In the US, hard cheese is better than soft

[Fat Guy]

After years of fighting against the system, awhile back I decided to adapt to it.

In the US, there is a dearth of good-quality soft cheese. It's difficult to import the best examples, and it's hard to make here -- in both cases primarily on account of regulations against use of unpasteurized milk in cheeses aged less than 60 days, but also because such cheeses are difficult to transport (in the case of the imports) and because there doesn't seem to be a lot of American expertise in the soft cheese department. Yes, there are a couple of exceptions, but very few.

Yet, it's quite easy to get great hard cheeses in the US. The best ones in the world, such as from Neal's Yard Dairy, can be imported with no trouble. Even though they're made from unpasteurized milk, it's okay because they're aged for so many months so they're within regulations. And they travel well. In terms of domestically produced cheeses, there are many producers of excellent domestic hard cheeses in various styles. Even people who don't live in major cities with extensive gourmet markets can order hard cheeses by mail and rest assured they'll arrive in edible condition.

It's a virtual guarantee that if you're in the US and you're presented with a cheese plate of high-end cheeses, the best cheeses will the the hard ones and the worst will be the soft ones. In France, needless to say, it's exactly the opposite.

Well, I'm through trying to recreate the French cheese-plate experience here in the US. These days, I'm focusing on what's good here, and I'm much happier. This morning, for example, I bought two cheeses: Fiscalini San Joaquin Gold, a cheddar-like cheese from California; and Butlers Goosnargh Gold, an incredible double Gloucester from the UK. Both were so delicious -- there was no compromise involved in eating them. It wasn't like with soft cheeses, where they almost always fall short of what you'd experience in France.

Somebody let me know when some great soft cheeses become available. Until then, I'm sticking with the hard-cheese strategy.

[suzilightning]

steven-

how about the cheeses from Bobolink Dairy ?http://shop.cowsoutside.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=203

i've tasted the Baudolino which i would consider a soft cheese and some of the seasonal cheeses are as well

[Fat Guy]

Bobolink was what I had in mind when I said "Yes, there are a couple of exceptions, but very few." (For an account of our visit to Bobolink, click here). So yes, when I happen to fall into one of Bobolink's softer cheeses, I eat it and enjoy it. I haven't had particularly good luck achieving a stable supply of Bobolink products, though. You really need to catch them at a greenmarket, and even then the supply is unpredictable. And once in awhile I'll taste a really good soft cheese from the Picholine cheese cart, for something like $8 for an insignificantly sized two-bite piece. But that's about it.

[docsconz]

I've been enjoying some excellent local soft cheeses in upstate NY. These tend to be made from either goat or sheep's milk. One from Nettle Meadow is called Kurnik and I have enjoyed several goat cheeses from Sweet Spring Farm in Argyle, N.Y. that I purchase at my local Farmers Market.

I will agree that it is more difficult to get a good soft cheese after shipping though certainly not impossible. I will also agree that in general US soft cheese quality doesn't hold a candle to Europe or even Quebec, but I daresay that it is much better than you make it out to be, Steven.

[SuzySushi]

I've had lots of good made-in-USA artisan & farmstead goat cheeses, and Rouge et Noir soft cheeses from the Marin French Cheese Co. have won a slew of awards at regional, national, and international competitions.

[docsconz]

I'll add another point. I mentioned that US soft cheeses in general are not up to the quality of European cheeses. Unfortunately. the two areas are tending towards a merge. I say unfortunately because it is not necessarily due to the improving quality of US soft cheeses (although they are improving), but because European cheeses are deteriorating towards American cheeses as the EU adopts American style food safety rules such as pasteurization of milk prior to making cheese as discussed on this topic..

