to this evening.  I felt like I had such an inside exclusive too, which made it even more exciting for me to talk about.  Thanks to the folks at Jasper Hill for another great cheese, and I’ll look forward to more fantastic things to come in the near future.

I was recently reminded of how fabulous and wonderful Winnemere is when it showed up on our cheeseboard again at work a month or so ago.  As usual it came and went very quickly, but I did manage to sneak a few bits in here and there before it all went to the guests.  It’s simply delicious with a meaty smoky funky finish and a creamy butter paste that reminds me of thick mayonnaise.  It tastes like eating a really good ham sandwich.

Winnemere comes from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont which many consider to be among the best in New England.  It’s their version of Forsterkase, which is a washed rind wheel of cheese that is bound with a strip of Spruce bark.  It’s something the woodsmen would take into the forest to work in Northern Switzerland.  The Kehler brothers of Jasper Hill use their top quality raw Ayrshire cow milk as well as a Lambic beer made right at the dairy to make this delicious domestic version.

The Kehlers have done a lot to promote dairy farming in Vermont.  They have built a cave where cheeses are aged for neighboring dairy farmers.  They also act as affineurs, or folks who buy cheese from farms, age it, and then take care of distribution.  Most notably, they age Cabot’s Clothbound Cheddar.  They also make a number of other excellent cheeses of their own such as Constant Bliss, Moses Sleeper, and Bayley Hazen.  All are wonderful and if you see something from Jasper Hill be sure to pick it up.  You won’t be disappointed.

With wine I recommend something with plenty of aroma and body to stand up to this full-flavored beast!  I like a late harvest Gewurztraminer from Alsace, or a seriously dry Riesling from a top quality producer like Trimbach or Zind-Humbrecht.  If you’re splurging on this special cheese, I would advise you to get a wine that is equally as decadent for the ultimate experience.

Piedmont is a region in Italy that lies to the North and is surrounded by mountains on three sides.  It is the home of some of Italy’s most highly regarded wines, Barolo and Barberesco, and some of my favorite Italian culinary delights including cheese.  You’ll find an entire family of cheeses here called Robiola. You’ll love their creamy rich, buttery flavors and tangy finish.  Typically they are made from a mix of milk types usually including cow’s milk and are meant for relatively immediate consumption being soft-ripened.

More than likely this style of cheese evolved as a farmhouse cheese that would have been eaten by the cheese-maker, family, and friends.  In the past, it’s certain this cheese would not have been exported and likely wouldn’t even make it to the local market because of it’s delicate nature.  Mixing milks occurred because farms usually just had a few cows, goats, and/or sheep, and there was seldom enough surplus milk to fill an entire cheese mold from one animal.  The milks would have been mixed, and a delicious tradition born.

Nowadays, due the miracle of modern refrigeration, we can all enjoy Robiola outside of the beautiful foothills of Piedmont.  The one I always see at Whole Foods these days is called La Tur and it is a mix of all three milks.  It’s soft, creamy, and has just a hint of sourness on the finish.  Rocchetta is also quite good, a mixture of cow and sheep and is more inexpensive than La Tur.  However, if you’re lucky, you might encounter Robiola La Rossa.

I first encountered Robiola La Rossa a few years ago at work, and was dealt quite a surprise when I first tasted it.  It’s a mix of sheep and cow’s milk and wrapped in the leaves of a cherry tree that have been soaked in booze.  From previous experience, I expected a mild mouthful of creamy goodness, but I got a full flavored sensory experience instead.  The leaves seem to impart a deeply earthy spicy quality to the buttery paste.  Once the small wheels are fully ripe, they even begin to stink a little – or a lot!  It’s pretty easy to get lost in the funky deliciousness and you might even finish the whole wheel in one sitting if you’re anything like me.  It’s a deeply satisfying and delicious cheese to sit down to as part of a meal, or a meal unto itself with a little crusty bread and vino.

With wine, I recommend a light Dolcetta d’Alba.  These are lovely wines from Alba in Piedmont, a town also famous for its truffles.  Dolcetto means little sweet one, and though the wines are dry in the Italian tradition, they have an innocent and sweet demeanor.  I usually taste bright cherry and raspberry fruit that is sure to accent the creaminess and the earthy flavors of Robiola la Rossa.  Arneis, a white Piedmont specialty, would also be nice if you’re not in the mood for a red.  They typically have soft red apple, pear, floral, and almond notes that would provide a gentle background for the cheese to show off its complexity over.  Either way you’re in for a treat if you can find this delicious little wheel of heaven.  Bon appetit!