This month’s Savvy Cool Curds pays homage to my longtime cheesy friend, advisor and “mentor” Margaret Peters Morris, owner and cheesemaker of Glengarry Fine Cheese. Located North of the 401 near Cornwall, Margaret & her team are a well-oiled machine, making delicious cheeses from the fresh milk of their Holsteins raised on the family farm across the street. Margaret is famous in North America, not only for her award-winning cheeses but also as an advisor to many budding cheesemakers, as well as an industry “go to” for cheesemaking equipment and supplies.
In your Savvy Cool Curds you will find…
… Very special and hard-to-find artisan cheeses including:
-Goat Gouda 200g
-Fleur en Lait 200g
-Lankaaster 200g
-Nevis 250g
-Celtic Blue Reserve 200g
Looking for more great Glengarry Fine Cheese?
Would you like more cheese from this month’s Savvy Cool Curds? Just call our Savvy Team & we’ll arrange a special shipment for you (if it is still available that is!). Put us on speed dial – Savvy Cool Curds Hotline 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) or cheers@savvycompany.ca
Cheers!
– Vanessa & the Savvy Team
Photos by Vanessa or Glengarry Fine Cheese unless noted.
Introducing…
Glengarry Fine Cheese
by Vanessa Simmons, Cheese Sommelier
Margaret Peters Morris was one of the first cheesemakers I met as I discovered the awesome world of Canadian cheese nearly ten years ago. Glengarry held one of the only short cheesemaking courses in the area at a time when I was full of cheesy questions, eager to learn and anxious to get my hands on anything curd related! Her class was an eye opener and put to practice many of the concepts I had read & learned about (adding culture, cutting curd, draining whey) in my Canadian Artisan Cheese class at the time.
Margaret & fellow cheesemaker Wilma Klein-Swormink are well respected and truly lead what is an industry still in a young stage, especially in Ontario. Canada needs more cheesemakers like Margaret who are vocal about competing on a world stage with our artisan cheese industry in a fragile state as the recent tabling of the EU free trade agreement that allows full & free access for the flood of European cheeses into the Canadian market. Margaret has always pioneered the industry and rallied others, sharing her insights, thoughts & strategies on marketing and quality cheese production for how Canadian artisan cheesemakers can ensure success despite the challenging times that lay ahead.
An Award-Winning Legacy
Glengarry’s cheeses are a showcase provincial offering performing, competing, winning & being recognized on the world cheese stage at prestigious competitions such as the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, the Canadian Cheese Awards, The American Cheese Society Competition, the Royal Winter Fair, and the Global Cheese Awards.
Margaret is a leader, literally leading and paving the “whey” for new ideas, processes, production methods & products. She’s innovating and experimenting with new styles of cheese, or cheeses of varying milk types, pushing the envelope and constantly striving to improve, working towards the perfect product of best flavour, consistency and quality, to delight the consumer and her many fans.
Standing Out Among The Crowd
Canada alone has hundreds of cheeses. Few stand out from the crowd, but each and every cheese from Glengarry has its own distinct character.
For example Celtic Blue (you have a piece in your parcel) is a made for the masses that either love, or want to venture
to try a blue cheese. It’s creamy goodness, with gaining boldness with age. As an educator, I am constantly striving to raise the awareness of our local artisan cheeses. Celtic Blue is consistently my “go to” cheese when teaching about blues…. and has the highest rate of conversion in turning a non blue-cheese lover into a forever blue-cheese fan!
Lankaaster & Lankaaster Aged count among my top picks, personally and professionally. While many gouda-style cheeses are made, few are memorable & have a following like the Lankaaster cheeses for their buttery goodness as both a great snacking and cooking cheeses for all ages. For the first time ever, an Ontario cheese, Lankaaster Aged, took home best cheese in the world at the Global Cheese Awards, proving Canada has artisan products that rival and stack up to, and surpass any in Europe or worldwide.
With plans to double the current forty tonne of amazing Canadian cheese they make over the next few years, cheese lovers need not ever worry of a shortage of Glengarry Fine Cheese. If you’ve never tried them, dive into your Savvy Cool Curds immediately and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
-Cheese Tasting Notes-
Below are Vanessa’s tasting notes and photos for each cheese in your Savvy Cool Curds, along with additional tidbits of interesting information, suggested food pairings & recipes to try too!
