Le Tastevin Wine Club - Notes on Cheeses – January 10, 2018

Tonight's cheese and baguettes are from Whole Foods.

Brillat-Savarin is a triple cream dessert cheese created by cheese-maker Henri Androuët in the 1930s. It is named after 19th century gastronome and epicure, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. It is an industrial cheese produced by three dairies situated in the Ile de France region. Since it’s classified as a triple cream cheese, Brillat-Savarin has a fat content of at least 75% achieved by adding rich, luscious cream to whole milk. They are usually matured for about 4-5 weeks to develop more complex flavors, and it exhibits a typical white, bloomy rind with a buttery-white interior paste. The texture is dense, moist, and slightly chalky with enough lusciousness and creaminess for a triple cream cheese. Besides the butter, salt and cream one may note hints of mushroom, nuts and truffles.

Tête de Moine (or “Monk’s Head) is an unpasteurized cow’s milk and semi-hard cheese originally produced for over 800 years by the monks of the abbey of Bellelay in the Bernese Jura region of Switzerland. It currently enjoys “appellation d’origine protégée” (AOP). It is a firm, hard cooked pungent cheese with about 35% fat without lactose. Traditionally, the cheese is prepared for eating in an unusual way: the cheese loaf is carefully scraped with a knife to produce thin shavings, which is said to help develop scented flavors by allowing oxygen to reach more of the surface.

Point Reyes Original Blue is an award-winning raw cow’s milk made by the Giacomini Family, 3rd generation dairy farmers in West Marin, California. It is actually California’s first blue cheese, it’s known for an extra-creamy texture, bright milk flavors, a fresh strong aroma, and with peppery notes. This cheese is made with vegetable rennet and aged for 6 months. The rind is natural, and edible.

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