Becoming a Cheese Monger, Part 2-The Basics

As you may remember, I'm on a quest to become a cheese monger! This is the third class I've attended at The Hoboken Cheese store, which is just such a great place-the owner is very warm and friendly. Read part 1 here.

So today, we went back to the basics to learn about how cheese is categorized-Bloomy Rind, Hard Ripened, Wash Rind and Blue Cheese. 

Here is our cheese plate:

Bloomy Rinds are cheeses that get runnier as they age. We loved these! We tried the Delice de Bourgogne (which Bartek and I have actually tried before) and the Selles sur Cher. Delicious! The Delice de Bourgogne is 72% butterfat. Butter is 82%...making these a delicious buttery, creamy cheese. Yum!

Hard Ripened cheeses harden as they age. They get richer as they age. We had the 5-year Borenkaas. We learned that the best milk in the world comes from Holland. It has a high beta-carotene content because the soil in Holland is so rich in minerals.

Washed Rind Cheeses are cheeses that have been bathed in a brine that promotes the growth of bacteria, which make them stinky. We tried Taleggio and it was one of my favorites!

Blue Cheeses-these are the worst! I'm not sure how any one can like these. We tried Gorgonzola and Bleu d'Auvergne. The are what I like to call "the sinus-clearers". One bite and any congestion you have immediately goes away. Yuck!

The best part of cheese tasting is enjoying cheese and wine with friends! Our group keeps getting bigger and bigger every class!

*Random interesting cheese tidbit: In Italy, all mozzarella cheeses are made with buffalo milk, not cow milk!