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Abondance

By OstePerler 30/05/2015 Leave a Comment Cheese

Abondance, this French semi firm favorite of mine. Mountain cheese from the northern part of the Haute-Savoie region, bordering Switzerland. Well, there are two Savoies; Haute-Savoie and Savoie. Upper Savoie and Savoie in other words. Perhaps the most beautiful area of all France, attractive both summer and winter, but definitely most famous for its winter attractions.

Abondance from the Haute-Savoie region of France. Photo: Paolo Rey

Travel the Savoie region

To get around and experience their array of excellent cheese, food and wine in general, summer is the best time of year, though. Look to the right for some more information about Abondance and the region.

A bit of history

The cheese takes it name from the valley and town of the same name. Nothing exceptional in that. In fact very common.
It has been around for quite a while and as is so often the case, it was local monks that started off the whole thing. They worked with the local farmers to create this magnificent cheese. In 1381, Abondance cheese was served up to the papal conclave that met in Avignon to elect the new Pope. This was the moment at which Abondance cheese gained its reputation for excellence which it has maintained ever since. But it took till 1990 before it earned its AOC/PDO. Well deserved, if you ask me.

Farmstead and fruitière

As the yearly output is only about 2400 tons this is not a cheese for the big industrial dairies. Most of the cheese is actually produced on farms, carries a green label, but there a some small artisanal dairies as well, making the cheese, oftentimes called fruitière. These have a red label. All Abondance cheese is hand made, though.

Three breeds

There are just three breeds of cattle that are allowed to deliver the milk for the Abondance cheese. Tarine, or Tarentaise if you like; Montbèliarde and of course Abondance. So Abondance is the name of a cheese, a valley, a town and a cattle breed.

During the summer many of the farms take their cattle to graze in the high mountain pastures, a belt of grassland that winds its way through the mountains. Actually up to almost 1900 meters above sea level.

Abondance facts

Made by raw whole cow milk from the breeds mentioned above. This is a semi firm cheese. Matured for a minimum of 100 days in caves and on spruce planks.
What is so typical for an Abondance is the concave sides of the wheel. A complete wheel weighs 8 to 12 kilos, by the way, so in alpine terms this is a small cheese.

Texture is semi firm with a few small scattered holes and melting with a slightly bitter but fruity flavor; nuts. The color of the rind is amber.

To drink

Local Savoie white wines of course. Chablis. Light and fruity reds such as Beaujolais, but also elegant white Burgundies. You can even try the neighbouring Vin Jaune from the Jura. If you are not familiar with this wine, equip yourself with a back-up.

Abondance, Alpine cheese, Cheese & You, French cheese

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Lord Garvagh

By OstePerler 28/05/2015 Leave a Comment Cheese

This is, however, not about the British Lords in general or Lord Garvagh as such in particular. This is about a cheese, a Norwegian Mountain cheese called Lord Garvagh. Made up in the mountains where the lord stayed the summers and where he built one of his chalets. From rock he found around the building site. It is still there, so you can visit if you want.

Rueslåtten

In this area the Rueslåtten farm keeps their herd during the summer. And they of course make cheese there. Naturally there is a summer variety, and a winter variety when the cows are kept at home. Just like the mountain cheese from the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.

My Lord Garvagh wheel

I am lucky to have a complete wheel of this marvelous cheese. And this is how I cut it. I’ve even made a video to show you. Not that it is rocket science, not at all. That’s more about opening a Parmigiano Reggiano which takes a bit of training.

I’ve created better videos in my life, as it is a bit out of focus now and then, but still it shows the operation.
https://youtu.be/GpnnpuVpM-I

Raw milk Cheese

Lord Garvagh is made from unpasteurized milk. The result is a tasteful, full bodied (to use a wine terminology) semi firm cheese. Not sharp; taste of milk and herbs, at least the summer variety. Slightly sweetish and a hint of nuts. Apart from the Jersey cows, the breeds providing the milk are very Norwegian.

Origin

So where is it from? Hallingdal, close to the winter resort of Geilo. Three hours by car from Oslo. Not that remote in other words.

