Say Cheese!

Hey everyone!
Hope you all had a great Veteran’s Day weekend. Here at Diamond S we would like to thank all the men and women  who have served and are serving in the armed forces.

It appears snow is on its way this week so hope everyone is finally ready for some winter. The great part about that is that we are getting that much closer to Christmas and we have some exciting news for Diamond S customers! Kris has been aging about 6lbs of Brie that will be ready about Christmas time, and would make for a wonderful appetizer during your Christmas dinner.

Below, five things you should know about this buttery, creamy crowd favorite: 

1. It’s a textbook bloomy cheese — and yes, you can eat the rind. There are three main types of rinds: bloomy, washed, and natural. Soft-ripened cheeses like Brie fall into the former category, owing their soft, white exterior to Penincillium candidum, an edible mold. 
2. Don’t be afraid to squeeze your cheese. The top and bottom of your Brie will always be firm, so gently squeeze the sides instead. They should give a little when the cheese is perfectly ripe. 
3. If you like your cheese mild, look for a gooey interior. As Brie ripens from the outside in, you’ll notice creamy, almost liquid edges — otherwise known as the creamline — surrounding a dense center.
4. Think outside the cheese platter. Mild and versatile, Brie is the default choice for holiday cheese platters, but it really shines when paired with something acidic, like zippy fruit preserves, to bring out its creaminess.
5. Store your cheese in plastic wrap. Really. Many a cheese lover will tell you to never, ever use plastic wrap — but a little plastic is the key to protecting your Brie’s creamy interior. Wrap the cut side in plastic and then put it in a box to preserve the integrity of the rind.

Kris has also been aging around 30lbs of cheddar that will be ready a while after Christmas. Aging cheddar is the only difference between the mild and sharp flavors. The longer the cheese is aged naturally, the sharper and more pronounced the cheddar flavor becomes. We hope to age it for quite some time to get that great, sharp flavor!
 
We’re excited to get some more cheese available soon, and as always we will continue with our milk orders. Be sure to subscribe to the blog for weekly updates!

~Blaise for Diamond S