Small but Mighty…

Hello Cheese Enthusiasts!

Upon my desk sits a small stack of French Books with a small bust of Napoléon Bonaparte standing guard proudly over them. While they may be small, they are mighty… 

In my many travels, it has been some of the smallest cheeses that have made the biggest impact.

I thought that I might share a few of them today with you:

Le Trou de Cru by Fromagerie Berthaut – This cheese may only weigh 60g (2.11 oz.) and may be the size of an orange marshmallow, but don’t let its small size fool you. This cheese follows closely in the footsteps of its big brother, Epoisses PDO.

Produced in the Bourgogne (Burgundy) Region of France, this cheese is made from Pasteurized cow's milk, salt, rennet, ferments, and Marc de Bourgogne…Not familiar with Marc de Bourgogne?...Let me explain. Marc de Bourgogne AOC is a spirit known as Pomace Brandy. It is made by distilling the seeds and skins that are left once the grapes for wine making have been juiced. The French and British refer to this as “Marc”, the Spanish refer to it as “Orujo”, and the Italians refer to it as “Grappa”, except grappa has a very slight age, while marc is aged in barrels giving it a rich, tawny appearance.

The smell of this cheese packs a punch, but its bark is much worse that its bite. Le Trou de Cru is a washed-rind cheese type that features a strong (sweat sock type) smell produced by Brevibacterium linens bacteria growing on the cheese's exterior. While the smell of cheese can be overwhelming, the bacteria causes a chemical reaction that helps to give this soft cheese a complex, nutty/buttery flavor and an interior that is rich and velvety.

Little Giant by Cypress Grove – “Smooth, buttery, and delicate —Little Giant is a bright and fudgy goat cheese (kind of like a brie) that makes a big impact in a tiny package”.

Mary Keehn turned all cheese critics on their heads in the 1980’s when she and her team introduced Humboldt Fog, an amazing cheese made with goat’s milk. Little Giant follows in these same footsteps, as this cheese can be the rock star of your cheeseboard. “With subtly sweet, yeast-like flavors of bread fresh out of the oven and mushroomy notes that intensify as the cheese matures, this little goat cheese is mild and delectable at any age”. Smartly packaged in a 4 oz. box.

Inverness image courtesy of Cowgirl Creamery

Inverness cheese by Cowgirl Creamery 

“Inspired by the French St. Marcellin, an iconic cheese from Lyon, Inverness is a 2 oz. cylinder aged a minimum of 2 weeks. Made much like a soft-ripened goat cheese, this "lactic" style cheese has a bright, yogurty flavor with a cheesecake-like texture. As the cheese ripens, it becomes softer and more pungent–perfect for spreading on crusty sourdough or crumbling into a salad. At this stage, it has been described to have flavors of sourdough, crème fraîche, and brine”.

When I found Inverness at a nearby retailer, it already had a nice age on it so I enjoyed it right away.

Sappy Ewe by Nettle Meadow Artisan Cheese – Nettle Meadow is one of the first reviews I did back in 2019 (you can read it here). “A perfect melding of the flavors of the Adirondack Mountains…This cheese is made from pasture raised sheep and cows milk infused with a maple reduction then aged just a touch longer in their aging cave than most of their bloomy rinds and then enveloped in a black vegetable ash. This cheese accents the best of the Boreal Forest of the Adirondack Mountains. A very unique cheese that has medaled at the U.S. Cheese Championships twice, the World Cheese Championships, and the ACS Contest. Dense and fudgy texture”.

This cheese was the largest one I reviewed today…standing tall at 2” and weighing in at a hefty 6 oz.

In closing, I share with you two quotes from Napoléon Bonaparte that I think sum up today’s featured cheesemakers: “Imagination rules the world” and “Great ambition is the passion of a great character”. These imaginative, passionate cheesemakers certainly have great ambitions! 

So next time you are shopping at your local cheese counter, think big!...but it’s the little things in life that matter! 

Until next week,

Trevor

P.S. – Glad to be back from vacation!!