The SOMM Journal

February / March 2018

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28 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 { wheying in } IN MY WORLD, there are too many people who think they don't like goat cheese. I never argue with them, but I'm pretty sure what turns them off are those chalky, tangy, rindless fresh cheeses with a strong goaty aroma (I don't like them, either). But chèvre—the French word for goat cheese of any type—comes in a multi - tude of formats and styles, from cheddar to Gouda to blue. I relish introducing my students to the varied cheeses that goat's milk can yield: cheeses that complement many wines beyond Sauvignon Blanc. Here are a few favorites I can count on to convert skeptics—I dare your customers not to love them. Andante Dairy Tomme Dolce (CA) Washed with brandy and plum conserve, this 9-pound wheel is matured for about six months. The long cellar time yields aromas of caramel, garlic, aged beef, and roasted peanuts, with a sweet, mellow finish. Brabander (Holland) This goat Gouda from the Brabant region is selected and matured by acclaimed affineur (cheese ager) Betty Koster. Her signature tech- niques help develop the aromas in this firm, nine-month-old cheese. The fra- grance reminds me of cajeta, the silky goat caramel. Capriole Flora (IN) Capriole's newest cheese is a 6-ounce ashed beauty re- sembling French Selles-sur-Cher. When perfectly ripe, the rind will be wrinkled and the interior will be oozy and a little slumpy with an arresting mushroom aroma. Garrotxa (Spain) A 1- to 1.5-pound wheel with a thin, hard, brownish-gray rind that looks like suede, Garrotxa is a goat cheese like no other. The interior is dense, semi- firm, and smooth with a nutty aroma and a sweet finish. Pair it with Sherry: a Fino or Manzanilla if the cheese comes early in the meal, or a richer Amontillado or Oloroso with dessert. Haystack Dairy Queso de Mano (CO) Made with raw goat's milk from a farm operated by Colorado inmates and aged for at least four months, this cheese sports a handsome natural rind dappled with character-inducing molds. The firm interior exhibits cave, toasted nut, and caramel aromas with deep flavor. Montchevre Chevre in Blue (WI) This easy-to-eat blue from the largest goat cheese producer in the U.S. regularly wins its category in the American Cheese Soci- ety competition. A rindless wheel aged for about five months, it is moist, tender, and lightly-veined with a feta-like tang. Mothais sur Feuille (France) Resting on a chestnut leaf that contributes a woodsy aroma, this little 7-ounce disk is as pretty as cheese gets. The gooey interior is al - most drippy just under the tender rind; the aroma suggests cultured milk, green onion, and garlic. Totally luscious. Persillé de Rambouillet (France) The word persillé is typically reserved for goat- milk blues in France, a rare category even among the goat cheese–loving French. This one is dreamy, moist, and mellow, with a toasty aroma that reminds me of saltines. Serve with walnut bread and Rivesaltes. DON'T LIKE GOAT CHEESE? TRY THESE! by Janet Fletcher Getting Your GOAT PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIANJUNG VIA THINKSTOCK

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