cheese HERBED AND SPICED
BY CANDACE HIEBERT I PHOTOGRAPHY BY DONG KIM
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OMETIMES A CHEESE HAS SO MUCH FLAVOUR built right in, it hardly needs any dressing up. No need for drizzles, jellies or extras, these divas love to stand alone on a cheese plate and cause a stir. The cheeses we’ve chosen this month are bursting with the flavours of soft herbs and heady spices, making them perfect for a palateawakening pre-dinner snack, or a palate-cleansing last course.
Asiago with Rosemary and Olive Oil – Sartori Cheese Plymouth, Wisconsin, USA
Italian flavours inspire this herbal farmstead cheese, which is enveloped in aromatic rosemary and rich olive oil. The herbs are hand-rubbed into each pasteurised cow’s milk cheese, infusing it with a delicate brightness that elevates the nutty depth of the Asiago. Moroccan Spice Cheese – Coombe Castle International Wiltshire, UK
This ochre savoury cheddar is a trip to the spice market in your mouth. Traditional Moroccan harissa spices, such as coriander, turmeric, and smoky paprika are blended with traditional English cheddar, giving this cheese its rich colour and warm spiciness. Füürtüfel (Fire Devil) – Käserei Studer, Thurgau, Switzerland
Infused with three types of chillies from all over the world, with the addition of black pepper, this spicy cheese lives up to its diabolical name. The mild, semi-soft paste contrasts perfectly with the hit of the hot peppers, and keeps you going back for more.
Garlic Dill Brick – Bright Cheese and Butter Co., Bright, Ontario
The combination of garlic and dill mixed throughout this mild cheese makes it taste like summer days in the garden and homemade dill pickles. The cheese itself is semi-soft and gentle, letting the aromatic herbs and garlic come to the forefront. Le Marechal – Fromagerie Le Marechal, Vaud, Switzerland
Le Marechal is the signature cheese of the family cheese making business of Fromagerie Le Marachal. A firm, intense cheese with nutty mushroom notes and a touch of barnyard, it is rubbed over its surface with a special mix of herbs throughout its ripening, until the cheese is infused with their savoury flavours.
Smoked Cayenne Green Peppercorn Gouda – Sylvan Star Cheese, Red Deer County, Alberta
When you take your first bite, this cheese is mild, gentle, and even sweet. As it begins to dissolve on the palate, the heat of the peppers starts to emerge, finishing as an intensely spicy experience. The crunch of the whole peppercorns is a pleasant contrast to the softness of the gouda, and delivers extra little explosions of spiciness.
Many thanks to Springbank Cheese who provided this beautiful cheeseboard for photography. Candace is passionate about food – eating it, making it, and writing about it – and is up to try any and all new culinary experiences, especially with friends.
18 Culinaire | November 2020
