Oh what a year!!...

Hello Cheese Enthusiast!

Oh what a year it’s been!...I started this cheese blog 1 year ago (54 weeks ago) and since then, I have flown dozens of flights, traveled to 16 different states (not including Canada), and have written about 100 of my favorite cheeses (truth is…they all might be my favorite!)

I don’t think anyone could have predicted how 2020 was going to have turned out…and try as they might, I do not think anyone will be able to predict where this is all heading and if (and when) we will ever return to normal…whatever normal will look like.

My mind has been thinking back to last summer when the days were long, the food shows were in full swing, and some great cheese was being produced…Oh, don’t get me wrong, there are some great cheeses being produced now, but what I meant is that there were some cheeses that were being created and put down for aging that would not be ready until at least this summer.

A cheese ager (known as an affineur – or finisher) has the difficult job of knowing the science, the art, and has the passion to truly bring out the best that a cheese can bring out. You can read the story I wrote about the life of an affineur here. Patience is a virtue.

Here are three great cheeses that have been waiting a whole year to make it to your cheese case:

Image courtesy of Black Diamond® Cheese

Aged Cheddar – While the stories I have written on Cheddar in America and the Origins of Cheddar tell some of the story, they do not truly capture the immense popularity of this classic cheese.

While there are many brands out there, one of my favorites is Black Diamond® Canadian Cheddar….No, not because I work for the company that produces it in Ontario, Canada, but because they are one of the few producers that use non-pasteurized milk and offer an age range of 1 to 5 years…Now that takes patience! I have a hard time trying to figure out what I am going to have for dinner tonight, let alone how much cheese I would need to produce now in order to fill the needs and demands of 2025. 

Black Diamond Cheese Limited is an established Canadian cheese company that has been satisfying cheese cravings since 1933. Founded by Robert F. Hart, it began as Belleville Cheddar Cheese Limited with the purpose of exporting aged Canadian cheddar to a cheese-loving British market. The significance of the name stems from the cheese making process. Historically, cheese was dipped in hot wax to prevent mold growth on the rind and reduce shrinkage during aging. Upon contact with the rind, the wax would immediately turn black – the name Black Diamond was born.

Image courtesy of Nuova Castelli

Parmigiano Reggiano – This amazing (and most copied) cheese has been pleasing palates since the 1200’s. These beautiful 77 lb. wheels are produced from the milk of the Vacche Rosse breed of cows and the Consortium that protects them tells the story of Parmigiano Reggiano best:

“The history of Parmigiano Reggiano dates back approximately 900 years. Today, as then, the ingredients were always the same: milk, salt, rennet and much patience during the aging process.
But, the most important ingredients were the pastures of Emilia Romagna. The Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries, which spread over the plains between Parma and Reggio Emilia, favored the development of granges or farms for raising cows suitable for milk production. The coming together of these granges with salt from Salsomaggiore, and the need to make a product that would keep for as long as possible, led to the creation of a very particular cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano.”

“The first written record of Parmigiano dates back to 1200. A notary deed, drawn up in Genoa in 1254, mentions caseus parmensis….On 7 August 1612, the Duke of Parma drew up a formal denomination of origin, establishing the places which could use “Parma” in the their product’s name.”  

Today, Parmigiano Reggiano (the name and production methods) are protected and maintained by the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano (the Consortium for Parmesan from Reggiano), which strictly maintains that this cheese must be aged for a minimum of 12 months before receiving the official “branding” of the Consortium seal. You can read more Vacche Rosse and Parmigiano Reggiano here.

Image courtesy of Live Eat Learn

…and lastly the story of one of my earliest loves…Aged Gouda. I was familiar with the younger red wax version, but then my cheese shop brought in a 12-month Gouda.

I realize that there are much greater ages of Gouda than 12-month, but this to me is the tipping point of when the cheese really starts to get exciting and the flavors really start to develop.

The folks at Live Eat Learn tell the story of this gem of the Netherlands best:

“Contrary to what you might think, Gouda cheese is not actually made in the city of Gouda, but rather, it is traditionally bought and sold in Gouda. Way back in the Middle Ages, towns could earn the rights to trade certain commodities. The town of Gouda had the rights to trade cheese, so that’s where people went to buy and sell cheese!”

“Nowadays, ‘Gouda’ refers more to the style of cheesemaking than the actual cheese, as Gouda cheeses can vary widely depending on age. For this reason, the name ‘Gouda’ isn’t protected or meant to define only the cheese coming from Gouda. If you want the real deal, look for “Noord-Hollandse Gouda”, as this title is protected and can only represent true Dutch Gouda made with Dutch milk.”

“So how is Gouda made? When cultured milk curdles, some of the liquid whey is removed and replaced with warm water, which is then drained. This is known as “washing the curds”, and it helps to remove extra lactose, therefore preventing some of the lactic acid formation. The curds are then pressed into round molds and are soaked in a brine (salt water) bath. The cheese is then set out to dry, coated in wax or food-grade plastic, and aged for anywhere from one month to over one year.”

“And if you’re trying to be a real cheese connoisseur, you’re going to have to pronounce it right. While in America we pronounce it “g-OOO-dah”, it’s actually pronounced “(g)h-OW-da”. We don’t have anything like the sound of the Dutch G in English, but it’s almost like you’re clearing the back of your throat or are gargling.”

One year down…So many more adventures left in life, and SO many more cheeses to explore.

Oh, and of course the cupcake on the top photo….It’s a mini cheese cake…I mean, what else would I celebrate with?

Until next week…

Trevor