I love cheese. Just fucking love it. Cheese predates written history so it's ancient which gives it mad street cred. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, either in Europe,Central Asia or the Middle East, but the practice had spread within Europe prior to Roman times and, according to Pliny the Elder, had become a sophisticated enterprise by the time theRoman Empirecame into being. Proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE (when sheep were first domesticated) to around 3000 BCE. The first cheese may have been made by people in the Middle East or by nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia. Since animal skins and inflated internal organs have, since ancient times, provided storage vessels for a range of foodstuffs, it is probable that the process of cheese making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach. There is a legend with variations about the discovery of cheese by an Arab trader who used this method of storing milk.
Cheese-making may have begun independently of this by the pressing and salting of curdled milk to preserve it. Observation that the effect of making milk in an animal stomach gave more solid and better-textured curds, may have led to the deliberate addition of rennet.
The earliest archaeological evidence of cheesemaking has been found in Egyptian tomb murals, dating to about 2000 BCE. The earliest cheeses were likely to have been quite sour and salty, similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese or feta. Cheese is the perfect mixing of art, science, nature and Man working together with raw material to create a near perfect foodstuff. Only the humble egg bests cheese (See my post here re: Eggs are Natures Perfect Food) and that is because the egg is perfect as it is created, cheese needs a little help from it's friends. Namely us.
Speaking of friends... I was on the social networking site Facebook – perhaps you have heard of it? Anyway, I saw on my “wall” that someone had posted to me “feed.” Tserin - It's a Tibetan name, her father was a world class mountain climber and she was born right after he had been climbing in the Himalayans - an old acquaintance of mine had replied to a comment I made on a photo of her in South America. She suggested we transcend the boundaries of internet friendship which is limited to wit, puns and photo exchanges and meet in real life. I accepted and suggest dinner and drinks and she countered with Wine and Cheese somehow knowing my love of cheese and my abilitiy to put together a sick platter.
I met Tserin throgh mutual friends at the club a few years ago. She is a smoking hot punk rock loving elementary school teacher and doing her masters at UBC in Education. Yeah, I know, in other words... freaking awesome. She showed up fashionably late to my place on a cold January evening and I welcomed her in. She had brought a Chianti and a Cabernet Sauvignon which would work fine for what I had planned. I opened the Cab Sav and poured us each a glass. We sat and chatted amicanbly for a while and I noticed right off how easy going she seemed. No pretension, just speaking her mind and being all pretty and stuff.
We were both starved and it was nearing 8:30 so I put out the cheese and accoutrement.
6 cheeses from 3 regions. 2 hard, 2 medium and 2 soft. 2 French, 2 Italian and 2 Local canadian cheeses from Salt Spring Island (To see the list of the cheeses I chose as well as some info on them click here ---> !!!) I had 8 condiments 4 types of charcuterie and french baguette crostinis. We dug in, mixing and matching trying to find the most sublime combinations or just savouring the cheeses in their unadulterated natural state.
My favourites were the Chateau de Bourgogne which Tserin adored. A triple crème brie coming in at an astonishing 75% fat content and the Piave Vecchio which is a perennial favourite of mine with it's nutty sharp flavour reminiscent of parmesan but softer on the tongue. The brie was soft, very soft and it oozed slowly away from it's rind forming a small gooey heap on the plate. With clover honey on a crostini it was heaven.
The Pecorino was ok, a tad salty and would have been great in a risotto. It was also affordable at only around 5.99/100grams but couldn't best the Piave at only $3.95/100grams.
The Montana which is local and modelled after the hard Spanish Mountain cheeses like manchego was nothing to write a blog about, but I can't wait to stuff it in some dates and wrap them in bacon, a little mango chutney and BAM! Good eats!
Tserin also loved the Blossom's Blue. This medium density Blue is locally sourced from a dairy on Salt Spring Island and is named after the dairy's first cow. It's rich beige paste is flecked throughout with the blue penicillium mold that create the amazing flavour unique to blue cheese. Slightly salty, nippy and pungent it created a tingling sensation on the tongue and gums.
The Tomme de Savoie was a bit of a let down. With the consistency of a nice mozzarella it was a tad blan and quickly overwhelmed by any other flaovurs. It is said there are as many Tommes in the savoie region as there are mountains and valleys... so maybe I will try another one next time.
We managed to get through about 2/3rds of the platter before succumbing. Our bellies full and another bottle of wine waiting to be opened. Tserin stayed until well after Midnight but having a group of 23 7 year olds waiting for you in the morning was enough to get her headed home by 12:30. The date was wonderful and we talked easily with each other for hours. Cheese seems to have the magic ability to bring two people together in a way other foods lack. I have her number and I'm sure I will be seeing her again.
Until next time,
Eat well,
Chris
Next Time: I finally get around to why “Eggs are the Worlds Perfect Food” and maybe another restaurant review.
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