The Milky Way: all about the galaxy of premium cheeses

In France there are more than a thousand cheese references. No matter how few other countries in the world have, it is clear that getting the right choosing a cheese It is not an easy task.

We give you ten clues about some of the best cheeses in the world and in passing we compile a short guide on where, when and how to savor them.

To start with: the cheese compass

There are several criteria to distinguish cheeses. One is the type of milk used (cow, goat, sheep …) or if it is raw or pasteurized milk. It can also be distinguished by type of elaboration, degree of maturation and up to by time of year in which a cheese is produced. However, the most widely used distinction is the one based on, so to speak, the “Amount of moisture” present in each cheese.

Making a cheese is relatively simple, since it involves separating the solid part (the curd) from the liquid (the whey). Fresh cheeses, such as Mozzarella, are the softest and “moist”. Then there are those with a soft, velvety crust with a creamy texture, like Brie. The French époisses or the Casar cake they are the so-called washed bark and semi-winters. Finally there are blue cheeses and hard cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano.

How to assemble a perfect cheese board

A good cheese board is the ideal ending to any gourmet evening. But, among so many types of cheese, Which one is better to choose?

A classic cheese board has to include cheeses of different intensity, in such a way that the tasting progresses, like the hands of a clock, from the freshest cheese to the strongest.

The cheeses can also be served in individual portions for each diner, accompanied by fruit or nuts. It is important to remove the cheese from the refrigerator within 45 minutes and two hours before serving. If we don’t dominate the art of pairingIt may be a good idea to serve each cheese with a wine with which it shares its origin or, the other way around, to look for something that creates a contrast, such as serving a sweet wine with a blue cheese. If we are especially daring at the table, we can opt for a beer, a sake and even a tea.

Pule, the most expensive in the world

With a price of 1.000 euros per kilo or, what is the same, 50 euros for a piece of 50 gr. This is the price of the most expensive bite of cheese in the world. We are talking about Pula, which means foal in Serbian, a delicacy made from donkey milk from the Zasavica nature reserve, north of Belgrade.

To produce a kilo of this cheese you need 25 liters of milk, a fairly high quantity. It must also be taken into account that the amount of milk obtained from a donkey is reduced and that, as there is no machinery adapted to this animal, milking is done by hand up to three times a day. In addition, it is a low fat cheese and rich in vitamina C. Another detail that makes it even more exclusive is that nothing can be purchased other than on the website of the natural reserve of Zasavica. A real luxury.

G from Girolle

It is probably the most peculiar (and chic) ​​object of all those related to cheese. The girolle is a utensil that serves to “shave” the surface of the famous Swiss cheese Tête de Moine. In this way, delicate flowers are formed which are called chanterelles and allow you to appreciate the aroma of this cheese. A staging worthy of a high-altitude banquet. It can also be used with other types of aged or semi-aged cheeses. It is possible to purchase this utensil on the website of Alembic, one of the best kitchen stores in all of Spain. And one of the oldest.

In good company: sweet sauces for the perfect pairing

Caramelized Golden apple with Turkish pistachios and Sri Lankan cinnamon; black figs with Australian Macadamia nuts and allspice; peach and apricot with Goji berries and Guatemalan cardamom; raspberry with rose petals and Sichuan pepper and black grape with almonds from Mallorca. The premium jam company Can bech has created a range of five sweet sauces designed to pair with each type of cheese: from blue to washed rind to mozzarella (which, by the way, is quite a challenge when looking for the perfect pair). Just for cheese This line is called and can be purchased in specialized stores.

This is the best cheese in the world

It’s blue, it’s Norwegian, it’s called Kraftkar and it is the best cheese in the world. It was established by the last edition of the World Cheese Awards (the next will take place in London on November 17), the largest contest dedicated exclusively to cheese. The Kraftkar, which is produced in an artisanal way on the small family farm in Tingvollost, first won the gold medal of the 2016 edition and then the title of Champion of Champions, beating the winning cheeses of the previous 28 editions. Its texture crumbly, its mild flavor and the perfect development of mold are some of the reasons that have motivated the decision of a jury made up of 266 experts from 26 countries around the world.

The cheese recipe

There are probably as many cheeses as there are books on cheese. That is, thousands. A very useful publication when dealing with this complex universe is All about cheese by British journalist Fiona Beckett. Useful tips, guidelines and 40 recipes –from the most classic to the most original– with cheese as the only protagonist. Another recent post is The Cheese Book by Juliet Harbutt, which collects the chips of 750 cheeses from various countries around the world. If we want to jump in and make our own cheese at home, something that is also very fashionable, the book Cheese in an hour is what we needed. Along with the odd utensil and some patience.

Parmigiano Reggiano, the Vuitton of cheeses

It is the most famous and imitated cow’s milk hard cheese in the world. More or less like a Louis Vuitton bag. That is why it is so important to know how to recognize the authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. To begin with, you have to look at the little dots that appear on its rind, on which all the useful information about each cheese is printed, such as name, month and year of production, producer, license plate. Parmigiano Reggiano It is a Protected Designation of Origin, since the cheese produced in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and part of Mantua and Bologna can only be called that. You also can’t wear this name if you don’t have at least 12 months of healing. There are three seals to identify the degree of maturation: red for more than 18 months, silver for more than 22 and gold for more than 30. After 40 months (and can reach 100), Parmigiano Reggiano becomes a very exclusive. For its gustatory charms and also for its price.

Where to buy and taste the best cheese

Poncelet Cheese Bar it is very close to the idea of ​​paradise that a cheese lover can have. Two floors, impeccable decoration, 150 references between Spanish and international cheeses and a few culinary variations focused on this product. There is also a store poncelet, on Calle Argensola, where whoever requests it will have the best personalized attention. Another option is The Dumpling, store located in the Mercado de la Paz, in the exclusive Salamanca neighborhood. On the restaurant menu Santceloni, Sporting two Michelin stars, the cheese board ranks high. In the Catalan Cerdanya, you will find the restaurant The Llívia Cheese Factory, located in an old cheese factory and whose menu includes homemade cheeses and cheese-based specialties such as Fondue and Raclette.

Say “Cheese”

This weekend, cheese lovers from around the world have a date at Bra, in Piedmont (where, by the way, some of the best cheeses in the world are produced). The appointment is called Cheese, an event organized by Slow Food which claims and focuses on raw milk cheeses. Exhibitors, tastings, courses, conferences, but also cinema, music and shows for four long days dedicated to this delicacy. It is even possible to visit the stands accompanied by a personal shopper so as not to miss absolutely any of the flavors and stories related to cheese. This XNUMXth edition also has a record presence of Spanish exhibitors.