In March, Heidi tested our sense of sight, smell and taste with the knowledge we have learned throughout the previous cheese tasting classes with a "cheese-off". On our plates Heidi served 4 pairs of cheeses and we had to figure out which was which. This was a fun class and would make a great wine and cheese night with friends, just remember to mark the order of the cheeses somewhere so you can tell what you are tasting afterwards.
So the pairings Heidi had for us where:
- Henri Hutin Couronne Brie from the Isle de France, France vs Camembert Le Chatelain from Normandy, France.
- Cambozola from Bavaria, Germany vs d'Affinois Blue from the Rhône-Alpes, France
- Rusticone Bufala Mozzarella from Campania, Italy vs Maplebrook Farm Mozzarella from Bennington, Vermont
- Valbreso Sheep Feta from the Mediterranean Plateaus, France vs Karoun Goat Feta from Sun Valley, California
The Brie and the Camembert were so similar but the biggest difference is the size. Brie is made in a larger wheel and usually sold already pre-cut. The Camembert is made in a wheel of only 4.5 inches wide and sold whole. As far as the flavour, I found them very similar and comparable, brie is made with a higher fat content so the texture may be softer, almost runny if it is very ripe.
If you are not a fan of blue cheese, you may want to put down your guard and just try these two. Known as a perfect introduction to blue cheeses, Cambozola and d'Affinois blue look similar in that they both have pockets of blue veins within their creamy yellow interiors. As far as I could smell and taste I could not pick them apart, though most others in the class seemed to have a definite opinion on which was which.
While I personally struggled with tasting the difference between the buffalo milk mozzarella and the cow milk mozzarella, they looked exactly the same, someone pointed out the slight grassy flavour of the buffalo, which once they mentioned it I could then taste the difference between the two.
Then lastly the fetas, a sheep's milk and a goats milk. These tasted very different and also looked a little different on the plate. The goat feta was very crumbly, almost light and fluffy with a firm, creamy taste. The sheep feta was chunkier and had a definite salty taste.
We also invited Amanda from Vinilandia to pour samples of the Co-op wines of the month, Alias Wines. While I personally am abstaining from alcohol during lent, the feed back from the class was that these are some very drinkable wines and judging by what was left on the shelf at the end of the evening these are at a great price too! The class tried samples of the cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and Secret Agent red blend. Then as an added bonus, Amanda opened a bottle of Klassen Merlot which you can also find on the shelves of the Co-op's wine section. I might have to hurry and put a bottle aside to try after lent before they are all gone!
So next time you are looking at a cheese plate, would you be able to guess if it is a Brie or Camembert? Maybe you should have your own tasting evening and invite your friends to play too!
Join us at our next cheese tasting class... http://concordfoodcoop.coop/cheese
If you have a suggestion for a cheese you would like to try or a special request, send an emai lto our cheese buyer Suzy at cheese@concordfoodcoop.coop
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