Gifts for Cheese Lovers
The holidays are just around the corner, and we have the perfect presents for all the cheese lovers in your life. Here are some of our favorites, so you can wrap up your gift giving all in one place.
First up are our cheese signs - the perfect party accessory! These durable, sturdy labels are made of reusable food-grade plastic that label each delicious wedge on your cheese board.
Next, we have a must have for anyone with a serious cheese habit, and an easy gift to complement your cheese lover’s lifestyle: our Cheese Log. Anyone can use this handy little book to record all their cheese tastings with notes organized in four helpful sections. They're specially designed to help them remember the cheeses they loved, and avoid the ones they didn't.
When serving cheese, it is important to use the right tools, and our new cheese knives are a great gift for anyone who is looking to elevate their cheese experience. We have four new professional cheese knives made for soft, blue, firm, and spreadable cheeses. Handmade in Italy, these knives feature stainless steel blades and solid walnut handles, and you can get a set of four in one gift-ready package that comes with a beautiful wooden storage box.
But what about a more simple option, you say? We offer traditional cheese wires in addition to knives, and they are truly the perfect tool for every cheese professional and enthusiast. Guaranteed to make a perfect cut every time, this is a fantastic stocking stuffer.
Do you have a design-focused cheese lover in your life? They will love our vintage cheese boxes! Back in the day, 5 pound blocks of cheese were sold in these novel containers, and each one is unique. They come in two sizes, large and small, and are the perfect place to keep all your cheese necessities.
And don’t forget the most important gift of all: storage solutions to help keep your loved ones’ cheese fresh and delicious, all year round. In addition to our classic cheese storage paper and bags (which we offer together as a gift pack!), we also have our new Green Collection made of biodegradable materials for the environmentally conscious foodie in your life.
Once you give the gift of cheese accessories, continue the love by showing your friends our tips on our Cheese Storage 101 page. Whether they’re a cheese expert, or just beginning that passion, there are a lot of tips to help them use their new tools and keep their cheese fresh. And of course, please check out the rest of our website for even more gift options. Happy shopping!
Once you give the precious gift of cheese accessories, have your friends or family check out tips on our cheese storage 101 page. Whether they’re a cheese expert, or just beginning that passion, there are a lot of tips to keep your cheese fresh.
Of course, check out the rest of our website for even more gift options. Happy shopping!
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5 Cheeses to Pair with Cider
Autumn is fast approaching, so we'd like to take a moment to discuss one of our favorite beverages to enjoy with cheese: cider. Artisan ciders have come a long way from their cloyingly sweet ancestors. Today's offerings include a wide range of dry, tart, and even funky ciders.
The palate-cleansing effervescence and acidity make them an ideal companion to cheese. Here are 5 of our favorite cheeses to enjoy with cider.
1. Le Pommier Camembert
This classic Camembert has a little bit of earthy funk and a luscious, creamy texture. It comes from Normandy, a region as famous for its cheese as it is for its cider orchards. It's a match made in heaven, a pairing that proves that what grows together goes together.
2. Harbison from Jasper Hill Farm
One of our favorite cheeses year-round, we especially love this bark-wrapped cheese in the autumn. The rich mouthfeel and woodsy flavor profile make for an exceptional pairing with craft cider. Look for one that's unfiltered, which will tease out the complex notes in this Vermont cheese.
3. Bandaged Cheddar from Bleu Mont Dairy
Cheddar and apples are a fool-proof pairing, and this coupling takes it to the next level. A dry, crumbly cheddar like this clothbound Wisconsin classic is a perfect counterpoint to a fruity cider with a creamy mouthfeel. We love how they match with the earthy notes in bandaged cheddars.
4. Lamb Chopper from Cypress Grove
We love the nutty sweetness of an aged sheep's milk cheese. Lamb Chopper is especially creamy, which works well with the effervescence in cider. Try it with a funky cider from the Basque region, which creates a long, savory finish when paired with sheep's milk cheeses.
5. Rogue River Blue from Rogue Creamery
Wrapped in pear brandy-soaked Syrah leaves, this ephemeral blue is made for pairing with festive beverages. It only comes out in the winter months, but it's worth the wait. With a luxurious texture and gentle boozy flavors, Rogue River Blue is exceptionally delicious alongside pear cider.
5 Dreamy Cheese Pairings to Try ASAP
A perfect cheese needs no pairings, but sometimes it’s fun to spice up your platter with accompaniments. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite pairings that you can enjoy year-round. Keep them in your back pocket for a summer barbeque, a holiday party, or just a night alone binging some Netflix.
