CHEESE MATTERS

Finca Pascualete, nestled in the wildly beautiful countryside of Spanish Extramadura, is home to one of my favorite cheeses, Retorta.  The Finca (farm) is also at the heart of one of cheesemaking’s most remarkable origin stories.  One involving a glamorous American spy, a World War II love story and an ambitious plan to breathe new life into a Spanish country estate.  In 2012 I visited this magical place and was immediately captivated.

Extramadura is one of the most rugged and poorest regions of Spain.  However, it’s also the birthplace of some of Spain’s most renowned foods, including the traditional production of Torta style cheeses such as Finca Pascualete’s Retorta.

Historically, these cheeses were made on a tiny scale for personal consumption by nomadic shepherds who, seeking a way to preserve the milk, made use of the only resources available to them - in this instance creating rennet from the dried stamens of local cardoon thistle.  

At Finca Pascualete this traditional way of life endured remarkably unchanged for centuries where time basically stood still, even surviving four decades of the Franco dictatorship in the 20th century.  That is, at least until the arrival of Aline Griffith.

As we are inching our way through winter, the Hudson Valley is under a thick, icy shell. And even though each day is starting to feel a bit longer, and the sun is rising higher in the sky, I always wonder around this time of the year: will Spring ever really come?

To help me get through the final stretch of winter, I like to daydream about the warmer days ahead.  I start to plant out the seeds for vegetables that will eventually be transplanted into the garden when the ground is no longer frozen.  I begin to follow Spring Training baseball (and daydream about sitting in the stands on some hot, sunny July afternoon). I wonder when the first crocuses will show themselves. And, as a professional Cheesemonger, I consider the excitement of Springtime on a dairy farm. 

Uplands Cheese is a dairy farm that is located on Uplands Ridge, a plot of land in a region of Wisconsin that is quite hilly, unlike the rest of the Midwest. This area is called the “Driftless” region because it was untouched by the glaciers that flattened the rest of the Midwest. While flat land is perfect for growing crops, the hills of the Driftless region aren't suitable for that type of farming. This is why Uplands chose to plant grasses for grazing cows.

Cheesemaking combines art, science, and a touch of magic. While milk is the star of the show, a few supporting ingredients play crucial roles in creating your favorite cheeses. Among these, rennet might be the most mysterious. This guide explains what rennet is, how it works, and the different types available.

As the days are shortening, and we are finally beginning to feel the chill of mid-fall, I notice a significant shift in the cheeses that my palate craves. This is the season for Alpine-style cheeses to really shine. Aged, nutty, toasty, more savory flavors truly warm the soul as we head towards winter.

As our cheese display turns a bit more Alpine heavy these days, two cheeses tend to garner the most attention: French Comté and Swiss Gruyère. But what is the difference between the two cheeses?

The normally quiet world of British farmhouse cheese was shocked by the news of a sophisticated fraud at London Neal's Yard Dairy, where almost $400,000 worth of prized clothbound cheddar was stolen. Posing as buyers representing a legitimate French distributor, the thieves made off with 950 wheels of Hafod, Westcombe, and Pitchfork cheddars, representing over 22 metric tons and years of work, before the theft was discovered.

Question:I am lactose intolerant but love cheese. Are there any varieties that I can eat?