SWITZERLAND, COW’S MILK
PERSONALITY: A wild child with breath like warm onion bagels.
This classic Alpine from the canton of Fribourg is the cheese that most Americans associate with French onion soup, but for the Swiss, this is the ultimate fondue cheese (opposite page 126). Its character is smooth, assertive, savory: think of caramelized onions, herbs. The flavors meld beautifully with ham and mustard, so if you crave sharp cheese on a sandwich, this ought to be your steady.
Many makers produce Gruyère, both abroad and in the United States, so the quality varies. Look for a cave-aged variety. If you’d like to try a similar Alpine cheese with some sweetness, check out French Comté Gruyère (referred to simply as Comté, page 121). The two are similar, but Swiss Gruyère tends to be more piquant and herbaceous. Both cheeses date back to the thirteenth century.
Good matches: On a cheese board, serve Gruyère with toasted hazelnuts, thinly sliced ham, cornichons, mustard, and onion jam. Try a dark bread, like pumpernickel.
Wine/beer: Grab a Grenache or Alsatian Pinot Gris. This is one cheese that can stand up to a smoked beer (rauchbier, in German).
UNITED STATES, RAW COW’S MILK
PERSONALITY: If Robert Redford were a cheese, he’d be this one. Rugged but gentle.
Calkins Creamery in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, produces this young, Gouda-style heartthrob with a nutty swagger. Like Redford, this old man has a leathery exterior, offset by a creamy center that’s exceptionally smooth. You’ll taste walnuts and sweet cream, thanks to the Bryant family’s lovingly raised, grass-fed Holsteins.
Emily Bryant Montgomery runs her cheesemaking operation on the family’s 250-year-old farm in rural Wayne County, the heart of the Poconos. Here, Old Man Highlander ages for nine months in an underground cave, alongside other original cheeses like Cowtipper, Noble Road (page 106), and Vampire Slayer. Bryant uses morning and evening milk to produce this signature, natural-rinded superstar. You’ll find it at restaurants and farmers’ markets across the East Coast. Bryant also makes a similar cheese called Daisy.
Good matches: This rustic cheese begs for hearty bread, stone fruit, and a handful of almonds. It’s also good just for snacking. On a cheese board, try serving it with a butterscotchy aged Gouda, like L’Amuse (page 216) for an interesting pairing of young meets old.
Wine/beer: Pair this with a bottle of Syrah or a nut brown ale.
UNITED STATES, RAW COW’S MILK
PERSONALITY: A titan of American cheese, most likely to become president.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve deserves a drumroll; it’s the only three-time Best of Show winner at the American Cheese Society (ACS) Awards, an annual showcase of the best United States cheeses. Wisconsin cheesemaker Mike Gingrich devoted years to developing this recipe after tasting a sweetly complex bite of Beaufort (page 119) in France. He returned to America, sowed the lushest fields possible, and bred special cows to achieve a buttery, golden dream wheel that lasts as long in your mouth as a thrilling French wine. In a case full of American cheeses, Pleasant Ridge Reserve shines like the resurrection.
You’ll taste pineapple pound cake, toffee, nuts, wildflowers, straw. Gingrich’s careful attention to each wheel means that you never get a bland bite, though batches vary depending on the season. Gingrich and his collaborator, Andy Hatch, pasture their cows and only use the best milk from May through October, just like traditional French makers of Beaufort. For an outlandishly good nibble, look for their release of Pleasant Ridge Reserve “Extra Aged” in late fall and winter. After a year or more of ageing, these wheels offer a complexity that’s unparalleled—not just in America but pretty much anywhere.
Good matches: Taste this cheese by itself, then add simple accompaniments—a few dried cranberries or walnuts, perhaps? For a simple but stunning dessert, serve this with a glass of Muscato and some very thin nut-studded biscotti, the way legendary Wisconsin chef Odessa Piper used to serve this native cheese at her Madison restaurant, L’Etoile.
Wine/beer: Mike Gingrich favors a Manhattan. Otherwise, try a glass of fruity Shiraz or a pint of nut brown ale.
SWITZERLAND AND FRANCE, COW’S MILK
PERSONALITY: A stocky Swiss funkmeister with plenty of cologne.
In winter, there’s nothing better than this rich, supple stinker melted over boiled potatoes. The Swiss have perfected this national dish by serving it with cornichons and cured meats, along with plenty of libations. Traditionally, a large wedge of this cheese was heated over a fire, then scraped—as it melted—onto potatoes, hence the name Raclette, from the French word racler, “to scrape.” Today, electric Raclette ovens function much like tabletop hibachis; they make for a cozy evening as each diner gets his or her own little melting pan.
Be forewarned: A ripe Raclette will stink up your fridge, but it’s well worth it. As the cheese melts, the flavor mellows. If you visit Switzerland or the French Savoie around the holidays, chances are someone will make you a Raclette dinner. Never refuse it, especially if you happen to be in a mountain chalet. The experience lasts all evening, and it’s a great way to stay warm and well-sated.
Good matches: For a Raclette party, ask each guest to bring a pickled item. An assemblage of cornichons, cocktail onions, and other vinegary bits helps to cut through the heaviness of the meal. Boil plenty of red potatoes, set out the pepper grinder, and enjoy a long dinner. Prosciutto or any thinly sliced ham pairs well. Plan on one pound of cheese for every four guests.
Wine/beer: The Swiss like to drink beer (something light-colored) or kirsch with this meal, but a fruity Grenache or off-dry Riesling is also lovely.
UNITED STATES, RAW COW’S MILK
PERSONALITY: An idealist of a cheese with strong flavor and a sense of mission.
Some cheeses have soul. Reading Raclette has both heart and soul. It’s not just a stunning Alpine in the style of European Raclette, it’s also part of a nonprofit that brings city kids out to Spring Brook Farm in Reading, Vermont. Each time you buy a wedge, you help fund a potential young farmer or cheesemaker. Behind the scenes, this cheese is sometimes called “Righteous Raclette.”
Reading Raclette became a sensation when it appeared on the scene in 2010. It’s bold without being stinky, and it’s loaded with rich Jersey milk from pasture-raised cows so the texture is creamy and the taste nuanced. Herbs, wild onions, nuts, and hints of caramel coat the tongue. Proprietors Jim and Karli Hagedorn developed this cheese with the help of a French cheesemaking consultant. Together, with cheesemaker Jeremy Stephenson, they produce this glorious beast the old-fashioned way, using copper vats to stir the curd and forming each wheel by hand.
Good matches: Throw a Raclette party and melt this cheese over potatoes, or make the best ever open-faced sandwich by broiling this cheese on a baguette with a layer of speck (or prosciutto) and minced purple onion underneath. Top each gooey round with half a cornichon for a spectacular appetizer.
Wine/beer: Pair this with a Pinot Noir, Syrah, or a dry Riesling. Need a brew? Try a brown ale.