As the weather begins to cool down, we can finally begin to enjoy heartier snacks. There’s nothing quite like uncorking a nice bottle of wine, opening the windows and doors, and enjoying a few nice cheeses before or after dinner. Chef Lee Hilson of T. Cook’s at the Royal Palms Resort, was kind enough to share his cheeseboard selections with us. Of course, you can find these cheeses (or some that are closely related ) at specialty shops, but if you’re anything like us, you’ll just make it easy on yourself and go to T. Cooks.
Capricho Cabra with Pimenton – Spain / Goat’s Milk
This creamy, flavorful cheese is made from the milk of Murciana Goats, which produce fat and protein-rich milk. This gives the cheese its amazing creaminess. The cheese-makers finish the cheese by rolling it in Spanish smoked paprika, creating a distinctive, bold, smoky flavor. We will be serving this cheese stuffed inside a roasted mini sweet pepper. This ‘popper’ will be warmed in the oven before serving.
La Peral – Spain / Cow’s Milk / Blue
This is a blue cheese from the remote area of Asturias, located in the north of Spain. Nestled between the oceans and the mountains, this is a lightly-traveled area of Spain where the traditions of yesterday remain largely intact. Leon Alvarez is the sole producer of La Peral which derives its name from the village in which it is made. Made from cow’s milk, this small format blue has a full bodied taste–a testament to the high quality of milk he uses in production. The flavor is unique, creamy and subtle…sweet with a tanginess all its own. It is a bit lighter on the palate than some of the other well-known Spanish Blues, i.e. Cabrales, Valdeon, etc. La Peral is aged at least 60 to 80 days, and sometimes, for more than 4 months. This cheese will be served just under room temperature to release the flavors and make it easy to spread for optimal enjoyment. We will serve this cheese with a grilled piece of Como Batard bread which will be topped with a thin slice of heirloom tomato garnished with Fleur de Sel.
Collier’s Powerful Welsh Cheddar – Wales / Cow’s Milk / Cheddar
This cheese is made in the beautiful mountains of Denbighshire where milk is gathered from the local farms and taken to the creamery. It undergoes rigorous quality checks before being transferred to vats so that the cheese-making process can begin. The process is closely monitored by just two expert graders to ensure that the texture and taste remain consistent. The ancient Celtic country of Wales, famous for its beauty and musical heritage, has produced high-quality cheese for hundreds of years. We will be serving this cheese with a toasted crostini and a spoonful of house-made Branston-type pickle. Branston is a company in England which is famous for its sweet & spicy pickled vegetable blend. Although many variations are made throughout the world, the result is always known as a Branston pickle. Our version is made with carrots, turnips, dried apricots, prunes, raisins, cauliflower, yellow onion, granny smith apple, zucchini and gherkins. These veggies are pickled in a mixture of brown sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar, malt vinegar, Worcestershire, black pepper, mustard and allspice.
Haystack Snowdrop – Colorado, USA / Goat’s Milk
The center of this small, white 7 oz wheel is firm, yet has a creamy texture with a surprisingly mild flavor. There is a thin layer between the firm cheese center and the outside rind that becomes liquid ‘heaven’ when it is served at the right temperature. Finally, the thin, snowy-white edible rind finishes this cheese’s unique flavor. Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy began in 1989, when the founder, Jim Schott, left teaching to begin raising goats on his farm in Nowat, Colorado. Today, Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy is recognized as a producer of premium goat milk cheeses and boasts several distinguished awards from the American Cheese Society. We will serve a wedge of this cheese–rind and all–slightly under room temperature so that the guest will get to experience the three distinct textures and tastes that this cheese has to offer. A sweet whole-meal biscuit serves as the perfect backdrop for the cheese. We will then top the lovely morsel off with a drizzle of local farm honey, Marcona almonds & Fleur de Sel.
Pecorino Mullegano – Italy / Sheep & Cow’s Milk / Pecorino
This pecorino is actually made from a blend of cow and sheep’s milk, unlike traditional pecorinos created from sheep’s milk alone. The cheese is aged only 20 days during which time the paste becomes soft and homogenous with a straw color. This cheese exudes an intense perfume and a delicate, sweet taste resulting from the addition of the cow’s milk. The distinct character of the sheep’s milk remains noticeable on the finish. We will be serving this cheese very simply with a thin slice of Prosciutto and a rosemary grissini. A grissini is a crispy, talian-style breadstick. Ours is made with water, yeast, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, local olive oil, sugar, finely chopped rosemary and is finished with Fleur de Sel just before baking.
Leave a Reply