[Fat Guy]

I think the pasteurization issue is relevant, and unfortunate, but probably also overstated. It's not like the 90-day-aged soft cheeses in the US are all that good either. Jonathan White at Bobolink has told me many times that the pasteurization issue is "a pig in a poke," and by that he means it's not nearly the issue people make it out to be. It's possible to age most soft cheeses 61 days in order to bring them within code -- it's just that most people don't bother to do it (Jonathan does). I think there are major issues of the quality of milk, the expertise of the cheesemaker and, above all, the overwhelming American consumer preference for bland cheeses and general ignorance about how great cheeses are supposed to taste.

I'm not sure what criteria everybody would accept to define the direness of a situation, but I don't think pointing to a handful of examples of very good soft cheeses does the trick -- especially since at their best those examples still trail far behind the best European stuff. I've tried probably 9/10 of the soft cheeses that win the awards and get the accolades, and the Bobolink cheeses are the only ones I'd seriously try to sneak on to the cheese cart at a Michelin three-star restaurant in France. All the other really excellent soft cheeses I've had in the US have been from Spain. You can get decent unpasteurized Epoisses from Berthaut and okay Reblochon, both of which have been aged 60 days to meet US guidelines, but those aren't superlative cheeses. They're cheeses that tide you over until you can go have the really good stuff in Europe.

I've not enjoyed young American goat cheeses nearly as much as European ones, though I do think on the whole we do better with goat than with any other category. I do think, though, that viewed uncharitably, in the cold light of reason, with no allowances for effort or romance or home-team loyalty, the state of American soft cheeses is pretty bad.

[russ parsons]

hmmm, i'm assuming you're excluding fresh goat cheeses from this argument. because we're up to our udders in really good quality goat cheeses.

[Fat Guy]

Okay, I can't argue with that. I think we also have some good ricotta, farmer's cheese, etc. I've been sloppy about my definition of soft cheese. I'll have to consider it further.

[cdh]

I find that the St. Marcellin and St. Felicien readily available at Zabar's and Fairway and Murray's are quite good. Maybe I'm a terrible philistine for thinking so, but I rather like them.

Imported Bries and Camemberts are often unexciting. I'm not so much the fan of even the best Epoisses, and other red-mold washed rind cheeses I could take or leave.

Edited May 21, 2007 by cdh (log)

[abramer]

The only places I've been to in Europe are in Eastern Europe, so I can't really compare what I've liked to the cheeses of France.

That said, besides the plethora of goat cheeses already mentioned, Frommage de Meaux (a pasturized version of Brie de Meaux) is quite good. The people I know who have had the real thing compare it favorably (a small step down, perhaps).

Cowgirl Creamery also makes a pretty nice selection of soft cheeses, though some think they are over-priced.

[JohnL]

Anything from "Cowgirl Creamery"

Cyprus Grove Humboldt Fog

Jasper Hill Constant Bliss

Laura Chenel goat cheeses

Sally Jackson goat cheeses

Old Chatham :"Camembert" --not really Camembert but a very fine cheese.

[Fat Guy]

I think those are some of the best. If you want to put together a pretty good platter of soft cheeses in the US you can get some Humboldt Fog, Old Chatham Camembert, and Constant Bliss, and put them out in the morning loosely covered so they sit out a room temperature all day and get really nice.

But, if you put that platter side-by-side with a platter of just-smuggled-in French cheeses, well, it's just not going to compare favorably. Our best would have to be considered entry level in the French soft cheese hierarchy. I think with soft cheeses we're at the point we were at with wine in the 1970s: we might occasionally produce a soft cheese that, in a blind tasting, could compete with the good French stuff, but we're not consistently producing a range of products at that quality level. And what that has meant for me as a consumer is that I've wasted a lot of money trying to give our soft cheeses a chance.

[docsconz]

But if you and I don't spend that money they won't continue to improve. The difference now and ten years ago is amazing. I expect it to only get better in the next ten years.

[merstar]

Florette is an excellent, soft imported cheese:

http://www.amazon.com/Florette-125-Gram-by...m/dp/B0000D9MZC

[Pontormo]

"Problem" in a nutshell: Model for cheeses in the United States is European and of the truly good ones, largely French.*

You could almost pose the same question regarding wines. (Yes, I am egging on the conversation, but my point concerns Eurocentricity.)

