For all the cheese addicts out there – you’re welcome.
Aligot cheese
Introducing three of the world’s best ingredients rolled into one: Mashed potato, cheese and garlic.
Country of origin: France
Best served with: As a side dish with meat or just eaten on its own.
Wine to match: Red wine
Where to Munch cheese like a local? Le Plomb Du Cantal, Paris.
http://instagram.com/p/BKqrjx7g6Kl/?tagged=aligot
Manchego cheese
FYI: this hard and slightly crystallised cheese comes from the milk of Manchega sheep in Spain and takes from 60 days to two years to age – hence the delicious flavours.
Country of origin: Spain
Best served: On a cheese platter with cured meats and quince paste
Wine to match: Dry or aged white & Cabernet Sauvignon
Where to Munch cheese like a local? Villa Viniteca, Barcelona.
Buffalo mozzarella
Did you know over 361 million pounds of Mozzarella cheese is sold annually? Yep, this Italian favourite is made from the pulled-curd of water buffalo milk which is then heated in warm water, stretched out and massaged until smooth.
Country of origin: Italy
Best served: Italian’s swear it’s best eaten fresh and on its own with no salt, pepper or oil, just fresh tomatoes.
Wine to match: Natural or sparkling whites
Where to Munch like a local? Obica Mozzarella Bar, located across Italy.
Parmesan cheese
Otherwise known as the “King of Cheeses,” Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano refers to the cheese made in and around the Italian province of Parma for the past eight centuries.
Country of origin: Italy
Best served: As part of a dish, preferably pasta or pizza!
Wine to match: Natural or sparkling whites
Where to Munch like a local? Roma Sparita – Rome, Italy
https://www.instagram.com/p/BK0TjZpjC8E/?taken-by=food_feels
Cheddar
Originally, from Somerset, England, it’s extremely diverse and well-known for its sharp flavour and hard texture.
Country of origin: England, UK
Best served with: On a cheese platter with quince, green apples, walnuts, ham, raisins & dates
Wine to match: Dry whites (Chardonnay), dry reds (Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon), Dessert wines (Riesling)
Where to Munch like a local? If you’re after some seriously delicious cheese in London, head over to La Fromagerie. Australia also offers some tasty places to indulge, recently opening up a ’boutique cheese bar’ a.k.a Stinking Bishops offering some of the best cheese & meat boards.
http://instagram.com/p/BCLTnbfyNIa/?taken-by=lafromagerieuk
Camembert
Bloody Camembert, you soft, oozy beautiful thing, you. It was originally produced in Camembert, France, in the late 18th Century, and has quickly become a favourite to the rest of the world with it’s creamy centre straight from the cow’s milk and earthy aroma.
Country of origin: Normandy, France
Best served: Crusty bread, ham, red grapes, dried figs, nectarines OR baked in an oven drizzled with olive oil and a bit of garlic. Now that’s a GAMECHANGER.
Wine to match: Sparkling (white or champagne), Dessert wines (Riesling)
Where to Munch like a local? Laurent Dubois, Paris.
Raclette
Yeah, yeah, we all know about fondue. But (semi-firm) raclette is where it’s really at. The ridiculously large wheels of raclette are often cut in half & heated up, producing melted & gooey cheese that’s then scraped onto toasted bread or generally anything resembling a carbohydrate. Raclette refers to the cheese & the process and dates back to the 11th century. In 21st century terms, the best cheese toasty you’ll ever taste.
Country of origin: Switzerland
Best served: With carbohydrates of some kind (toasted bread, potatoes) with baby gherkins, pickled onion and cured meats.
Wine to match: Dry whites, light beer or fruity red (Pinot Noir)
Where to Munch like a local? Kappacasein Dairy – Borough Market, London
http://instagram.com/p/BIvBOYYgRc-/
Gouda
For those who are historically more advanced, Gouda is a city in Holland and yes, this hard like cheese was named after this city. It comes in two forms: hard or soft. The harder the gouda, the longer it’s been aged. The younger goudas also have the ability to melt. And guess what? South of Holland, there’s even a Gouda cheese market held every Thursday morning between 10:00am and 12:30pm from the 7th of April to 1st of September.
Country of origin: Netherlands
Best served with: Fresh fruit (Strawberries, apples, grapes, melon), crackers OR in a Mac N’ cheese dish
Wine to match: Dry whites (Chardonnay), dry reds (Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon), Dessert wines (Riesling)
Where to Munch like a local? De Kaaskamer, Amsterdam.
Blue cheese
The history of our (soft) blue cheese dates back all the way to the 7th century outside the village of Roquefort in France. Myth has it, a distracted a shepherd left behind his lunch of bread and cheese in the cave, which became infested with penicillium roqueforti (a mold that grew in the cave). Today, it’s used in almost all blue cheeses, from Gorgonzola to stilton. Maybe this is the secret to why the French live longer?
Country of origin: France
Best served with: Figs, pear, prunes, fruit paste (quince or plum), fruit bread, sourdough & walnuts
Wine to match: Dessert wines, Beer or lagers, Aromatic whites (Sauvignon Blanc)
Where to Munch like a local? La Cloche a Fromage, Strasbourg