Feta + Honey
Briny cheeses, like feta, work well with a little something sweet that will cut through their salty flavor. Look for a feta stored in brine and a deep, and a flavorful honey, like chestnut or buckwheat, at your local farmers market or specialty shop to really bring this pairing to the next level.
Triple Cream Brie + Shortbread
Bring on the butter! Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt Tam and other soft, buttery triple-cream cheeses play nicely with a salty, crunchy counterpart. A crumbly cookie, like the pretzel shortbread from Lost Bread Company, will also add a nice textural contrast.
Alpines + Chocolate
Alp Blossom may be known for its floral exterior, but pairing it with chocolate helps to bring out its earthier flavors. A smooth, velvety chocolate, like Baci Perugina, is a perfect choice to coax out its notes of toasted hazelnuts.
Burrata + Tomato Chutney
No brunch (or lunch, or dinner…) is complete without a fresh, creamy burrata, but it can be a little mild on its own. Enter tomato chutney. The tangy flavor bomb balances out the fattiness of the cheese and leaves you with a bite that tastes just like summer.
Semi-Firm Tomme + Corn Nuts
For those looking for a new textural element to add to a cheese plate, try pairing some toasted corn nuts with a slice of buttery cow’s milk cheese, such as Cumberland from Sequatchie Cove Creamery. The creamy texture combined with a salty crunch tastes and feels just like buttered popcorn.
Aged Goat Cheese + Strawberry Preserves
Top soft-ripened goat cheese like Coupole from Vermont Creamery with a dollop of strawberry preserves for a refreshing spring-inspired pairing. This combo tastes so much like strawberry shortcake, it should count as dessert.
The 5 Cheese Types and How to Store Them
Have you ever been in front of a cheese counter, unsure of where to begin? Don’t worry, we can help with that. Understanding the 5 basic types of cheese will help guide you at the cheese counter and make it easier to go home with the perfect selection. No matter the type, try to only buy as much cheese as you can eat within a few days. If you find yourself with a lot of cheese, we’ll help you keep it fresh.
Let’s walk through the 5 basic cheese types, and how to store them!
- Fresh Cheese, like Burrata
Shelf-life: 1 – 3 Days
Store in: Formaticum Cheese Storage Sheets
This category includes anything that’s unaged and has no rind (think cheese curds or ricotta). These cheeses have the highest-moisture content, which means they have a soft texture that’s either spreadable like chèvre or crumbly like feta. It also means they’ll spoil quickly, so eat them just a few days after opening. The only exception is Feta will last a couple of weeks when stored in its brine.
- Bloomy Rind Cheeses, like Casatica di Bufala
Shelf-life: 5 – 10 days
Store in: Formaticum Cheese Storage Sheets
Any cheese with a white, pillow-y outside is in the bloomy rind family. A lot of these cheeses have unctuous, buttery flavors that develop notes of mushrooms and earth near the rinds. They can be soft and oozing like camembert, or dense and cakey like Humboldt Fog. Their shelf-life depends on their ripeness: if it’s oozing, eat it within a couple days. If it’s firm, you have more time. Keep them in storage sheets to prevent them from getting squished.
- Washed Rind Cheeses, like Gubbeen
Shelf-life: 7 – 14 days.
Store in: Formaticum Cheese Storage Sheets or Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags
If you see a cheese with a red, pink, or orange rind, you can safely assume that it’s stinky. These are washed-rind cheeses, and while their funky aroma can be strong, they’ve got a much bigger bark than bite. Underneath the stinky rind, it’s usually much milder with a custard-y interior that melts in the mouth with broth-y, savory, and beefy notes. Store soft, gooey wheels in storage sheets, and firmer, more durable ones in bags.
- Aged Cheeses, like Moringhello
Shelf-life: 3 – 4 weeks
Store in: Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags
This is the broadest category of cheese, and includes everything from semi-firm Havarti to crunchy Parmigiano Reggiano. The oldest wheels have the lowest moisture content and are great for any traveling turophiles, since they’ll do fine outside of refrigeration. They’re very durable and can even develop crunchy crystals as they age. Younger ones will last 2 – 3 weeks, while older ones like Parmigiano can keep for over a month.
- Blue Cheeses, like Rogue River Blue
Shelf-life: 1 – 2 weeks
Store in: Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags
The most polarizing of all cheeses: you either love it or you hate it. Blue cheeses have a mold stirred in to the vat, creating pockets or streaks of blue, gray, or even green. These pockets need oxygen to grow, so many blues are pierced with needs to create airflow. They also have extra salt to help the molds develop. Soft, creamy blue cheeses like Cambozola will stay fresh for a week, and firm, crumbly ones like Stilton can last twice as long.
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