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60 cheeses. 15 hours. 1 weekend. Murray’s Cheese U Bootcamp—no ordinary cheese course.
Early Friday evening, I’m one of 25 recruits in a classroom on the second floor of Murray’s cheese shop in New York’s Greenwich Village. Culinary students, cheese lovers, cheese-shop owners and culture biologists—some of us are local, some from as far away as California, Texas and Canada.
We’re welcomed by Taylor Cocalis, Murray’s Director of Education and Events. Sporting a red t-shirt that blares “Brie everything that you can Brie,” Cocalis explains how the weekend series of lectures, demonstrations and tastings will help us learn to analyze and differentiate cheese styles, understand the history, geography and chemistry of cheese, and pair wine and cheese like pros.
One week later, I peer into my local cheesemonger’s display case with fresh eyes. The names now have meaning; the appearance of each cheese evokes its flavors and aromas. I choose two different Bries: a Brie Manoir double cream from Quebec and a raw-milk Brie de Meaux. Like the Crémant de Bourgogne chilling at home, I can’t wait.
Quality from the ground up
As products of the land, wine and cheese have a lot in common. Both impart aromas, flavors and textures. Both are strongly influenced by terroir—the ways geography, topography, climate and soil lend specific character to products grown in an area. In the same ways Argentinean Malbecs and French Chablis stand alone, so do Swiss Gruyères and the best Italian Parmesans.
Wine and cheese both rely on precise aging, with cheese’s optimum flavor and texture also dependent on an animal’s breeding, milk production and diet. Seasonal fluctuations in an animal’s diet mean the composition and flavor of its milk are also constantly changing—an important factor considering cheese can in some cases be made every day (if only the same were true of wine). Cows, for example, have a relatively long lactation period, so staggering the breeding of a herd ensures it is possible to get milk and make cheese year round.
Milk composition varies greatly by animal and breed. Brown Swiss cows deliver milk with higher butterfat content than a black and white Holstein. Sheep have a shorter lactation period and produce higher fat milk for up to eight months after giving birth. Goats typically lactate for about ten months and produce milk with the lowest fat.
The taste of cheese also varies with the use of raw or pasteurized milk. Raw milk is not heat-treated and produces softer cheeses that tend to melt on the palette, offer greater diversity in flavor, and age better.
I never met a cheese I didn’t like
And with more than 900 different types of cheese, and over 2,000 different names, there’s a lot to like. When it comes to classifying cheese, there are no hard-and-fast rules, but Murray’s suggests this practical approach:
Fresh. Think Ricotta, Mascarpone and Mozzarella.
Fresh cheeses are rindless and unaged and should be consumed soon after production. Smooth and snowy in appearance, they offer little aroma. Fresh sheep or goat cheese tends to have a milky, tangy flavor. Expect a sweeter taste from fresh cow’s milk cheese.
Bloomy. Think Brie and Camembert.
Bloomy cheeses must grow a full coat of fuzzy mold before they’re deemed ready for sale. Aromas include hay, mushroom and sometimes slight ammonia. Flavors are buttery and milky. A good bloomy rind should be super thin, so if a thick and chewy supermarket Brie rind is the only one you’ve endured, try a Brie de Nangis. C’est magnifique!
Washed rind. Think Alsatian Munster, Chimay and Taleggio.
We can thank medieval monks for stinky, washed-rind cheeses, famed today for their unctuous pudding-like texture and pungent, earthy aromas. Young cheeses diligently cleansed of mold spots were found to develop an unusual sticky, bright orange surface layer. Today these orange- or pink-rind cheeses are bathed in a wash of salt water, wine, beer or liqueur.
Uncooked pressed. Think Manchego and Pyrennes Brebis.
Ageing helps these cheeses develop thicker rinds. Firm yet pliable to the touch, some of these cheeses are cloth-wrapped or have a wax coating. Their aromas are reminiscent of straw and nuts; their flavors of grass, clover and herbs.
Cooked pressed. Think Comté and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
The cheeses are aged longer to develop a crunchy, crumbly texture and sharp bite. The aromas are subtle and fruity but the taste is sweeter — dates, hazelnuts and dried fruit come to mind. There are two distinctions: Alpine and Grana. Alpine cheeses, such as Gruyère, have a smoother paste. Grana-style cheeses are harder, often best suited for grating and shaving.
