By Stacey Adams-Zier
Many years ago, I purchased a Cameron stovetop smoker and spent a summer smoking just about everything in my refrigerator from vegetables to fish; everything was fair game. Adding a hint of smoke to a recipe seemed to elevate a boring, one-dimensional dish to a deep, complex one. I wondered what would happen if I smoked a wedge of cheese.
The first attempt was dreadful, resulting in a melted mess of in the bottom of the smoker. Clearly, heat was not my friend but I was determined to succeed. Several more failed attempts forced me to change my technique and that is when I learned about an indirect smoking method called cold smoking.
Cold smoking is a natural smoking process using wood chips, nutshells and the like to flavor enhance foods without being directly on the source of the heat and smoke. When used for fish, poultry, or meats, the food is not completely cooked and further grilling or roasting is required. However, it is the perfect method for smoking cheese.
Nearly any firm cheese can be cold smoked from Gouda to mozzarella. The trick is to allow the cheese to come to room temperature to dry out a little to form a skin and then maintain a temperature below 90 degrees while the cheese smokes.
If this sounds like too much of a hassle, you can always run to your nearest cheese shop and pick up original smoked cheeses from around the world. Here are some of my favorites:
Winchester Smoked Gouda Gouda [HOW-dah, GOO-dah] takes its name from a small city between Utrecht and Rotterdam in the South Holland province of western Netherlands. First produced in the 6th century, it is still one of the most popular cheeses known around the world. Fortunately we do not have to travel far to taste some outstanding Goudas produced right here in the U.S. Jules Wesselink, born and raised in Haarlem, Holland, moved to the U.S. and started Winchester Cheese Company in southern California where he has been making award-winning Goudas since the 1992. Among my favorites from his dairy is the Winchester Hickory Smoked Gouda. I have tasted plenty of smoked cheeses in my lifetime and this one is by far the best. Unlike the ubiquitous and unimpressive brown wax smoked Gouda found in most supermarkets, theirs is a raw milk cheese that is carefully aged over months then cold smoked over hickory chips. Rich in flavor and texture as most Boere Kaas Goudas are, it has a unique deep smoky flavor that screams campfire. Eat it straight, jazz up a burger or melt on a grilled pizza with caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms.
Scamorza [skah-MOHRD-tsah] is a cute pear-shaped cheese, almost gourd-like, about the size of your fist with a large knob at the top where the cheesemaker tied it with twine and hung it to age. Made primarily in the Campania region of southern Italy, this pasta filata cheese is made with pasteurized cow’s, sheep’s, or water buffalo’s milk and has a much drier and elastic texture than mozzarella. When Scamorza is smoked, they label it affumicato (an Italian term used to describe meat that has been smoked.) The rind takes on a light brown color while the interior of the cheese remains creamy white. Italians often grate or melt Scamorza in pasta dishes; but my favorite ways to eat it is sliced on crusty Italian bread, topped with prosciutto and pressed on a panini grill. Now that is a grilled cheese sandwich!
Bruder Basil [BROO-der BAH-zeel] Lush mountain pastures full of fragrant herbs and impressive peaks of the Bavarian Alps are home to Bergader Privatkäserei Cheese Dairy founded by Basil Weixler in 1902. Bruder Basil (literally Brother Basil), one of their finest handmade cheeses, is cold smoked over Alpine beech wood and ripened for 4 to 6 weeks producing a smooth, creamy, supple mouthfeel with a mild smokiness. The cheese is made with pasteurized cow’s milk and ladled into 2 and 4-pound rectangular molds. In the smoking room, the rind hardens and takes on a nice reddish-brown color. Pair Bruder Basil with a frosty German Lager, white wines with a strong bouquet (Pinot Gris), Chardonnay and soft reds.
Rogue Smokey Blue In 1956, Ig Villa returned from a tour of the Roquefort Region of France with a recipe for blue cheese and an envelope of Penicillium roquefortii. From that point on, Rogue Creamery, based in Central Point, Oregon, has been producing world-famous blue cheeses. Their “Oregon Blue” was the first blue cheese made on the west coast and the first blue ever smoked. Rogue Smokey Blue is unusually creamy and pungent with a rich smoky flavor. Cold-smoked over Oregon hazelnut shells for 16 hours, it has a balance of sweet caramel and hazelnut flavors that marries well with the sharpness of the cheese. It starts out on your palate like seductive Roquefort but finishes with hints of smoke. It is a standout on a summer cheese board, but I also love it with grilled steaks, plank-grilled salmon or grilled heads of romaine lettuce drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Pair with Pinot Gris, late harvest Chardonnay, and fruity Zinfandels and Merlots.
By Line: Stacey Adams-Zier is the Owner and Fromager of Tastings Gourmet Market and Artisanal Cheese Center located in Clock Tower Place, Annapolis, Md. She can be reached at 410.263.1324 www.TastingsGourmetMarket.com
Sources:
http://www.bergader.de website for Bergader Cheese Dairy Bruder Basil
The Cheese Lover’s Companion, Herbst page 110-111
http://www.winchestercheese.com website for Winchester Smoked Gouda
