Cheese of the Month Club Selections January 2013

Manchego Pasamontes

Finca Dehesa de las Páginas

Moral de Calatrava, Spain

Raw Sheep Milk

Manchego is America’s favorite Spanish cheese.  It takes its name from both the breed of sheep and the rugged terrain from which they graze – La Mancha, south of Madrid.  While you might find other regional cheeses that look like Manchego with their basket weave motif on their wax rinds, only Manchego is named protected and certified to the region, the recipe and manufacture, and the breed of sheep.  We’ve tasted a lot of Manchego over the years, and we’re very proud of Pasamontes Manchego.  This artesano produced Manchego is made with raw milk and aged about 9 months for a firm texture and a nutty flavor.  The cheesemaker, Maria Delores Palomares Pasamontes (now in her 80’s), fights the good fight against industrialized production, continuing the time-honored tradition of cheesemaking at her family’s farm since the 1850’s.  The sweet and nutty flavor of Manchago Pasamontes pairs well with Spain’s most famous red wine – Rioja.  We’re also partial to enjoying Manchego Pasamontes with Spanish Marcona Almonds, dried apricots, and sweet quince paste known as Membrillo.

Toma Celena

Cooperstown Cheese Co

Milford, New York

Pasteurized Cow Milk

Cooperstown Cheese Company makes just a handful of cheeses, and we’re partial to their Toma Celena.  It’s an original cheese, not necessarily modeled after a particular European original, but we find it satisfies our desire for aged Italian Asiago.  Cooperstown buys their rich golden milk from a neighboring farm of Brown Jersey cows.  Once transformed into cheese, the high butterfat and protein from the milk gives a creamy mouthfeel.  Toma Celena has a sweet grassy aroma, with a firm texture, and a long bright finish.  A curious note of trivia – Toma Celena was named for after the first person who liked and purchased the cheese.  We like to pair Toma Celena’s warm and nutty character with a ripe juicy red wine such as California Zinfandel.  It’s also quite delicious with a dark malty ale.

Roquefort

Rodolphe Le Meunier Selection

Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, France

Raw Sheep Milk

Roquefort was the first cheese to receive AOC status (now called AOP) which guarantees the authenticity of the cheese by protecting the manufacturing process and location.  For Roquefort this means (among other regulations) the cheesemakers are required to use raw sheep milk from the region, and the cheese must be aged in the caves under the town of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.  Ironically though, there is no Roquefort cheese made in Roquefort.  It all comes from the hills above the town as Roquefort is barely a town – just a curve in the single lane road at the bottom of the valley about 400 feet wide and a little more than a mile long.  But under the town there are many caves built into the stone.  These caves are wet, cold, and moldy; housing thousands of wheels of Roquefort aging to perfection.  Currently there are only 7 Roquefort producers, but each has many labels for their distinctive cheese.  While visiting Roquefort a few years back I was treated  to a tasting of about 12 Roquefort from the region ranging from very mild and slightly firm, to the creamiest and strongest blue I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. I was blown away that although there are strict laws governing the production methods, each house produces Roquefort with a unique character of its own.  Rodolphe Le Meunier is an affineur who has his Roquefort produced to his standards.  We find his Roquefort to be sweeter, with a dense fudgy texture unlike other Roquefort available.  In France we were taught to enjoy Roquefort with butter – smear your baguette with a little soft butter, then a nice slice of Roquefort on top – yum!  Oh, and Roquefort is best with a dessert wine, especially Sauternes or sweet Muscat.  John our wine specialist also recommends rich California Zinfandel.