Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Cheese of the week update

Castelrosso is made using the milk of the Pezzata Rossa and Bruno Alpina cows and is aged in underground cellars for at least three months during which time it develops its crusty rind that is mottled with grey, white and yellow molds. The rind contrasts beautifully with the interior which is pure white. The aroma is earthy and lactic, the texture is moist but slightly crumbly and the flavor is a balanced combination of lactic flavors and lemony brightness. As it ages, the interior will darken from the outside edges toward the interior and those sections will give bigger flavors of nuts and earth.

Autor Cheese is a raw goat's milk cheese from Quatratondo, 60 km outside of Valencia. Raw goat cheese is curdled with thistle rennet and aged 60 days in an underground cavern. Depending on the season the cheese can be creamy, flaky or runny. The flavor finishes grassy, herbal and citrus-y.

Malvarosa was first imported to the U.S. in August of 2004 to save the nearly extinct Guirra sheep. The paste is firm, but buttery, and incredibly rich and sweet. Aged for a minimum of three months; careful cheesemaking and gentle pasteurization preserve the delicate flavors.

No comments: