The Dangers of Product Protection Inidcators
How Protected geopgraphical indicators are both a blessing and a Curse
How Stichelton Cheese Got its Name.
We’re all for the protection and preservation of traditional cheeses, their terroir, taste and most importantly the people who work day in day out to make them. We’re passionate about variety, authenticity and taste.
So you think leaning on the side of Protected Geographical Indicators and their cousins AOP, AOC and PDO would be simple.
Not so.
Most of the time, as you all know we support protecting tradition but some manufacturers have found a way to create a restricted market for their cheeses by changing the rules on traditional cheesemaking and having not so desirable qualities of a cheese enshirned in law.
Such is the case with Stichelton. A traditional, raw milk blue cheese, made in an 8kg format, in Nottinghamshire, England.
One would think that this cheese could be labelled as a stilton given its pedigree. That isn’t the case here. No Stichelton is banned from using the name Stilton because they make their cheese from the original Stilton reciepe that calls for raw milk.
Unfortunately when the PGI for the cheese was created it was in the best interests of larger manufacturers to have the cheese pasteurised, therefore excluding artisan and independent cheesemakers looking to make the best version of the cheese.
In this and many other cases across Europe a protectionist racket has sprung up, creating conditions under which independant and traditional cheese makers find themselves excluded from the marketplace and the traditional names for their cheeses.
We were lucky enough to taste Stichelton at Slow Cheese in Italy and I will say it is the best British Blue I have ever eaten. Unfortunately as it stands we can’t import it but if anything changes we will be amongst the first to acquire some.
Another Cheesemaker, Paulo Cipparelli found himself, and his cheese, Bitto, excluded from using the name of a cheese he had been producing for 20 years. Because he refused to feed his animals fodder, grain and silaeage, required under the recently developed PDO rules, he and 13 other farmers were forced to change the name of their cheese. At first they attempted to use the name Historic Bitto, they were threatened with lawsuits by a consortium of large producers. In the end the name Historic Rebel was chosen.
In summary, PGI and friends are a double edged sword. They, for many years, protected and fostered a cottage industry, to the exclusion of others. As international demands and production scales increased, greed led to these rules, in a few cases, being abused as an exclusionary practice to deter new market entrants as well as discourage independent cheesemaking.
Tartiflette Recipie - Le Cheese Tour de Force!
Tartiflette
Ingredients
2 1/4 pounds (1kg) potatoes
Kosher salt/course salt
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 pound (115g) slab or thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inches
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30g) unsalted butter, only if needed
2 medium (8-ounce; 225g) yellow onions, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream or crème fraîche
1 pound (450g) Reblochon-style soft-rind cheese, we recommend Mountain Man by L’Artisan Organic.
Directions
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds. In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold water. Season generously with salt, add thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook at a bare simmer until potatoes are just tender and can be easily pierced with a paring knife, about 25 minutes. Discard thyme, drain potatoes, return to pot, and set aside.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a 10-inch cast iron or stainless-steel skillet, heat bacon over medium-high heat until fat begins to render. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is mostly rendered and bacon is cooked but not crisp, about 5 minutes. If there is excessive rendered fat, drain off all but 1/4 cup (60ml); conversely, if the bacon is lean and didn't release much fat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30g) butter. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.
Add white wine and cook, stirring, until wine has almost fully cooked off, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape bacon-onion mixture into pot with potatoes and toss gently to thoroughly combine.
Scrape potato mixture back into cast-iron skillet or into a 3-quart (3L) baking dish. Add cream or crème fraîche (the latter is thicker, so you can dollop it around in that case).
Cut cheese into roughly 1/2-inch-thick slabs. You can do this by cutting the cheese wheels in half to make half-moons; halve wheels through the equator; or slice crosswise into thick planks. Arrange cheese on top of potatoes, rind side up. Set skillet or baking dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 40 minutes.
Serve, scooping tartiflette from the skillet or baking dish onto individual serving plates, or eat straight out of the pan with a fresh baguette.
Blue Cheese Sauce - For Chicken Wings, Salads or Cheese Board Dip
Roquefort
Ok so, this is more of a dip than a blue cheese sauce but honestly, you can serve it on pretty much anything. I love to use it as a dip with crudite or poured over a salad (preferably the kind of salad that involves bacon). For this you want fresh, clean and light flavours while still packing a blue cheese punch, ideally you would use Roquefort (which we currently have in stock in our Compound Butter Pack!). The buttermilk here draws in the blue flavours for a better emulsion. For the mayonnaise I like to use S&W Whole egg or Kewpie; the former makes a better dip, the later makes a better dressing.
Ingredients
Blue Cheese
Buttermilk
Creme Fraiche or in a pinch Sour Cream
Mayonnaise
White Wine Vinegar
Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
Crumble the blue cheese into a bowl, stir in a splash of buttermilk and mash with a fork to create a paste, not smooth but like ricotta cheese. Combine the other ingredients, season to taste. The result should be a little runny for a dressing and a little more chunky for a dip.
Blue Cheese Sauce
A Warm Blue Cheese Sauce you can pour over your steak, roast potatoes or just skip the middleman and drink it straight from a mug. Warm, deeply savoury and creamy blue cheese sauce is the perfect addition to any steak meal. For this blue cheese sauce I highly recommend Stilton, Bleu de Basque and other firm, more crumbly blue cheeses.
Ingredients
Blue Cheese
Butter
Finely sliced brown onion
Worcestershire sauce
Cream
Method
Melt the butter over medium heat, add the onions and sauté until translucent, take your time here and cook them slowly, we don’t want them to brown, we want them to reduce and really give off their deep umami flavours.
Add a dash of Worcestershire, crumble in the blue cheese and stir to incorporate. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and stir in the cream in a steady drizzle ensuring to keep the sauce moving to emulsify.
Serve straight away.
Blue Cheese Compound Butter
Aside from a great accompaniment to steak; blue cheese butter is also a fantastic way of introducing people to blue cheese, the butter cuts the intensity of the cheese.
Buy fresh butter and fresh cut, straight off the wheel cheese. In a simple recipe freshness is key. My favourite blue is Roquefort for this recipe but I’ve also had success with Gorgonzola; both Dolce and Picante, Stilton and Mossvale Blue. I prefer to use cultured, salted butter for this recipe.
Ingredients
Butter
Blue Cheese
Optional Ingredients
Roasted Garlic
Flat Leaf Parsley
Chives
Method
Allow the butter to come to room temperature. With a spatula, smear the butter around the inside of a bowl, break your blue cheese into the bowl and combine the ingredients, this is the time to add finely chopped herbs or mash in your garlic.
Once all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, lay out a piece of wax paper, scoop the mixture onto the paper and roll into a log.
Pop into the fridge to firm up, once firm, slice into discs and serve.
Platter Blueprints, Cutting and Wrapping - All the Cheese Essentials for This Long Weekend
With a long weekend coming up, we thought it was the perfect time to create cheese platter "blueprints" to assist you in developing a well-balanced cheese experience.
We have also included the best way to cut cheeses - this is how you get creative with your guests and also showcase your cheese-cutting skill. Courtesy of our friends at Dairy Australia a visual guide to cutting cheese. The general rule is everyone take their fare share of the rind and every piece should reflect the flavour and texture changes as the cheese has developed from the rind to the core. We’ve also included some of our own cheese platters for inspo.
Also, we have our guide to wrapping and preserving cheeses. This will allow you to get the most out of your cheeses all weekend, and remember the food safety golden rule - four hours at room temperature is probably the max you can have your cheese out of the fridge to keep it at it’s best. Click here to check it out.
As always, have fun with it, get creative and let us know how you go via the Cornelius instagram account:
@eatcorneliuscheese
Yours in cheese,
Matt.
Cheese Platter “Blueprints”
How To Cut Cheese, And Some Inspo
Demand for Australian Cheese Soars
Australian Cheese is having a rennaisance, the quality and value of Australian Cheese has never been higher, I was recently interviewed by the ABC on the rise of Australian Cheese.
In my 12 years in specialty cheese we've seen Aussie cheese improve in leaps and bounds, we have more choice of high quality, locally made cheeses than ever before. We have some of the best grazing property and highest milk quality in the world, of course Australia makes great cheese.
Aussie cheesemakers are moving away from cloning European styles and started to forge their own path, making cheeses that are both unique and tailored to the Australian Pallet. #australia #food #wine #quality
What's the one dish you would travel the world for?
What's the dish you would travel the world to eat again?
Photograph by Jason Lowe
Mine is this unflattering and simple Welsh Rarebit served at St John in Smithfield, London.
The Good Doc aka Victoria was kind enough to introduce me not only to the restaurant but was kind enough to share with me the secret to the perfect Rarebit, the crosshatches give your Worchestershire somewhere to sink into the dish, adding a deep umami quality to an already perfect slice of heaven.
Gab and I are lucky to have so many excuses to visit the UK, whether they be cheese related, freind related, Markington related or just because we love the country. The Welsh Rarebit and a visit to ST John is on the cards for our next visit, and the one after that.
This is the dish I would cross the world for. Tell me your story.
Heathcote Shiraz Cheddar - Cornelius Cheesemongers x Hanging Rock Winery
We are excited to launch Heathcote Shiraz Cheddar, with our mates at Hanging Rock Estate.
Watch how it all came together with interviews from Cornelius’ Cheesemonger, Matt Steele, and Hanging Rock Winery Chief Winemaker, Robert Ellis.
How to Wrap Cheese
Wrapping cheese is really important in keeping it fresh for a longer period of time. Every cheese is different, although the technique is really similar, as you will see below. Matt's style is based on the classic French fold.
How to store cheese!
Guide to Storing Cheese:
1. Leave small, whole cheese (such as camembert or burrata) in their original wrappings or containers.
2. For portioned cheese, remove plastic wrap and re-wrap in paper (you will never get a piece of cheese wrapped in plastic from Cornelius Cheesemongers, although we do acknowledge that some cheese shops pre-cut and wrap their cheese in plastic....). Proper deli paper is best (our cheese comes wrapped in cheese paper), but baking paper does the trick too!
You can purchase cheese paper from us here.
3. Store the wrapped cheese in the fridge, in a container with a loose-fitting lid (if it's airtight the cheese can't breathe). The vegetable crisper is the best place, as it's humid and slightly warmer.
4. Store stronger-smelling cheese in a seperate container so the smell doesn't taint pther cheese or food in the fridge.
Freezing Cheese
Freezing cheese is not recommended, unless it is a hard or grated, such as cheddar or parmesan. You can , however, freeze baked foods containing cheese, such as lasagne or savoury muffins.
Compiled with information from legendairy.com.au
Guide to Buying Cheese
How Much Cheese Should I Buy?
As a rule we recommend around 125-150 grams per person for after dinner and a little bit more is the cheese is the main attraction. Think of the typical block of butter you might buy at the supermarket, cheese and butter are approximately the same weight for size. A typical block of butter weight 250g.
If you're serving a larger crowd, hosting a buffet or plan on serving the cheese over a few days we recommend buying larger pieces of cheese. They typically keep better and larger pieces of cheese always look better when presented.
If you need help selecting your cheese then you can
Live Chat with us by clicking the icon on the bottom right of your screen
Email us
or Call us on 0447 800 414
Caring for Your Cheese
Your cheese comes wrapped in the perfect paper to protect it, the paper achieves the best balance between allowing the cheese to breathe and providing the right humidity. You can order Formaticum cheese paper from our Larder section.
Store cheeses in the darkest part of your fridge, wrapped in cheese paper, inside a small container. It will help prevent the cheese from drying out and stop it from absorbing any fridge odours. Cheese is alive, it needs a little bit of air movement, not a lot, and something to protect it from drying out.
Serving Your Cheese
Cheese straight out of the fridge can be flat and lifeless. Slowly bring the cheese up to room temperature while still in it's wrapping. Australian Summers can be brutal on cheese so reduce the time out of the fridge according the the prevailing conditions. Try to avoid placing cheese under air conditioning vents as it will dry the cheese very quickly.