Well you won't be reading this from the middle of the Atlantic but its being written from the looks of it, somewhere between Iceland and England, approximately 4,067 km from New York where it is a temperature of -53 degrees Celsius.
Yes, I'm headed home, well at least for a little bit. Guess what I'm brining home with me folks-- French cheese of course!
So what did I decide to bring home with me?
A Chabichou de Poitou - an aged goat's milk cheese from the Loire Valley that was just perfect right now - aged to the point of perfection, still having utilized this summer's milk. Dense and cakey yet light and airy, with notes of grass and citrus and a nice tangy milky finish. Sure you can find this cheese in the US, but it does not resemble the beauty and delicate decadence of its French counterpart.
Why you may ask?
My answer is simple transport. That cheese in the US had to travel much farther to reach your plate - the taste profile of a cheese directly correlates to the distance of its commute to your mouth.
And what else?
Well I had to get two Alpine style cheeses as the Fromagier I purchased them from was known for his excellent treatment of Alpine style cheeses.
The first of which was a 30 month old aged Comté, crafted utilizing milk from approximately March of 2011. Isn't it funny to think back as you taste this cheese, where you were in March of 2011. Take a moment to think back to where you were then, this cheese has been aging since then! Isn't that crazy?
The 30 month old Comté is nutty, butterscotchy, and rustic with that fantastic aged crystallization. This an old boy and an old boy with character. Refined and aged to perfection. This needs an elegant red wine to accompany it.
And what else?
How about a nice morsel do Fribourg d'Alpage - classically Alpine in characteristic - nutty and grassy with notes of honey and hay and a round warming bent. This is crowd pleasing cheese done well my friends and by one of the best producers - this is the perfect cheese to usher in Fall.
And that my friends is what has returned from across the pond.
Now it is time for some State side cheese explorations in the coming days.
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