Ingredients: By Fields Place, Goats milk, culture, rennet, salt and various flavorings
Net Wt. 4.5 oz.
A BIT OF "CHEESE" HISTORY
We all know cheese... It's the other half of the "mac and…" equation. But lately there's a lot of action in your local cheese department. Lovely handcrafted artisan cheeses are showing up, and not only in specialty shops and farmers' markets. From European imports to American farmstead varieties, the cheese revolution is upon us.
Cheese is an ancient product and was a solution to an even older problem of milk being perishable.
Legend has it that cheese making was discovered by a herdsman carrying milk in a bag made from an animal’s stomach. The beneficial yeasts and bacteria that ripen cheese already exist in the air and on this hot day these bacteria (combined with agitation from the herdsman walking and some residual rennet from his stomach-lining bag) performed a miracle. The milk coagulated and separated into curds and whey, and with that cheese made its humble debut. As folks gradually learned to control this process, every region, town, and monastery had its cheese. These were adapted over centuries to individual areas climates and cultures.
Immigrants to the United States brought cheese making traditions with them and also created a few new varieties like Colby, brick, and dry Jack. Industrial-scale cheese making followed when associated dairies were created in the 1800s and American farmers began to pool their milk. The same impulse for efficiency that brought us cars also brought us reliable cheese: wholesome, inexpensive, and available to all.
Many European cheesemakers joined the industrial trend when countries were rebuilding after World War II. Traditional cheese making was far from lost; but the great artisan cheeses were not to be found in U.S. markets, having been replaced by their industrialized, pasteurized counterparts.
Then people began to travel again, and they discovered one very important thing: traditional cheese is incredibly different. Its flavor can be grassy, nutty, sweet, or pungent. And along with such amazing flavor comes its consistency in your mouth. It is an experience not to be missed.
These days, many dairies have taken a great leap backward and have learned or reinvigorated traditional methods wherein cheese is made by hand (daily and seasonally) on the farm where animals graze. The new cheesemakers choose breeds of goats, for the quality of their milk. Feed is carefully selected and cheese is made only when the animals are producing top-quality milk.
As appreciation grows for unique, local cheese, we find in nearly every region someone is making cheese the old-fashioned way. The bad news is small batches--no matter how superb--may never make it beyond a farmers' market (a great incentive to support your local producers). The good news is nearly every grocery now stocks some European cheese and many shops and online retailers are building extensive collections of locally crafted cheese.
We have a delightful new dilemma: where to start? You're going to love the answer. It's easy. Put on your sense of adventure, and go taste cheese.
ABOUT
Goat Cheese is cheese made from the milk of goats. Goat Cheese is an ancient food that has been made for thousands of years and originated in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern areas where goats were more plentiful than cows, especially in areas with rough terrain. Goat Cheese as a delicacy was embraced by the people of France's Loire Valley in the 8th Century, a region that today is well known for its chevre. The word “chevre” simply means "goat" in French, but internationally is associated with a soft, spreadable type of French Goat Cheese.
Goat cheese is made in a many different shapes, sizes, flavors and textures, and is best known for its distinctive tangy, rich flavor. Young Goat Cheese is fresh, mild, creamy and spreadable, whereas aged Goat Cheese tends to be harder and sharper. Goat Cheese may be sold fresh, aged or marinated.
Goat Cheese melts differently than cow's milk cheese, and harder varieties are often baked and transformed into a gooey warm spread that may be served with garlic and bread. The French call this preparation "chevre chaud".
Compared to similar cheeses such as cream cheese made from cow's milk, Goat Cheese, or Chevre, is lower in fat, cholesterol and calories, and higher in calcium. Goat cheese is also more easily digested by humans than cheeses made from cow's milk, a good benefit for those with lactose intolerance. There are many ways of serving Goat Cheese, such as crumbling Goat Cheese on salads, or melting it into cooked dishes, or simply serving it with warmed bread. But one thing is sure, and that is no matter how you serve it you will find it absolutely delicious!
HANDLING AND STORING CHEESE
Here's the best advice for storing cheese: DON'T. Instead, take home small portions and visit your friend behind the cheese counter more often. If that’s impractical, then remember this: a good cheese is still alive, needs to breathe, and suffers if it loses too much moisture. When it comes to storage you’re trying for cave-like conditions, so the best place to store in the refrigerator is the vegetable drawer.
Take cheese out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving. Present it on a flat surface--a board, slate, or a lovely tile will do--and give each cheese its own knife.
Fancy tools, like cheese planes, are not necessary. And, if your goal is really to taste the cheese, plain baguettes or very plain crackers are perfect.
This is a "Must Try" delicious cheese. Contact Us for details.