It’s great grilled, nice on crackers, but what do you really know about cheese? One Dallas businessman is helping those who find themselves puzzled.
Scardello Artisan Cheese in Oak Lawn offers a class that will make you an expert.
Owner Rich Rogers is your tour guide through taste.
“You’re sense of smell is the really big one because your tongue has five very basic flavors, sweet, salty, sour, bitter and a savory flavor the Japanese call umami. Everything else, your nose does all the work. It can pick up something like 10,000 taste memories and so you want to put the cheese right under your nose and give it a really good whiff,” Rogers instructed participants at one cheese tasting.
For $30 you get a full plate of cheese, some accompaniments, and two glasses of wine. Rogers answers your questions as he walks you through the nuances of cheese.
“So, the question is about milk and the difference in like the difference between the goat cheese versus a cow’s milk cheese versus a sheep’s milk cheese. Everything starts with the milk. When it comes to making cheese you could buy milk at the grocery store and make some cheese at home it’s just not going to be all that good. You gotta start with high quality milk. First of all, but the major differences between goat, cow and sheep have to do with fat content and protein content, the solids in the milk. But, flavor wise, the big differences are goat’s milk is going to typically have a little bit of tanginess to it. Cow’s milk is going to have more of a buttery lactic flavor and then sheep’s milk sometimes has more of a nutty and or gamey flavor,” said Rogers.
The class also teaches how to properly store your cheese. After purchase, Rogers says you should take it out of the plastic it came in and wrap it in cheese paper or parchment paper. Then you’ll want to store it in your crisper with your vegetables.
Rogers does not recommend putting it in the drawer most refrigerators have that is labeled for cheese. Rogers says there is more moisture in the crisper that will preserve your artisan purchase.
In addition, you’ll also learn how best to serve cheese.
“As far as serving cheese, what temperature do you want to serve it at? You want to serve it at room temperature and by that I mean European room temperature 70-75 degrees not Texas room temperature 110 or whatever the heck it is. So, why would you want to serve it warm like that. The reason is that cold mutes flavor,” said Rogers.
Ever wonder how to make cheddar? You’ll know after an evening with this cheese connoisseur. It’s one of the many lessons in addition to wine pairing and an education of other artisan cheeses that’ll make you an expert.
Scardello Artisan Cheese
3511 Oak Lawn Avenue
Dallas, TX
214-219-1300
www.scardellocheese.com