To drink

The farmer and cheese maker himself would probably prefer a beer of some kind, I would choose a Chardonnay; European. Jura or Burgundy.

Cheese & You, Lord Garvagh, Norwegian cheese

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A Goat and a Ewe

By OstePerler 27/05/2015 Leave a Comment Cheese

I called on one of my favorite cheese mongers this last Saturday. A sunny day, by the way. It’s been rather cold and wet lately so the warming sun was very welcome. That’s where the theme for this blog post turned up; a goat and a ewe.

Lou Rocaillou

It so happened they had announced a soft ewe’s milk cheese called Lou Rocaillou that was new to me. Most of the ewe milk cheeses are either semi firm or even on the firm side, so a soft one was especially tempting. Always eager to try out new cheeses stuff of course, I called on them to shop my piece.
From a village called Hures-la-Parade in the Department of Lozère; that’s the Midi-Pyrenées.

Le Pisé du Lot

As I was there, scanning the cheese counter, I spotted a goat milk cheese from the south west of France, Lachapelle Auzac in the department of Lot right to the east of Bordeaux. New to me this one as well. Chèvre. There is a multitude of different Chèvres in France, so you’re lucky if you know them all. I certainly do not. Yet, at least. Not that it is a goal, even though I am vey fond of this style. This Chèvre is called Le Pisé du Lot. Disc formed and from raw milk.

Soft, but mature

Both of them are matured for two weeks, giving them a little more strength than the very fresh ones. The ewe milk cheese being milder than the Chèvre, as always. I think especially the Chèvre has had a few weeks shelf life. transport and so on because it gave a burning impression on both sides of the tongue. Typical for rathe mature Chèvre. As long as it’s not too intense it is okay.

Two rather rare and fine soft cheeses that I am glad I came across. A goat and a ewe.

To drink

Not necessarily the same wine with these two. For Le Pisé du Lot I would recommend a dry white Bordeaux, from Entre-deux-Mers. If you want to step up the quality and the price; look for an AOC Pessac-Léognan. The Lou Rocaillou comes from an area further south east and I suggest you choose a local wine. From the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Dry this one as well. For both of them, try to avoid too much oak as most wines from these regions have been kept a while in barrels. At least check the oak is well integrated.

Cheese & You, chevre, Soft ewe milk cheese

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The Art of Brie – the Art of Cheese

By OstePerler 01/05/2015 Leave a Comment Cheese

Rightfully Brie is often called the King of Cheese and the Cheese of Kings. This expression stems from the post Napoleon war peace conference in Vienna, where the French Secretary of State, Talleyrand, brought in some Brie de Meaux. It seems to have eased the negotiation atmosphere because it was unanimously declared the world’s best cheese. Under the circumstances it’s right to use the word declare. Moreover, seems like France came out of the negotiations more favourably than deserved. It should be said, though, the cheese was not the sole reason for that.

A lot of Brie

There is a lot of so called Brie around. Both French and foreign. Well, there is the real stuff and there are more or less successful copies. Then there is Brie style which of course is fair enough. Comtesse de Vichy is a high quality example og this style worth trying if you can get hold of it.

Designated area

Only cheese from the designated area is real Brie. This area called Île-de-France with the towns of Meaux and Melun. Therefore, we have Brie de Meaux and we have Brie de Melun. They are the only Bries that have Protected Designation of Origin. But there are other excellent cheeses from the area; local, from raw milk, excellent quality, but not protected and famous that is also counted as real ones. Best savored on location.

Cheese with a history

Old stuff this. From the end of the medieval period Brie was one of the most appreciated cheeses in all Europe. Hedonism is not what I associate with the medieval age, but so it be. And the rather rapid rise in popularity probably originates from the close proximity to Paris. There was a market for the cheese being it commoners or royals. Paris was, and still is, a place where people from all over Europe met; and there you go. The rest i history.

Facts

Real Brie is a French soft bloomy rind cheese from the Paris region made from raw cow’s milk. Matured from four to seven/eight weeks, sometimes even longer and Brie Noir up to a year. Widely copied.

Never tried this cheese? Hurry off to your nearest purveyor of fine cheese.

Bloomy rind cheese, brie, Cheese & You

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