Goat Gouda
Lovingly cared for, combined with the talent of Glengarry Fine Cheese’s team of expert cheesemakers – Gouda from goat’s milk gives a surprising twist on this cheese classic. Small wedges are perfect for your holiday entertaining! Can you say grilled cheese?
Tasting Notes: Firm & moist when young, drying with age this Gouda shows ivory white paste protected by a wax exterior. The paste is opaque with small pinholes & chalky texture, pleasant aromas, and a savory, yet clean flavor finishing with a tang. You can taste the difference quality milk makes.
Suggested Pairing: Cranberries come to mind as the perfect pair to Goat Gouda, spicy cranberry jam or dried cranberries in grilled cheese as a sweet surprise. Enjoy with an Ontario Pinot Gris.
Fleur en Lait
Fleur en Lait is produced from milk from Ayershire cows that graze on the cheese factory site grounds and is styled after popular Trappist St. Paulin cheese, aged for 3-4 months.
Tasting Notes: An apricot-hued washed-rind covers Fleur en Lait’s pale gold smooth, silky, semi-firm open interior paste (cheesespeak for the inside of the cheese with small holes throughout). Aromas are pungent & wildly grassy as if you’re standing in the middle of a farmer’s field with the sun shining on your face. Complimentary rich flavors are an expression of summer milk, with nut, fruity, and grassy characteristics layered over a slathering of butter.
Suggested Pairing: I love Fleur en Lait as a grating cheese for anything – in omelettes, any type of potato recipe, to top savoury soups. A dollop of peach jam or apricot chutney on buttery crackers makes for bold bites.
Lankaaster
The town of Lancaster, ON crossed with “kaas”, the Dutch word for cheese were the inspiration for this crowd-pleasing Gouda-style cheese. Available in traditional (pictured), aged, extra aged, tasty herb flavors (Italian Blend, Chive, Cumin, Peppercorn). Multi-award winner recognized yearly by The Royal Winter Fair, British Empire Cheese show, Canadian Cheese Grand Prix and Global Cheese Awards.
Tasting Notes: This firm to hard cow’s milk cheeses comes shaped in a loaf, covered in a waxy rind is a Gouda-style after Dutch farmstead cheese. Lankaaster is a rich, dense cheese, with barny aromas, buttery & slightly nutty flavor with a mild fruity tang & more crumbly texture, deeper butterscotch coloring and enhanced robust flavor as it ages.
Suggested Pairing: Great melted on open-faced sandwiches, or to finish off your favorite pasta dish under the broiler. Perfect as a lunchbox snack, or pre-meal nibble with a toasty, oaky Ontario Chardonnay.
Nevis
Nevis as one of the newer cheeses offered by Glengarry Fine Cheese, has already made a name for itself as a finalist in the washed rind cheese category at the first Canadian Cheese Awards in 2014.
Tasting Notes: Nevis comes in a larger format wheel as a washed rind cow milk cheese. A dark gold basket weave exterior compliments a golden straw interior which cheddar-like in texture. Nevis is all buttery goodness with a tangy finish.
Suggested Pairing: Enjoy with a robust red wine: a Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc and a roaring fire.
Celtic Blue Reserve
Not your average blue! Celtic Blue Reserve won highest accolades at The American Cheese Society Awards, winning Best of Show over 1700 other cheeses in 2015.
Tasting Notes: A soft, creamy, approachable cow’s milk blue cheese with a grooved hand brushed natural rind. Inside a pretty pale ivory paste shows delicate greenish/blue veining running vertically closer to the center of the cheese. Notice grassy, milky, and buttery aromas with a slight saltiness & milder piquant taste. A good choice for those not all that crazy about blue cheese! Celtic Blue Reserve has extra cream & butterfat giving it a extra sinful richness.
Suggested Pairing: As the temperature drops I think of classic pairings of Canadian Port with this blue, yet the salty yet creamy texture mingles well with Ice Cider or Sparkling Ice Cider for easy holiday entertaining.
–Recipes to enjoy with the featured cheeses-
With Fleur en Lait …
Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Bacon Soup
Recipe & Photo Credit: CBC.ca – Sheila Whyte Thyme & Again
Ingredients
2 medium-sized onions (sliced thin) from Acorn Creek Garden Farm in Carp, Ont.
