Choose your cheese
By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
Posted on August 04, 2016
SOME HAVE sage and some are made with beer, while others are stinky, “but oh so god damn sexy.” Like a box of chocolate, cheese comes in many varieties, and choosing is never easy.
This is unfortunate, he said, because the world produces a plethora of cheese in different flavors, smells, textures, and tastes, and Filipinos should be aware of them.
“I personally love French cheese because they have more cheese than there are days in a year,” he added.
With the goal of celebrating cheese and in order for more Filipinos to become acquainted with the different types, the Marketplace by Rustan’s is holding a cheese festival until Aug. 14, with a 30% discount given for all the cheeses. There are over 120 varieties to choose from at the supermarket, ranging from the well known like Parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar down to the artisanal like truffled savarin and St. Marcellin, both French cheeses made with cow’s milk.
“St. Marcellin is creamy, nutty, and a little bit stinky, but oh, so god damn sexy,” said Mr. Ng. St. Marcellin originates from Isere region in France where it was exclusively made from goat’s milk until the 13th century when cow’s milk started to be used in its production.
According to chef Ng, there are only four basic cheeses: fresh and spreadable; hard and aged; blue-veined and often stinky; and bloomy rind, which has a soft rim.
The hard cheeses are the most common. Some of the samples include Parmesan, cheddar, and Madrigal cheese, “which are the party favorite.”
“If you don’t know how Madrigal cheese looks like, they are the ones often used in cartoons,” he said referring to the cartoon illustrations of round cheeses with holes in them.
Another hard cheese is Parmigiano Reggiano from Northern Italy. “It is expensive because it takes forever to age, at least three to four years,” said Mr. Ng.
Soft cheeses, on the other hand, are spreadable and are “creamy, un-aged, and often fresh” like goat cheese.
While England is home to cheddar cheese, it also created Sage Derby cheese, which, as the name implies, is infused with sage leaves. Mr. Ng said: “It’s like dahon ng laurel (bay leaf), it has strong herb taste and smell.”
Aside from herbs, cheese lovers and makers have also learned to infuse their cheese with beer, like in Guinness Beer Irish cheese. It is brown in color and one can see the beer malt in the cheese. It is heavy and creamy at the same time.
Sage and Guinness Beer are both semi-hard cheeses, which is the largest category of cheese in the world.
Mr. Ng, the founding member of the Chefs and Foodservice Community of the Philippines, said that cheese should not be intimidating, but exciting. “Don’t be afraid to try. It may look and smell funny, or have some difficult name to pronounce, but try it anyway. Who knows, you might just love it.”
And this cheese adventure includes tasting even the funky ones. “The stinkier, the better,” he teased.
A blue-veined basic cheese is a result of the cheese being infected with mold and allowed to age. It may look unsavory but blue cheese packs a strong punch. Mr. Ng gave a tip: pair stinky cheese with honey, walnuts, and fresh or dried fruits. An example of a blue-veined cheese is the Cambozola from Germany.
When it comes to serving cheese, he said it’s good to let them air before serving. “Be sure to let the cheese breathe for about half an hour to one hour before serving. A great way to keep it from drying out is to cover it lightly using a slightly damp towel.”
To complete the cheese journey and to bring out their flavors, use your imagination. “You can totally have fun and put out a combination of assorted crackers, artisan breads, and mini toasts, plus savory marinated sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or meats like prosciutto and salami,” he said. Also, the no-fail cheese accompaniments are fresh fruits like grapes, strawberries, pears, and peaches.
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