So, it's easy to say that as FDA-regulated American cheeses are pale reflections of that which they mirror. There's no jazz yet in the rather youthful American landscape of cheeses.

*I've yet to have a delicious domestic mozzarella or Grana.

[JohnL]

I think those are some of the best. If you want to put together a pretty good platter of soft cheeses in the US you can get some Humboldt Fog, Old Chatham Camembert, and Constant Bliss, and put them out in the morning loosely covered so they sit out a room temperature all day and get really nice.

But, if you put that platter side-by-side with a platter of just-smuggled-in French cheeses, well, it's just not going to compare favorably. Our best would have to be considered entry level in the French soft cheese hierarchy. I think with soft cheeses we're at the point we were at with wine in the 1970s: we might occasionally produce a soft cheese that, in a blind tasting, could compete with the good French stuff, but we're not consistently producing a range of products at that quality level. And what that has meant for me as a consumer is that I've wasted a lot of money trying to give our soft cheeses a chance.

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I like the analogy with wine.

Overall I pretty much agree with you. Our artisanal cheese production may be where our wine industry was in the seventies.

The key is, I think things are moving forward--maybe a bit slowly for us but nevertheless...

Remember it is really only fairly recently that we are seeing more and more cheese mongers who buy, sell and handle cheeses with any expertise.

An interesting contrast is the direction our cheese industry is going with what is happening in Europe.

I read that it was Neal's yard who literally saved the British artisianal cheese business--specifically the Stilton producers from extinction. Also as the EU takes charge the size of the cheese business in Europe becomes a huge monolithic entity rather than a conglomeration of many small local/regional businesses.

I am sure they are not approaching production of Epoisses in a can but......

As one who also enjoys a cheese steak sammy once in a while--"wit whiz" I suppose I could appreciate the concept!

Edited May 21, 2007 by JohnL (log)

[docsconz]

*I've yet to have a delicious domestic mozzarella or Grana.

←

I agree that I have yet to have a delicious domestic mozzarella, but I have had wonderful fiori di latte.

[Dave Weinstein]

Estrella Family Creamery

Extraordinarily good cheeses (both hard and soft).

Yes, this counts as an exception, but it's an exception I can drive to (and which is at the local farmer's market every Saturday)...

[russ parsons]

i second the cowgirl creamery recommendation: particularly red hawk and mt. tam. both are extremely good and quite complex in flavor. mozzarella (or fior di latte) is a little tough. we've got a guy here in socal making buffalo milk mozz (bubalus bubalus) and it's really good if you get it fresh. we've also got a guy making really terrific burrata, which when it's really good i'd put up against any mozzarella i've tasted anywhere.

if you get a chance, you should also check out the soft cheeses made by andante. they're very limited in distribution but quite wonderful. and redwood hill makes a very, very good goats milk camembert. we definitely are at the beginning of the growing curve, though.

[Priscilla]

As SuzySushi said up there, Rouge et Noir cheese can be very good. Years ago we even trekked out to the factory site when traveling up north and the imperfect "seconds" of varying age in the shop were a great find, esp. the large-scale Brie type with some age on it. An impression influenced only a little by the idyllic setting and our then-toddler capering with geese and ducks next to the beautiful pond.

Distribution, even just down south here, seems spotty, although I did notice them at Trader Joe's at holiday time. Benefit from benign neglect in the home fridge, I have found; useful to bung into the old cheese drawer without a plan and pulling out as problem solver later.

Edit due to misbehaving keyboard.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Priscilla (log)

[phaelon56]

Northland Sheep Dairy in the Finger Lakes region of NY state has a couple - the Bergere Bleue is particularly good. They have no on-line sales mechanism but it is sold at the Ithaca Farmers Market.

There's another artisinal cheesemaker who sells there as well - the name escapes me - and they have a fantastic "cheddar blue". But that cheese - like all of the others they offer - is a hard cheese.

