They may be soft, they may be fermented, they might be hard, but nothing can make a gourmet foodie’s heart flutter like artisanal cheese can. In case you’re new to the deliciousness that is artisanal cheese, then here’s what you should know. Artisan or artisanal cheese is a special type of cheese that is handmade in small batches using age-old techniques. These cheeses are rarely prepared with any kind of machines, which also adds to the flavour, aroma and taste of the final product. Artisanal cheeses are usually produced by entrepreneurs using small to medium-scale production techniques. Because of this, artisanal cheeses tend to be more exclusive and expensive than processed cheeses produced on a large scale.
Truth be told, artisanal cheesemaking has been around for centuries in Europe, especially in countries like France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Norway. The cheesemakers in these nations use milk from cows, goats, sheep, buffalo, etc to make cheeses that are then aged or fermented. In many cases, even the leftover whey from basic cheesemaking is used to create other kinds of artisanal cheeses, making it an almost no-waste process.
These are just some of the reasons why gourmet foodies love artisanal cheeses. Of course, the process of artisanal cheesemaking isn’t Indian-origin—which is why most of the artisanal cheeses available to Indian foodies are imported or homegrown by a few select cheesemakers. If you are interested in developing a taste for artisanal cheese, then here are a few you can start out with.
Gouda
This Dutch-origin cheese is made from cow’s milk and is yellow in colour. Gouda tastes sweet and creamy, which is just one of the reasons why it is now one of the most popular artisan cheeses in the world. It is also one of the oldest recorded cheese varieties, and is named after its city of origin, Gouda in south Holland. In many parts of the world, Dutch Gouda is now produced industrially, but the original still tastes like a bit of heaven when paired with sourdough bread.
Feta
This Greek-origin cheese is semi-hard and crumbles very easily, which is why it is used in salads, sandwiches and even pizzas. Feta cheese is made from goat’s milk and stored in brine to preserve it as well as intensify its flavours. Some experts believe that though farmers across the eastern Mediterranean region prepared Feta for centuries, the cheese is probably around 8,000 years old. Today, Greece has a set of rules which every Feta cheesemaker must follow. In India, Feta is quickly becoming one of the most popular kinds of artisan cheeses.
Cheddar
Made out of cow’s milk, Cheddar is a hard, off-white coloured cheese which has a sharp taste. As the Cheddar matures, the sharp taste intensifies, which is why aged Cheddar is preferred by gourmet foodies worldwide. Historically, Cheddar is known to have originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, where the humid climate helped mature the cheese steadily. Experts believe a dairyman, Joseph Harding, modernised the Cheddar cheesemaking process in the nineteenth century. Cheddar is used today in everything from sandwiches to pastas.
Blue Cheese
Whether you are a gourmet foodie or not, it is still likely you have heard of Blue Cheese because of its unique blue streaks and pungent smell. Blue Cheese is, in fact, quite the acquired taste. It is believed that Blue Cheese was first invented in the village of Roquefort in France in the seventh century. Legend says that a shepherd forgot his cheese in a cave and when he returned a few months later, it had become mouldy due to penicillium roqueforti. Today, this mould is refined and used worldwide to create different varieties of Blue Cheese.
Goat Cheese
Also known as Chevre, Goat Cheese is a soft and slightly tangy cheese that is now used in everything from salads to pizzas. While Goat Cheese is prepared in a variety of ways all over the world, it is believed that the first variety dates back to 5,000 BC. The first documented proof of Goat Cheese comes from Poland almost 7,500 years ago. Primarily, this cheese is produced from goat’s milk in high-altitude areas where other cattle like cows and sheep cannot easily survive.
Burrata
This unique Italian-origin artisanal cheese is made from cow’s milk. The outer layer is solid, but once you cut into it, smaller mozzarella cheese balls called stracciatella and cream flow out—trust us, it’s quite the vision to behold. The stracciatella and cream give Burrata cheese a uniquely soft texture. Burrata cheese was invented in Puglia, Italy, and experts believe that Lorenzo Bianchino, the owner of the Piana Padura farm, first developed it in 1956. Now, because of its unique visual and textural aspect, this artisanal cheese is prepared in many parts of the world, though it may not be the most easily available in India.