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decafjava

macrumors 603
Feb 7, 2011
5,502
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Geneva
Sheep's milk gouda? An interesting variety I haven't (yet) tried. I did recently have a raclette party at my place and included some goat's milk raclette cheese as well as the standard cow's milk. Was very good.
 
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Scepticalscribe

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Sheep's milk gouda? An interesting variety I haven't (yet) tried. I did recently have a raclette party at my place and included some goat's milk raclette cheese as well as the standard cow's milk. Was very good.

I love the goat's milk Gouda (actually, I also love the standard cow's milk Gouda, especially the very aged versions), but the sheep milk is actually more subtle than either of the others; it is still sweet, but - to my palate - it has a nice, subtle edge that ensures that the (taste of the) cheese is beautifully balanced, and somehow, is less "overwhelming" than the other two Goudas can be on occasion.

Personally, I think it an excellent cheese, and strongly recommend that you try it.
 
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Sheep's milk gouda? An interesting variety I haven't (yet) tried. I did recently have a raclette party at my place and included some goat's milk raclette cheese as well as the standard cow's milk. Was very good.
Ah.

Re-reading your post, I realize that I hadn't paid it sufficiently close attention.

A goat's milk Raclette? Wow.

How does it compare to the standard version (cow's milk) Raclette?

Now, that is a cheese that I must seek out if possible. Sounds delicious.
 

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Thanks to Sceptiscalscribe I am craving for Gorgonzola

Another cheese I need to try is sulguni from Georgia
I've lived and worked in the Caucasus for a couple of years and thus, I am fairly familiar with the cuisine.

Now, if memory serves, Sulguni is very salty, (in the way Feta cheese is salty), but it lacks the sharpness and "bite" of the latter. It is also somewhat "elastic" in texture (almost akin to the way, say, a Maasdammer can feel a bit springy), whereas Feta is pretty solid, if crumbly.

Re Gorgonzola, I share your craving, a craving that shall be addressed tomorrow.
 
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Treated myself to Gorgonzola Cremosa, and Birbablu (two blue cheeses, both from Italy):

Taleggio, (which is excellent at the moment) and the classic Époisses comprised my semi-soft (washed rind) selection:

And hard cheeses took the form of Ossau-Iraty, - a wonderful sheep milk cheese from the French Basque region - and a classic Comte, aged for 24 months.
 
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Yesterday, I paid a visit to the cheesemonger's:

My cheese purchases included:

Gorgonzola Cremosa, and Birbablu - two blue cheeses from Italy.

From Switzerland, my haul included two hard Alpine cheeses: Aged Appenzeller and another Alpine cheese, Challerhocker.

And, from France, three soft cheeses: Reblochon (a soft, washed rind cheese from the French Alps), the classic Camembert, (from Normandy), and the divine, delicious, seductive, Époisses, (from Burgundy). All gloriously ripe and runny.
 
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Today's shopping included the purchase of some cheese:

From Italy, two blue cheeses: Gorgonzola Cremosa, and Birbablu (a washed rind cheese, one washed with beer).

The Netherlands is home to the sole hard cheese I purchased, namely, Noorlander Sheep Milk Gouda (I still have some aged Appenzeller).

From France, two soft cheeses: The classic Époisses, (positively oozing, with dreams of world domination), and the seasonal classic Vacherin Mont d'Or.

Taleggio from Italy, and a washed rind cheese from Ireland with the wonderful name of Drunken Saint, completed the haul.
 
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A trip to the cheesemonger means that cheese supplies have been replenished:

Purchases included: Three blues: Gorgonzola Cremosa, Birbablu, (both from Italy) and Bleu des Causses, (from France) which is sometimes thought to be a cow's milk version of Roquefort.

Soft cheese: Époisses (a classic), Brillat-Savarin (both from France), and Vacherin Mont d'Or, a seasonal specialty from France.

Hard cheese: Aged Appenzeller (from Switzerland) and Pecorino Romano (from Italy) completed my purchases.
 
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gigatoaster

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2018
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France
Back from the fromagerie:

- Roquefort: my favourite cheese as a kid
- Comté 16 mois: a classic and one of best selling cheese in France (n°1 is Emmental)
- Moliterno al Tartufo: yes, Italian cheese, an offense in France but so good!!
- Tomme de Savoie à l’ail des Ours which can be translated as Tomme with Bear’s garlic, which is my new favourite. The name comes from the fact that after hibernation, bears are supposed to love this plant. This cheese is an absolute delight, I strongly recommend to try it!
- and…of course…an exquisite, dare I say flabbergasting Puligny-Montrachet 2018 Premier Cru Les Referts. In one word: just WOW
- forgot the most impressive & important thing: la baguette!!! (It was whole before).

F8881F69-2A8C-4A5A-AF8C-B9B3A46B0432.jpeg
 

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Back from the fromagerie:

- Roquefort: my favourite cheese as a kid
- Comté 16 mois: a classic and one of best selling cheese in France (n°1 is Emmental)
- Moliterno al Tartufo: yes, Italian cheese, an offense in France but so good!!
- Tomme de Savoie à l’ail des Ours which can be translated as Tomme with Bear’s garlic, which is my new favourite. The name comes from the fact that after hibernation, bears are supposed to love this plant. This cheese is an absolute delight, I strongly recommend to try it!
- and…of course…an exquisite, dare I say flabbergasting Puligny-Montrachet 2018 Premier Cru Les Referts. In one word: just WOW
- forgot the most impressive & important thing: la baguette!!! (It was whole before).

