Punchestown Irish Mature Cheddar

Punchestown Irish Mature Cheddar was a nicely aged cheddar that I enjoyed in a variety of ways. Sadly it's one that I probably waited too long to review and my memory is hazy on the nuances of its flavour and unfortunately I've eaten the whole brick of it now. The fact that it's all eaten is a point in its favour as it means I wanted to keep eating it. I used the Punchestown cheddar in omelettes, sandwiches, salads and more. I seem to remember it being less salty than it's fellow cheddar from the Emerald Isle "the Craic" and again it had a notable but smooth flavour.
Recommended.

Vital Stats:
Moisture 39%
M.F. 32%
200g

Image TM Bradburys Cheese. For more info follow the link:http://www.bradburyscheese.co.uk/our-products/our-cheese-range/

"The Craic" Extra Mature Irish Cheddar

"The Craic" Extra Mature Irish Cheddar is very salty. But delicious. It has a rich aged flavour without being overly sharp. But now I'm wondering if I've been eating so much sharper, stronger, older cheese that my palate has readjusted and like a junkie I need a bigger and bigger hit to get the same high or in this case the same pointy "stab your tongue" tanginess from my cheese. I'm not sure but the Craic is a delicious cheese that was lovely in a simple salad I made for dinner the other night and will possibly be part of the breakfast sandwiches I'll be making tomorrow morning with some fancy applewood smoked bacon. 

Highly Recommended.

Vital Stats:
Moisture 37%
M.F. 32%
200g

Image TM Bradburys Cheese. For more info follow the link:http://www.bradburyscheese.co.uk/our-products/our-cheese-range/

Chevalier Triple Crème Brie

Chevalier Triple Crème Brie is a soft cheese with a rich smooth flavour.  I really enjoyed this cheese and as I was looking for a picture to use on this post I learned that Chevalier is an award winning brand belonging to the Agropur Signature line of cheeses made in Quebec. I suppose it shouldn't have been a surprise that it was so good but it was also interesting to learn I wasn't the only one who thought so. I tend to just buy cheese if I haven't tried it yet and don't really look for awards or other reviews.  I must admit that Chevalier Triple Crème Brie is deserving of all its praise.
Highly Recommended.

Vital Stats:
Moisture 45%
M.F. 42%
650g

Image TM Agropur. For more info follow the link: http://www.pleasureandcheeses.ca/cheeses/chevalier-triple-cream-brie

President's Choice Maple Flavoured Goat Cheese

It's been a while but I haven't stopped eating cheese so there's going to be a bit of a update blast as I churn out some posts I've been meaning to get to.

President's Choice Maple Goat Cheese is a sweet and tangy cheese perfect for an after dinner snack or as part of a dessert.  Part of why I love cheese so much is it's versatility. Cheese can be sweet or savoury, it fits in at any course of a meal and always tastes great.

Maple Flavoured Goat Cheese is so very Canadian and it was pretty good. Not too sweet, but definitely full of maple goodness. I don't think I'd rate this in my top ten but it was a nice treat.
Recommended.

Vital Stats:
Moisture 50%
M.F. 20%
140g

Image TM President's Choice. For more info follow the link: http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/products/productlisting/pc-maple-flavoured-goats-milk-soft-unripened-cheese.html

Sila Parmesan Dry Salametti

Continuing the trend for different types of posts today I will be reviewing a parmesan encrusted dry salametti.

Salametti is basically a small salami. This particular one is sold by a company in Quebec and it's pretty darn good.  The cheese coating is a nice parmesan but kind of crumbly, the salametti is a basic dry cured pork with peppercorns. This type of thing is nice as an occasional treat but not something I need to keep stocked in my fridge. I enjoyed this nice variation on a deli staple and it supplemented my cheese lunch quite nicely.

There seems to be some rebranding surrounding this product so the name and packaging has changed.
For more info follow the link: http://www.fantinomondello.ca/en#/product/25

Capriny Poivre Soft Unripened Goat Cheese

Time for something different, a soft cheese to justify all the crackers I bought.

Capriny Poivre is a soft unripened goat cheese with black pepper.  The creamy texture and peppery taste complement each other greatly.  I love goat cheese, it's great. I know it's not for everyone but I enjoy it.  The Capriny is a nice example of goat cheese that I found at the local supermarket.  Soft cheeses are great for a snack with some crackers or flatbread. There've been plenty of times when we've made a dinner out of fine selection of cheeses supplemented with olives, dolmades, and pate.