Blue cheeses. Think Stilton, Roquefort and Gorgonzola.
Urban myth debunked: molds are not injected into these cheeses. Piercing allows mold, which is already present on the cheese, to works its way inside. Aged for three to four weeks, these specimen feature punchy, salty, peppery and sometimes metallic flavors. The texture varies: some blues ooze, some are dense and dry, while others are high in moisture.
It’s all about control
Wine isn’t the only French product to sport the controlled term of origin. For cheese, the Appellation d’origine controlée (AOC) designation guarantees that both milk and cheese production take place in a specific geographical area, and that characteristics such as cheese rind, consistency, and fat content meet strict guidelines.
The chemistry of cheese
Metabolism of lactose, lipolytic enzymes, proteolysis and secondary inoculants… This is the part of the course where my head starts to hurt, but the two culture biologists from Virginia are in their element.
It’s easy to imagine how cheese may have been discovered. Carrying milk for nourishment and hydration on his journey, and ancient traveler found that the meal had curdled in his gourd, yielding solid chunks (curds) and liquid (whey). It was likely an acquired taste, and initially preferable to starvation.
Scientifically speaking, the rennet—that magical enzymatic catalyst still active in the traveler’s dried container (made from the stomach of an un-weaned goat, sheep or cow)—effectively curdled the milk by re-arranging its proteins. Crude science, but effective.
Today making cheese remains an art and a science based on ingredients, techniques and instincts. While the recipes for all cheeses vary, there are six basic steps in the process of turning milk into cheese.
Step 1: Starter culture and coagulant
Starter cultures, or good bacteria, are added to milk to change lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid. As in winemaking, these cultures help determine at the outset a cheese’s ultimate flavor and texture. Next, the milk-clotting enzyme called rennet is added, turning the milk from liquid to solid and forming a custard-like mass.
Step 2: Cutting the curds and whey
The custard-like mass is cut into small pieces to begin the process of separating the liquid (whey) from the milk solids (curds).
Step 3: Stirring, heating and draining
Cheesemakers cook and stir the curds and whey until the desired temperature and firmness of the curd is achieved. The whey is then drained off, leaving a tightly formed curd. Large curds are cooked at lower temperatures, yielding softer cheeses like Mascarpone and Ricotta. Curds cut smaller are cooked at higher temperatures, yielding harder cheeses like Gruyère and Romano.
Step 4: Salting
Salt adds flavor and helps preserve the cheese during long months or years of ageing. It also helps form a natural rind on the cheese. There are several ways to use salt: added directly into the curd as the cheese is being made, rubbed on the outside of the cheese wheel, or by bathing the cheese directly in a vat of brine.
Step 5: Pressing
The cheese is put into a basket or a mold to form to a specific shape. During this process, the cheese is also pressed to expel any remaining liquid.
Step 6: Affinage (The craft of maturing and aging cheeses)
An affineur is one who ages cheese to its optimal ripeness. During this process, the temperature and humidity are closely monitored where the cheese ages. Some cheeses acquire a distinct flavor from ambient molds during aging; for others, mold must be introduced by applying it to the cheese. Some cheeses must be turned, some are brushed with oil, and some must be washed with brine or alcohol.
To the cheese cave!
Day two at Murray’s Cheese U takes us deep beneath the shop, where five caves keep the cheeses at the appropriate temperatures and humidities. As we explore each cave—some housing thick round disks of cheeses, others small goat tommes resting on straw mats—the aromas deliver sharp blasts of brine, musk, alcohol, soured milk and ammonia. The rumbling sensation, I’m told, is the B Line Sixth Avenue subway another 20 feet down.
You have to wonder about people who work in caves—and love it. Affineurs, for example, are sometimes regarded as foster parents of the cheese. They nurture cheese from fresh to ripened in such a way that each acquires unique characteristics. Affineurs brush the cheese to keep the rind breathing properly, flip it to distribute minerals evenly, wash it to keep the cheese moist, even bath it occasionally in wine or brandy. Works for me.