View attachment 2129955


Wow.

What a wonderful selection, and an exquisite (and extraordinarily tempting) cheeseboard plus wine and baguette.

I have long loved the Tomme style cheeses, but, what you describe in this post is something I have never encountered. Sounds delicious.

Garlic, yum.

Roquefort and aged Comte are timeless classics, but I am not sure that I have made the acquaintance of Moliterno al Tartufo. Must investigate: What is its taste and texture?
@gigatoaster

Thanks for bring this thread up. It reminded me to order some Stilton for Christmas. :)
A timely reminder, thank you; must also order some Stilton.
 

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On Christmas Eve, the cheesemonger (who is a true friend) dropped out a Christmas box which contained (among other things, such as olive oil, truffle oil, sherry vinegar, a bottle of wine), some cheese:

The cheeses included: Seasonal Stilton, Gorgonzola Cremosa, and Birbablu (three blues):

Brillat Savarin, Époisses, Durrus, Vacherin Mont d'Or, St Nectaire (semi-soft cheeses, some of them washed rind delights).

Aged Comte, Goat's Gouda, and Recorino Romano (hard cheeses).
 
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Among other things, I paid a visit to the cheesemonger's today, and also stopped at the cheese stall in the (very sad and sorry) farmers' market. Sad and sorry, because most of the stalls have yet to return, and, this time of year, there is not much on sale, as little is growing, and it is cold and dark and wet and miserable.

Stock in the cheesemonger's was pretty limited, their supply chains have yet to be fully restored since Christmas.

Cheeses purchased included: Two blues from France: Bleu des Causses (basically, a cow's milk version of Roquefort), and Roquefort itself (sheep's milk cheese from France).

Soft cheeses included, the seasonal classic Vacherin Mont d'Or from France (nice and runny), and Camembert Rustique from Normandy, in France, and a triple cream cheese coated in black pepper the name of which I failed to note.

Morbier, and extra mature Gouda (in a stunning burnt orange colour and an amazing and explosive taste sensation somewhat reminiscent of solid salted caramel) completed my purchases.

The market stall cheeses included a mature (aged) goat's milk Gouda, a small piece of blue goat's milk Gouda, and some goat's cheese Maasdammer, plus a small slice of Bleu d'Auvergne.
 
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A miserable January day, but I managed a brief, flying visit to the city, taking in the farmers' market (a very sad and sorry spot, where the stall holders also felt sorry for themselves) but the olive oil stall did have fresh pesto, and olives, (both of which I bought).

A visit to the French bakery gave me bread, bread which they had reserved for me, baguette and rye bread, (and a few slices of Galette des Rois, it is still January, after all), and I managed to pay a visit to the cheesemonger's.

Cheese purchased included:

Two Blue cheeses: Roquefort, - a classic from France, and a wonderful (and seasonal) Colston Bassett Stilton from England.

There was Vacherin Mont d'Or - a seasonal specialty from France, and St Marcellin Colombe Coupelle, which also hails from France.

Others included Raclette (from France), a washed rind cheese called Durrus (from Ireland), and two others from France, Morbier and the amazing Tomme des Croquants, a walnut washed rind hard ("Tomme" style) cheese.
 
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I treated myself to a selection of cheeses today:

There are three blues among them: Gorgonzola Cremosa (from Italy), Bleu des Causses (basically akin to Roquefort made from cow's milk, rather than sheep's milk, a cheese from the Roquefort region, in France), and classic, splendid, seasonal, Stilton, from England.

Hard cheeses included: Goat's Gouda (from the Netherlands), smoked Raclette (an unusual take on this French cheese), the always wonderful Ossau-Iraty - a sheep's milk cheese from the Basque region of France, and Queso al Romero (a cave aged Spanish sheep's milk hard cheese coated with rosemary, and butter or olive oil).

Semi-soft cheeses were confined to some creamy Camembert Rustique (from Normandy, France), and Vacherin Mont d'Or, a seasonal delicacy.
 
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Scepticalscribe

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Treated myself to a few cheeses today: Two blues: Roquefort (a classic French blue cheese, made from sheep's milk), and Bleu des Basques, a sheep's milk blue cheese from the French Basque region.

And two Dutch cheeses: Smoked Gouda made from goat's milk, and (mild) Maasdammer also made from goat's milk.
 

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Usually, when cheese-shopping, in addition to blues, and some hard cheese, I will also treat myself to a few washed rind - semi-soft - cheeses, but very few of them appeared to have been available today.
 

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Treated myself to a few cheeses today:

Two blues, (the Stilton looked less than appealing):

Roquefort, a timeless, classic, blue cheese from France, made with sheep's milk, and Bleu des Basques, a sheep's milk blue cheese from the Basque region of France.

The soft cheeses purchased were Taleggio (from Italy) and Vacherin Mont d'Or - a seasonal specialty which is coming to the end of its season - from France.

Hard - or semi-hard - cheeses included a washed rind (washed with beer, naturally) cheese from the Trappist brewery (in Belgium) that brews Chimay, Chimay cheese, something I have not had the opportunity to taste before now.

Then, there was Tomme d'Auvergne, a French cheese that I have not encountered before.

And finally, there was aome Etivaz, a young Etivaz, a Swiss cheese that is both similar to, but far better than, either Gruyère or Emmental, and is also far harder to lay hands on than the better known cheeses.

I also purchased some Pecorino Romano, for when I wish to prepare Carbonara and other delights.
 
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