2 cloves garlic (sliced thin)
1 litre canned diced tomato
8 large mushrooms (sliced) from Champignons Le Coprin in Farrellton, QC
1 oz. brandy
2 tsp. chopped thyme
2 tsp. chopped parsley
1/4 cup shredded cheese from Glengarry Fleur en Lait & Goat Cheddar (or substitute Glengarry Goat Gouda)
1 cup croutons
6 slices cooked bacon (crumbled) from Seed to Sausage in Tichborne, ON
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. crushed chili flakes
4 L water or vegetable stock
Method
Caramelize onions in large sauce pot with thyme, chili flakes and a pinch of salt.
Add garlic and mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms are soft.
Add brandy and cook until liquid is reduced.
Add water/stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for up to an hour.
Season with salt and pepper and then add parsley.
Serve in bowl and garnish with croutons, bacon and cheese.
With Goat Gouda…
Grilled Ham, Cheese and Pickle Sandwiches
Recipe & Photo Credit: Epicurious.com
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
8 slices sourdough or white bread
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (substitute Nevis)
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère (substitute Lankaaster)
1/2 cup grated aged goat cheese (such as Glengarry Goat Gouda)
3/4 cup Bread-and-Butter Pickles
3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
Method
Smear both sides of bread slices with mayonnaise. Combine cheeses in a bowl.
Sprinkle 4 slices bread with half of cheese mixture, dividing equally. Top each with 3-4 pickles. Divide prosciutto among sandwiches; top with remaining cheese. Cover with remaining bread.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large heavy skillets over medium-low heat. Add 2 sandwiches to each skillet and cook until bread is golden, 9-10 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon butter to each skillet, flip sandwiches, and cook until bread is golden and cheese is melted, 9-10 minutes longer.
With Lankaaster…
Canadian Gouda & Leek Potage
Recipe & Photo Credit: Allyouneedischeese
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1/4-cup butter
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, (white part only)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, halved, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups chicken broth or beef broth
2 1/2 cups water
6 slices rye bread, toasted, cut in thirds
2 cups grated Canadian Gouda* (Lankaaster) cheese
Method
Melt butter in large saucepan; sautée leeks, mushrooms, onions and garlic over medium-high heat, 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat; blend in flour.
Gradually stir in broth and water. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Transfer soup, in batches, to blender or food processor; puree until vegetables are finely chopped. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into 6 ovenproof soup bowls. Top each with three pieces of toast and about 1/3 cup (80 mL) Canadian Gouda cheese.
Broil until cheese is melted and slightly browned, about 4 minutes.
With Nevis…
Herb & Cheese Waffles
Recipe & Photo Credit: Thegreatwaterway.com
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup of grated cheese (use Glengarry Fine Cheeses – Lancaster, Nevis and Fleur en Lait)
1/2 cup of chopped herbs such as parsley and/or basil
Method
Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk milk and eggs; pour over flour mixture and stir gently to combine. Gently whisk in butter and stir in herbs and grated cheese. Don’t over mix.
Following manufacturer’s directions, cook the waffles until deep brown and crisp.
For standard waffle irons, pour 1/2 – 1 cup of batter into the center of the iron, allowing the batter to spread evenly across the iron. Waffle will cook in about 5 minutes or until steam stops escaping. Make sure waffles are crispy.
With Celtic Blue Reserve …
Holiday Salad with Blue Cheese Truffles
Recipe & Photo Credit: Allyouneedischeese
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. apple juice
2 Tbsp. walnut oil or olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
A pinch of sugar
6 oz. Canadian Blue cheese (Celtic Blue Reserve, rind removed)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped toasted walnuts
2 medium tart green apples
10 cups cut-up salad greens
Sweetened dried cranberries (optional)
Method
Combine vinegar, apple juice and oil in a small bowl. Whisk together thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and a little sugar to taste. Set dressing aside.
Cheese Truffles
Crumble Canadian Blue cheese into a medium bowl. Shape into 18 balls, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Roll balls in chopped walnuts to form truffles. Thread 3 balls onto each of 6 wooden skewers.
Core and thinly slice apples. Combine with salad greens in a large bowl and toss with dressing.
Divide salad among 6 chilled plates, top with a skewer of Cheese truffles and garnish with sweetened dried cranberries, if desired.
Variation: Replace walnuts with finely chopped toasted pecans and apples with firm ripe pears.
Tip: To serve Cheese Truffles as a hors-d’oeuvre, place each one in a small fluted paper cup. Garnish with sweet pepper or fresh herbs and place on a cheese tray. Cheese Truffles can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. Remove from the fridge 1/2 hour before serving and roll in chopped nuts.
Enjoy your Savvy Cool Curds!