Mold is gold
An individual who won’t eat mushrooms once asked me, “Why would I eat something that’s in the same family as athlete’s foot?” For some of us, mold has similar family ties. Yet molds and bacteria occur naturally in the aging of cheeses, and are vital to its flavor and texture.
In blue cheese production, these enzymes literally eat away at the cheese, turning complex molecules into simpler ones. As a result, the cheese’s fibrous structure is transformed into a more creamy-crumbly texture, creating the sharp flavor and assertive aroma we love.
Molds also play a role in producing rich, creamy white cheeses such as Camembert and Brie. Mold works here to ripen the cheeses from the outside in. With Camembert, Penicillium camemberti may be mixed with the milk, sprinkled on the curd, or skewered or rubbed into the cheese during ripening. As the cheese cures, the mold develops into a thin, grayish outer rind. While mold growth does not penetrate, the enzymes do infuse the cheese, creating Camembert’s characteristic creamy interior.
Wine and cheese — The dynamic duo
For my money, wine and cheese outpace even peanut butter and jelly as the classic combination in the world of gastronomy. Both wine and cheese may be consumed while fresh, simple and young or in their more complex forms when they are aged and mature.
Good wine and cheese pairings do take some thought, but the thing to remember is that it’s a matter of personal taste. So instead of stringent rules, consider these guidelines:
Salty with sweet
Blue cheese is an extremely rich, salty, pungent, spicy and moldy. One of the best ways to match this depth of flavor is with a sweet dessert wine. The unctuous texture and viscosity of a Sauternes, for example, can always be counted on to make nice with the creamy mouthfeel of the blue. Try Stilton with Port—another classic combo.
Regional
One simple way to achieve global harmony is to pair wine and cheese according to their geographic area. The thought here is what grows together, goes together. Wine and cheeses of the same region often carry similar flavor qualities. Pair a Spanish Manchego with a Sherry, a French Camembert with Chardonnay, or a Pecorino Toscano with Chianti from Tuscany.
Acidity with acidity
Goat cheese with Sauvignon Blanc is another time-tested combination. The tangy zip of the goat cheese matches perfectly with the wine’s crisp acidity.
Rich and creamy with bubbles
Let’s hear it for utter decadence. Champagne, or other sparkling wine, slices through rich, creamy cheese, refreshing the palate for every bite. Pair the bubbly with a St. Andre Triple Crème or a wedge of rich, dense Gruyère. If you’re not into the effervescent, opt for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay.
Age with boldness
An aged Cheddar, Gouda and Parmesan are the ultimate cheeses to pair with bolder red wines. Experiment with Bordeaux, Cabernet, Chianti and Zinfandel.
Muscle on muscle
For an extreme taste experience, try a pungent Munster with a massive red like a Cabernet or an Amarone. But if you’d rather tame the cheese than challenge it, a sweet wine will be less confrontational and create more of a sense of harmony. Sweet, fortified wines like Port or a late harvest wine make good choices.
Murray’s Wants YOU!
Cheese U Bootcamp
All the information and expertise of a comprehensive six-week Cheese U series packed into a single weekend. US $495
If shorter evening classes are more your speed, check out:
Cheese 101
Learn how to navigate the cheese case. Murray’s guides you through a scrumptious tasting of fresh, bloomy, washed-rind and aged cheeses, plus a variety of cow, sheep, and goat cheese, all while learning about cheese-making and cheese-pairing fundamentals. US $50
Mystery of the Caves
Murray’s affineur Michael Anderson guides you to the cheese underworld. Take a tour of the subterranean caves, learn about basic affinage practices and the elementary science behind what happens to cheeses as they age, then taste your way through a plate of cheese samples. US $75
Murray’s Caves Private Tasting and Tour
Murray’s also offers private cheese and wine tastings.US $600, maximum capacity: eight people
Murray’s
254 Bleecker St.
(between 6th & 7th Ave.)
New York, NY 10014
1-888-my-cheez or (212) 243-3289
www.murrayscheese.com
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Nicole,
Great article. Excellent description of the cheeses and their wine matching capability.
Nice to know such cheese education exists.
Tom