Goat's Milk Cheddar/ La Buchette (Canada)

Two Canadian cheeses that have drown my attention. 
 I haven't notice any characteristic flavor of Goat's milk cheddar and I see no reason to eat it anymore. There are much better cheddar and more delicious goat cheeses to choose.
 I  used to buy it when I needed some cheese to use it in a casserole, because it grates and melts easily. I also liked it pale color.  Now I prefer chèvre, which flavor is more detectable.
Tuna Savoury with Goat's Milk Cheddar recipe.


 La Buchette not only has appealing look (after removing these ugly yellow sticks) but also fantastic flavor.

The cheese is a copy of  Bucheron - French goat milk's cheese derived from Loire Valley.  It is like a camembert cheese with delicate rind and chèvre in the center. Perfect pair - isn't it?

I WANT IT ALL! I WANT IT NOW!

Goat's milk cheese -chèvre

In my humble opinion, goat cheese made in USA is as good as  French original. I have a problem with American cheeses. I believe there are plenty great domestic cheeses, but are not available. It's much easier to buy famous European cheese than domestic high quality product.

 Chèvre flavor is not sophisticated, which makes it a perfect pair with other food. Rarely I eat chèvre with bread, but I use it very often to improve the taste of meats, salads, casseroles or desserts.

Recipe: Turkey Tenderloins with Wattle Seed Chevre.

Trader's Joe offers goat cheese logs flavored with fruit like cranberries or blueberries.



I have noticed  TJ's brand fresh goat cheeses with added honey or olives, but I have never bought them. I like neither honey nor olives.

Blueberry Vanilla Chevre

Chocolate Stout Cake with Blueberry Vanilla Chevre recipe (photo below):

My recipes with goat cheese.

Ile de France Bûchette, known for its mild, fresh curd, is made high in the Rhône Alps. I won this cheese in the Chef’s Weekly Basket Sweepstakes a year ago. Very tasty. They offer original and  flavored goat cheeses in two sizes: 10.5 oz and 4 oz. (Petite Bûche). 

La Bûchette with garlic and fresh herbs

I have also tried chèvre cheese medallions. The one with paprika powder didn't bring me to my knees.


 But pistachios and garlic chevre is my favorite combination.


I left the best chèvre cheese at the end. Montchevre’s fresh goat cheese Crottin is absolutely the most delicious fresh goat's cheese I have ever eaten. I wish I could try their other products (http://www.montchevre.com/). It is also  domestic made cheese, even if it looks like French product and the  founder and president of Montchevre has French roots (Arnaud Soland).

Montchevre Crottin Leeks recipe:

Goat's Milk Creamy Cheese and Brie (TJ's brand)

Delicious, smooth, satiny spreadable cheese from France. I had eaten other similar cheeses : one was also French, and another was produced in Poland, but they were tart and not so delicate like this one.

Another excellent cheese is a small goat's milk brie. Fresh has strong skin, stiff interior with small holes and mild flavor. I usually keep it in my fridge for week or or two until it is matured. When ripened, the interior melts, skin breaks easily, flavor and smell  are very intensive. Perfect!

Queso Manchego/Iberico (Spain)

Produced in La Mancha in Central Spain, Manchego is made from 100% sheep’s milk. Due to climate conditions ( raw, cold winters and dry summers) milk is  exceptionally fatty and aromatic.

It is easily recognized by the zigzag pattern etched into its rind and moist interior with tiny holes.

Manchego can be ripened from two to six months. Young (fresco) has fresh and elegant flavor, older (curado) is more salty, piquant and aromatic. The oldest (anjeo) ripens up to two years and becomes extra hard.

Iberico is a Manchego-style cheese made from a blend of cow (50%), goat (30%) and sheep’s milk (10%). Interesting, Iberico cheese is produced only in the province of Valladolid in central Spain. 

The interior paste has a light yellow/ white to slight beige color, mild  aroma and interesting flavor.

Both are great as table cheeses; they also melt well and delicious in omelets or salads (Snow Pea Salad with Manchego).
Recipes:
Broccoli Rabe with Chestnuts and Iberico

Goat's Milk Gouda Cheese (Holland)

Goat's Milk Gouda (matured for 6 months) is my favorite all the time. I believe it has a lot of fans. It is always in stock at "Trader Joe's" where I buy  cheese.
 I like it much more than any Gouda made from cow's milk. It has satiny, light texture, tangy flavor and bright white color. Very pleasant taste, not tart at all.  In the photo below you can also see the cheese with added potatoes and herbs. Nice variation but I haven't seen it for a year or more in the store.







I also enjoy Aged Goat's Milk Gouda, which has been aged for 16 months. Flavor is more savoury and characteristic, but still not so strong like aged cow's milk Gouda.