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Picking only ten cheeses for 2016 is almost impossible when there are so many delicious candidates out there, but what the heck let’s do it.
In no particular order, here are some cheeses that struck me as especially different and new, as well as some old favourites that continue to be consistently fine every year. *Treve has suggested special wine pairings for each cheese.
TOMME DES CROQUANTS. This medium firm cheese is made in the South West of France and is brushed with walnut liqueur. I have tried other versions of this cheese while in Bordeaux last year, and I didn’t like them nearly as much. This small tome is very definite in flavour, and with a great buttery texture.
LA MADELINE. This is a soft ripened sheep cheese from Québec. Soft sheep’s milk cheeses aren’t that common, and one being made in Canada is definitely a novelty. This lovely delicate flavoured cheese is made by Fromagerie Nouvelle France, and is named in honour of the cheese maker’s ancestor. Have it on its own, on a chewy baguette to really taste the subtle grassy flavour and the fruity finish, given by the delicious sheep’s milk.
WOOKEY HOLE CHEDDAR. This is a farmstead cheddar made by Ford Farm and aged in the natural caves at Wookey Hole, in Somerset. It’s easy to overlook cheddar because you think you’ve had them all before, but every time I try a new maker it astounds me how different the flavours can be. This cheddar is sharp, but a little bit nutty as well, with just a hint of earthiness in the finish. It has no bitter flavour that you may sometimes notice in aged cheddars, and it has just a hint of creaminess remaining. There are lots of good cheesy Star Wars jokes to be made too!
FRANZ HALS GOAT GOUDA. We loved this cheese so much we don’t have any left until next year! This is an aged Gouda made with goat milk from the Netherlands. The aging process gives it a dense, yet creamy texture and a wonderful butterscotch finish. Although I am not totally a lover of the goat cheeses, even I adore this one, and when we had staff wine tastings this year, we couldn’t find one wine this cheese didn’t pair well with!
KAPTIEN 35 MONTHS GOUDA. Gouda is one of those cheeses that is frequently overlooked by people. If you have only had mild or medium Gouda, you might not get excited about the prospect of a 36-month wheel. The aging process of cheese makes a remarkable difference in the taste and texture of the end product. The Kaptien 36-month is very hard - so hard it takes all our sturdy cheesemonger muscles just to get through it – and it has the most amazingly complex flavour profile. This cheese is at once sweet, sharp and nutty, and the taste just goes on and on and on. Fifteen minutes after you’ve had a bite you will still be able to taste it. This rock of a Gouda doesn’t need a cracker or a slice of bread to help it along. Just a chunk on its own is perfect.
BRA DURO. This excellent DOP cheese from Piedmont is one of my all-time favourite cheeses. The version we get and love is made with raw cow’s milk and is aged for over a year. The wheel has a natural crust and a beautiful white paste. The texture is slightly flaky and brittle and the taste is lemony, fruity and sharp. Unlike so many cheeses, Bra is delicious with all sorts of big red wines so feel free to finish off your next bottle with a bite or two of Bra.
DIABOLO. This Swiss mountain cheese is relatively new to our shelves. We have quite a few cheeses of this style, but I really find this one stands out. The wheel is smaller than many alpine cheeses, so it needs less aging to develop its interesting flavours. The cheese is aged for a minimum of five months, but it really seems as if it is aged for much longer. The texture is dense and creamy with just a hint of the crunchy crystalline texture that aging brings to cheese. The aroma is unmistakably fruity but the flavour is nutty and sharp, with a good dollop of sweetness in the finish.
LA TUR. This delicious, atypical soft cheese from Piedmont is absolutely unforgettable. Its unique flavour comes from the blending of sheep, goat and cow milk. The complex flavour is hard to describe, but it is a tiny bit earthy and salty with a lovely tangy little sharpness that catches you right at the end. It reminds me a little of a Saint-Felicien (from France) and I guess it’s not surprising that I love them both. Often the firmer cheeses stand out to me a little more as their flavour seems to last longer and tends to be more complex, but this luscious gem is so special it’s hard to put out of your mind. We hadn’t been able to track any down for almost two years and then, just in time for the busy season, we received a shipment with help from our friends at La Fromagerie Hamel, in Montreal. Based on the length of the list of customers waiting for this one, I don’t think I’m the only one that’s excited by its return!
FOU DU ROY. This excellent example of a washed rind cheese from Quebec is one of our store favourites. This farmstead beauty is made with organic milk by the folks at Les Fromagiers de la Table Ronde. Their description of it having the flavours of peanuts and hay is right on, and the lovely soft (but not too soft) texture is also exceptional in this popular category. The plump, small wheels age nicely and the rind is a little sandy, as is typical of a washed rind cheese, but not so much that it is objectionable to people not as familiar with this style.
