The imminent arrival of warmer spring weather has us pining for something a little lighter, a little brighter to reflect the change in season. This October we have chosen some of our favourite cheeses to enjoy with our favourite drinks for Spring.
Think crisp sparkling wine, a dry rosé perhaps. a Victorian chardonnay and even the quintessential cider and cheese pairing. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – what grows together goes together!
The October Cheese Subscription box contains:
BRILLAT SAVARIN – selected by Will Studd
Cows milk, Burgundy region, France
Will Studd selected Brillat Savarin is made from whole milk with added crème fraîche in Burgundy. Triple cream cheeses were first made in the early 20th Century, by adding extra cream to the whole milk used to make cheese.
Brillat-Savarin can be served at many different ages, when young the texture is dense, the rind is mild and the flavour has a pleasant crème fraîche tang. As it matures, the rind blooms and becomes spicy, and the texture is like a rich, buttery mousse.
The cheese is named for the renowned 18th Century lawyer, politician, author and gastronome, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, one of his many well-known sayings being –
‘Tell me what you eat and I shall tell you what you are’
Goes well with A luxurious triple cream cheese, like Brillat Savarin, is perfectly balanced by a crisp Champagne or sparkling wine, the acidity cleansing the palate and ensuring you want to keep having more of both.
For an indulgent breakfast, try Brillat-Savarin smeared on dense fruit bread, served with strawberries and Andrè Clouet 'Grande Réserve' Champagne.
LE CONQUÉRANT CAMEMBERT - selected by Will Studd
Cows milk, Normandy region, France
Le Conquérant Camembert shows all the characteristics of its famous cousin - authentic Camembert de Normandie made with raw milk. Will Studd has worked with the producers to develop this pasteurized version just for the Australian market. It is the special blend of cheesemaking cultures which produces flavours and aromas that come very close to its famous cousin.
The camembert’s very bold flavour, reminiscent of cooked cauliflower, wet straw, salami and truffle, is not for the faint-hearted. The texture features a traditional line of chalk through the centre when young, which develops to a deliciously fudgy texture when ripe. It is common to find beige or reddish spots under the fluffy rind, particularly when fully mature.
Goes well with Normandy cider - not just any cider, you need the funk, farmhouse ales, Gamay, Pinot Noir
Grab a crusty baguette, your ripe Camembert, some cornichons & a crisp apple - happy days!
STONE AND CROW NIGHTWALKER
Cows milk, Wurundjeri, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Stone and Crow Nightwalker is a small washed rind cheese that has a soft texture that becomes gooey with age. The milk comes from a single herd of Friesian & Jersey cows managed by Leigh Shera Jones in the Yarra Ranges. Cheesemaker Jack Holman is the master of Stone & Crow making cheese at the micro-dairy called Crow’s Nest, located at Rob Dolans Wines on Wurundjeri country, Yarra Valley.
To create its tell-tale pungency, he washes the cheese in brine every day for the first couple of weeks, until the cheese is ready to wrap for sale. The final flavour is typical of washed-rind cheeses, with meaty notes and a creamy finish.
Goes well with Victorian chardonnay, beer (especially sours), cider
FLEUR DU MAQUIS
Ewes milk, Corsica, France
Fleur du Maquis is an unusual ewes milk cheese from the French Mediterranean island of Corsica - you can taste the mountainous coastal grass that the sheep graze on in every mouthful. The pale ivory paste of Fleur du Maquis is coated with a mixture of local dried herbs, and changes from fresh and creamy when young to a moist but firm cheese as it ages and as the seasons change. As it matures the herb-coated rind grows a grey, slightly mouldy crust.
The name translates as ‘flower of the Maquis’, maquis being a French term for rough underbrush that grows throughout the Corsican countryside. The handmade cheese is drained for 2-3 days, salted and covered with wild herbs such as rosemary, thyme and savoury picked from the local maquis.
Goes well with Rosé - let's just pretend we are in the south of France if only for a few hours
About the Harper & Blohm cheese subscriptions
Our monthly cheese subscription is a carefully selected box of cheese with tasting notes delivered straight to your door. We offer 1, 3, 6, or 12-month subscriptions starting at $95 a month including delivery. Delivery via our refrigerated courier is available across Melbourne & selected areas of regional Victoria.
Orders for our October Cheese Subscription Box close at 5pm Thursday 23rd September for delivery on Friday 1st October. Order your cheese subscription today!
