Naturally-made cheese is a complex food. I designed the Grotto as a tool for becoming more acquainted with that wonderful complexity. As a cheese ripens, it develops different flavors, aromas, and textures dependent upon the storage conditions. The art of cheese preservation has no hard and fast rules, but it does have guidelines. Those guidelines provide a road map for your journey with specialty cheeses. I am starting to share more specifics about cheeses and their preferred storage methods, something beyond the basics. For example: many styles fall under the Bloomy Rind category, but they do have varying characteristics and textures depending on the specific cheese that are best enjoyed within certain windows of time, even if they can be held for longer. I do suggest you to invest in an inexpensive hygrometer/thermometer if you'd like to go deeper into the world of cheese preservation. This is Part 1 of a somewhat endless series, due to the endless varieties of artisan cheese. Enjoy!
This pasteurized cow milk Camembert is ripened to a round, unctuous texture and is amazingly consistent and resilient. Because the Camembert is a higher moisture style, it fairs well in cooler climates with a higher humidity This is a style, then, that I would chose to store in the fridge or a cooler wine cellar if I am looking to preserve it for months. Otherwise, I have stored the Camembert at room temperature (65 degrees, approx) to allow it ripen over a few days to two weeks (depending on the stage of ripeness) to serve. If the cheese is on the younger side, it will be firmer and more dense, and will need the extra time to ripen (up to two weeks). If the cheese is on the older side, it may only need one to two days to ripen to perfection. This is a fun trick that I do to get a cheese to bloom to a perfect flavor and texture before I serve it.
St. Nectaire is a beautiful washed rind semi-soft cheese from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. The version that is widely available in the states is pasteurized, and is often shipped on the younger side to distributors so that it has a long shelf life on the supermarket shelf. The paste should be spreadable at room temperature, but if it is not, you can ripen it for longer in the Grotto to soften it up. One important note: cheese wheels that have been cut will no longer ripen as beautifully as cheese wheels that are left intact. It is similar to when a bottle of wine is opened, although cheese lasts months longer than a wine bottle when opened. But my trick is to again leave the cut St. Nectaire in a warmer environment (55 to 65 degrees F) for a day to three days and it will surely soften and become more spreadable. When a cheese's rind is washed in brine, the rind will always have a slightly sticky quality to it. The art of this preservation is to maintain the humidity level (listed above) without allowing it to become overly damp.
This cheese, modeled after Beaufort is smooth in texture, with tiny amino acid crystals dotting the paste. The rind is firm, smooth, and natural, meaning the cheese has been brushed and washed occasionally in the cave's open air. This category of cheese is semi-firm, meaning it is not as dense as Pecorino Romano or Parmiggiano Reggiano, but it never gets unctuous like a St. Nectaire. This style can fare well for longer periods of time in slightly warmer than refrigeration temperatures, as long as the humidity stays within range. If this cheese dries out on its surface, it will become somewhat gummy in texture.
When I tasted this cheddar, aged ten years, I was absolutely surprised by its youthful creamy texture and dense protein crystals. This is because the cheddar is wrapped in plastic during the aging process, trapping the moisture in and keeping the oxygen out. It is absolutely fascinating the difference it makes to ages a cheese anaerobically (no oxygen) versus aerobically (exposed to oxygen). The flavor and texture would be dramatically different. This cheese is best stored in cave-like conditions due to its butterfat content, which may seep out at warmer temperatures. If stored properly, it could last you up to another 6 months!
This cheese is mild, salty, and grassy with a denser and drier texture and hints of brown butter. Dense sheep milk pecorino styles are inclined to seep a little butterfat is well, which is why the recommended storage temperature is slightly cooler than other styles of dense cheese. This is something to keep note of when storing denser styles.
I've written a lot about this cheese in the last few weeks, so it may be apparent that I love it. This is a high moisture, creamy style of blue that does best when stored in the fridge or only slightly warmer. It also loves a high humidity environment because of its delicate, creamy paste. However, if Blue D'Auvergne is stored in slightly less humid conditions (such as 68%), it won't go bad, it'll simply get denser and more crumbly in texture. An overly damp blue is not as desirable as a slightly drier blue.
