Saving the best for last

  Well, after a rather long blogging hiatus that I will most certainly explain to you in coming days, let's talk about cheese! After a very long work day while host to a cold, driving home in rush-hour traffic and pouring rain, then coming home to a dark and empty house....what would you long for? If you were me, it would be a little white box sitting on your fence post that read "Perishable" and a hard to find winter warmer beer.
  My little white box contained the latest and last installment of the "Birth of a Cheese" series by Point Reyes Dairy and Culture Magazine. A lovely "mystery" blue that I was chomping at the bit to pair with the Founders Backwoods Bastard ale I had securely in my possession. The last blue Point Reyes sent me was very lovely, but admittedly not my favorite. This blue was a world apart.
  At first glance the appearance was similar to "mystery #1", with a pale yellow creamy look, gorgeous even blue veining, and a straw colored rind. The smell was slightly stronger. Spicy and sweet, like fresh hay. But the first bite was a revelation, so much more than batch one. The texture was incredibly luscious and dense, almost chewy. It was everything I hope for in a blue. The flavors from center to rind varied from brown sugar and young hay to damp earth and roasted nuts. The rind was subtle and totally edible.
  After first bite, I immediately grabbed up my Founders, a whopping 10.2% alcohol ale aged in Bourbon barrels. The sweet caramel and vanilla tones practically made love to the earthy grassy flavors of the blue. I couldn't think of a better beverage to pair with it, except for possibly a sweet hard cider.
  The following day I used some of the blue on a crusty baguette with romaine lettuce, mayonnaise, mustard, and rare roast beef for hot melty sandwiches. Then for a snack I paired a small wedge with rosy colored and sugary sweet muscadine preserves. Worked equally as well for cooking as did a table cheese. This will be a cheese I will for sure be eagerly waiting for at my cheese counter.

Tomme Sweet Tomme

  This past weekend I spent some time in Chattanooga, TN. Along with drinking multiple Yazoo beers and stuffing my face with delicious Urban Stack burgers, I also made my way over to Sequatchie Cove Creamery to meet the fine folks who craft such gems as Cumberland tomme. Later, I would come home to discover an entirely different tomme waiting for me.



Sequatchie Valley, TN



                                     

  Lucky me received another package from Point Reyes Dairy. While this one was not part of the official tasting, it was (I say was because it it quickly vanished into my mouth) very special in the sense that it is not available to the rest of the public.

  Having recently had the Cumberland, it was a fun comparison trying the Point Reyes tomme. While tomme is a style, the individual cheeses can all vary wildly. The Point Reyes was just as fantastic as Sequatchie Cove's example, but totally different. While the Cumberland is earthy, smooth, and somewhat soft, the Point Reyes was rather hard and crumbly. The paste was golden with large "crunchies" (amino acid clusters), and the nose was sweet, grassy, and tropical. The taste was surprising and fun; bright, sweet, salty, and bursting with lemon and grapefruit flavors. I made it a point to sample a piece with Yazoo's latest Hop Project. The tropical notes of the cheese danced around with the floral hoppiness of the beer, making a great pairing.

  The beauty in handcrafted cheeses like these is the individual uniqueness of the styles. These cheeses aren't mass manufactured, and that should be celebrated. My weekend of tomme made for a very sweet homecoming indeed. Tomme sweet tomme. Oh, I just couldn't help myself.

 

Dre meets the Mystery Blue

  I can safely say that receiving cheese in the mail is just about one of the coolest things that can happen to a cheese geek like me. Why did FedEx send me a chunk of cheese you ask? Well, after reading this, submitting an application and an essay, then waiting patiently, I was chosen to be part of a cheese tasting panel for Culture Magazine to help develop a new cheese for the world famous Point Reyes Dairy in California. I spend most waking moments surrounded by cheese, whether it be cheese monger by day or cheese maker by night in my messy and cluttered kitchen, so I'm sure you can imagine my ridiculous amount of excitement. To have the opportunity to try a brand new cheese that is unavailable to the general public is nothing short of thrilling.
  Upon returning from work one day, I was greeted by a small white box at my door step. Dropping everything, I opened my coveted package, and inside was an unassuming silver foil wrapped wedge of blue cheese. Not wanting to rush tastiness, I let it sit out for about an hour to come to room temperature. After long moments of pacing and intense staring, it was ready for unveiling.

Mystery Blue

  First, I took note of the aroma. It was not overpowering at all as some blues can be. Lovely earthiness, wet leaves, and damp cellar. Next, I studied it's appearance. It looked very smooth, dense, and creamy, my favorite style of blue. The blue veining was beautiful, bright, and even, and the natural rind was pale and wrinkled. All good signs.
  Trying my best not to shovel half of the wedge into my mouth at once, I took a small piece and examined the texture, then the taste. I was actually quite surprised by the texture as it was not what I had expected. The paste was very light and springy and not as dense as I had hoped for. As it got closer to the rind, the texture did get closer to what I was wanting. It was also very granular, but did crumble well. The taste was complex and varied, from milky and almost bread dough in the center, to sweet, nutty, and very earthy towards the rind. Even the rind itself was chewy and pleasant.
  Overall I would say that Mystery Blue is an excellent cheese that I could easily see being paired with a rich Oatmeal Stout or Barley Wine. After my "official" tasting, I enjoyed a slice of raisin bread and toasted walnuts with the rest. If I were to cook with it (which I did not as it was consumed far too quickly) I would most certainly melt it over a grilled steak, or crumble it into a wheat berry salad.
  I am eagerly awaiting the next assignment.