[docsconz]

Over the past month I have enjoyed a wide variety of soft cheeses from around the US that disprove the thesis of this topic.

At the Fancy Foods Show in NYC I sampled a number of delicious soft cheeses including the simply superb, soon-to-be-commercially-released Truffle Tremor from Cypress Grove, world-lass bleus from Oregon's Rogue Creamery, Hoja Santa Goat Cheese and Queso Fresco with Epazote and Chiles from The Mozzarella Company in Texas and great aged goat cheeses from the Vermont Butter and Cheese Company.

In the middle of the month, I traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where I sampled a number of house made cheeses at Zingerman's Creamery. Their house made burrata was sensational, while their soft goat's and cow's milk cheeses were also excellent.

This past weekend, I attended The Salem Courthouse Al Fresco Dinner, which featured foods local to Washington County, N.Y. During that dinner, a visit to the Sheldon Farms Farmstand and nearby farm tours the following day, it was quite evident that there is a huge revolution in quality cheese-making going on locally, examples of which include the exquisite sheep's milk cheeses of 3 Corner Field Farm, especially their Shushan Snow as wells as great goat's milk cheeses from the likes of Sweet Spring Farms, mixed milk cheeses like the camembert like Kunik from Nettle Meadow and wonderful cow's milk ricottas from Dancing Ewe Farms and Bennington, VT.'s Maplebrook Farm.

The picture for soft cheeses in the US is only getting brighter despite the limitations on raw milk use. Many of the best cheese makers are using meticulous technique and the lowest possible pasteurization temperatures permitted.

[Fat Guy]

John, I've tried about 2/3 of those cheeses, and with the exception of the blue cheese from Rogue Creamery (which I would not characterize as a soft cheese), I think terms like "sensational" and "revolution" are overstatements. For one thing, the sum total of every example of good soft cheese in the US represents a pathetically small share of the market. For another thing, the few good cheeses out there are quite difficult to come by, often available only at farmer's markets or by mail order. And for still another thing, most of the good American soft cheeses are good but not competitive with the best cheeses in Europe -- there's a pretty striking gap. But most importantly, soft cheeses are way behind the curve compared to hard cheeses -- and that was the thesis of the topic. It's just not possible to compile a list of American soft cheeses -- or even a list of imported soft cheeses available in America -- that compares favorably to a list of hard cheeses like Jasper Hill Farms cloth-wrapped cheddar, cave-aged Orb Weaver, or Crowley Colby. The kind of stuff you can just walk into Murray's or Artisanal and buy.

[docsconz]

Actually, Steven, you can just walk into those stores and others and buy many of the cheeses I mentioned. As for the revolution in cheese making occurring up here in northeastern NY and Vermont, I do not believe that it is an exaggeration. In the past two years or so there is a burgeoning supply of truly high quality cheese from a number of cheesemakers. The number of these cheesemakers has easily doubled or tripled in that time as has the number of quality soft cheeses available. This has always been a quality dairy area, but now more and more of the production is heading towards artisanal production by committed artisans. I used to love 3 Corner Field Farm solely for their lamb, because that was the one product that they sold. They are now heavily into making cheese with their bounty of sheep's milk that are world class in quality. You can buy 3 Corner Field Farm cheeses at the Union Square market on Saturdays.

Though not specifically cheese, Fage Total Yogurt's production for the American market will be made in this part of New York starting this winter. The explanation given for why here, was because the conditions and milk quality are most like that of northern Greece where the stuff is currently produced.

It is not like I haven't enjoyed great cheeses in Europe, but the great cheeses there are not necessarily easy to find on an individual basis either. The best cheeses are often small production cheeses found only in specialty stores or at the farms themselves. Where Europe still excels over what is happening here is the diversity of high quality cheeses available. I agree that the US is not in Europe's league just yet, though the gap is closing more quickly than one might think, largely because our cheese making tradition is gaining traction and theirs is beginning to get fouled up by EU regulations.