As seen in the photo below, the blue cheese is stored on the same shelf as the washed rind St. Nectaire, with an ample inch of space in between the styles. This is because these two styles are more pungent than other styles, and give off more an aroma. In that regard, they do better when stored away from the milder styles.
Photos by Jess Hitt
]]>When I designed the Grotto, I set an intention to make the cheese humidor as multi-functional as possible. This is why I designed the cheese boards with a slide function: the shelves can slide out partially for entertaining purposes, and can be removed completely for your dining table cheese board.
Cheese boards and cheese plates are quite the sensation on social media. There doesn't seem to be anything as satisfying as a visually compelling cheese board. For proof, check out @thatcheeseplate or @cheesemongrrl on Instagram. The cheese board is a symbol of bounty and indulgence. Someone with a colorful cheese spread at their table is someone who made the right decisions in their life.
I wanted to share one creative way to build #thatcheeseplate right into the Grotto. The nice thing about doing this is that if under the rare circumstance you don't devour your creation in one sitting, you can slide the shelves right back in, shut the Grotto door, and save for later.
I featured all Cowgirl Creamery Cheeses in the two boards, as part of our collaboration through the month of April.
Here are my rules of thumb when building a cheese board:
1. First write out the characteristic of each cheese being plated. In this case:
2. When choosing flavors and textures for a cheese board, think about a balance of complimentary and contrasting flavors.
3. Think COLOR contrast as well as TEXTURAL. It is important to be playful with your cheese board, as there are no hard and fast rules. The main rule: eat more cheese, become more familiar with styles, and the nuance of each style will become more apparent for pairing opportunities.
4. Balance savory and sweet characteristics. I chose not to incorporate extremely brine-y, pickled things such as olives and cornichons because I chose fresh fruit and chocolate instead. In my opinion, pickles and chocolate are not that tasty together, and I like to make the full sweep on my cheese boards, and leave no cheese pairing unturned.
What's YOUR favorite pairing? Feel free to share in the comments below. xo.
Photography and Videography by Jess Hitt
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Fresh Crottin by Vermont Creamery
This history of crottin cheese dates back to before the 8th century in Loire Valley, France. The small rounds of ripened goat cheeses originate with the Saracens of Arab descent, who populated the Loire Valley at this time, and migrated to the region with their herds of goats. When the Saracens were forced to leave the valley, they left their goats and cheese making traditions behind for the French to follow suit.
Fresh Crottin, 3 days ripened
Vermont Creamery's Fresh Crottin is modeled after the region's Crottin de Chavignol, and it is inoculated with all the cultures necessary to eat fresh and rindless, or to ripen over a week to one month. If Vermont Creamery's Fresh Crottin is not readily available, you can ask your local monger if they have any fresh French goat cheese already inoculated with cultures for ripening, and many of the top cheese counters do.
When ripened in the Grotto, the transformation of the crottin is gratifying and delicious at every stage. Store the Crottin at approximately 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 80% humidity, flip the Fresh Crottin once in the morning, once at night, and it will develop a wrinkly rind within a week's time. Store it for longer between 70% to 80% humidity, and the crottin will slowly become denser with time, becoming more flavorful and complex. The rind will become mottled with blue and gray molds within week three, which is completely normal and not to be feared.
Fresh Crottin, One Week Ripened
Before refrigeration existed, the crottin was an important cheese that, as it became denser with age, also increased its overall shelf life, making it a cheese that could preserve for over 3 months time. It will become more piquant as it ages, transforming from a snacking cheese to something to grate over a salad or pasta. It is an absolute treat to enjoy the crottin at any stage along the way.
Fresh Crottin, 3 weeks ripened
3 Week Old Crottin, cut in half.
I made a two video tutorials on how to best ripen the Crottin in the Grotto, watch along as I offer tips along the way so that you get your most desired result.
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