I like plain goat cheese just as much and the flavoured stuff but I also enjoy the wide variety of ingredients you can add to goat cheese to totally change the taste experience. You can make it sweet or savoury and it still works.

The black pepper is a classic addition to goat cheese and the spiciness of the pepper blends well with the saltiness of the cheese.
Recommended.

Vital Stats:
Moisture 55%
M.F. 22%
100g

Image TM La Maison Alexis de Portneuf. For more info follow the link: http://www.alexisdeportneuf.com/Cheeses/Domestic/Goat/Capriny_Pepper/

Tine SA - Jarlsberg "The Original Jarlsberg Taste Since 1956"

Jarlsberg is a Norwegian firm ripened cheese. It's noted for it's nutty flavour and large holes.  Anytime a cheese has holes I can't help but make comparisons to traditional Swiss cheeses.  Jarlsberg has a nice flavour, not too sharp but neither overly mild. It does remind me of Swiss cheese but has a milder finish than most. The Jarlsberg website makes a bid to do about how the secret recipe is one of Norway's "most closely guarded secrets" but the marketing aside they do make a delicious cheese. After some more research I found out that Jarlsberg is inspired by local Norwegian Swiss cheeses produced in the early 19th century after visits from Swiss cheese makers.

I'd say Jarlsberg is a perfect choice for sandwiches and cheeseburgers. It's got a nice flavour and texture, definitely a winner.
Recommended.

Vital Stats:
Moisture 42%
M.F. 27%
120g, sliced

Image TM Tines SA Norway, for more info visit the link: http://www.jarlsberg.com/en_CA

Collier's Powerful Welsh Cheddar "Carefully aged and selected to ensure a(sic) extraordinary taste sensation"

I discovered Collier's Powerful Welsh Cheddar at Costco of all places but was too intrigued to pass it by.  Collier's is a creamy cheddar with a well balanced flavour. Not over sharp nor too mild neither.  It is the creamy texture that stands out to me. After the hardness of the Dubliner (which I was tasting at the same time) the Collier's was smooth and almost velvety. I found both these cheeses shared a tangy flavour that I associate with a nice parmesan.  Tonight was the first time I tried the Collier's cheddar but I could easily see myself adding it to sandwiches, eggs dishes, and even nachos or tacos. This may be the part of the blog that gets repetitive because honestly I'll put cheese on just about everything.  This is one I'll definitely buy again. Mrs. ISMOTU also enjoys it "How does cheese taste SO GOOD?!"  Recommended.

Vital Stats:

M.F. 36%

Moisture 37%

350g

Image TM Collier's Cheese. For more info visit the link below:
http://www.collierscheese.com/

Kerrygold Dubliner - "Hard Ripened Cheese with a distinctive taste and a natural hint of sweetness"

Kerrygold Dubliner is a hard ripened cheese made in Ireland. I first encountered this cheese in my teen years when a group of friends and I would pick out a couple "fancy" looking cheeses and other assorted snacks from the local supermarket before settling in for a movie night.

This nice hunk of Dubliner was purchased at the Real Canadian Superstore in Grande Prairie, AB.  I enjoy the sharp flavour and relative firmness of the Dubliner. It's strong but not overpowering and has a gentle aroma. Aged for 12 months Dubliner has a mature flavour with notes of Swiss and Parmesan.

I enjoy Dubliner on sandwiches, in scrambled eggs or omelettes, and topping a nice crisp cracker.
This is an old favourite that I'm glad I rediscovered. My wife enjoyed the next cheese I'll be reviewing more than this one but to me they are very close in quality and different enough in style that I wouldn't compare them too directly. If you like a nice hard cheese with a good bite to it give Dubliner a try. Recommended.

Vital Stats:
M.F. 31%
Moisture 37%
200g

Image TM Kerrygold, for more info follow the link below:
http://www.kerrygold.com/products/dubliner/

FIRST!1

Welcome to my Journey into Cheese! I'm a person who has always enjoyed trying new things and one of my favourite foods is cheese. To help keep track of my cheese adventures I decide to try my hand at blogging. Hope we have some fun.