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To every season, there is a cheese.
When grass and flowers are abundant in the spring, lactating animals will produce rich, herbaceous milk for the artisan cheesemaker.
Sometimes it's made into mozzarella, feta and chevre and served almost immediately, with fresh garden tomatoes or salad greens.
Other times, it is tucked away and aged for several months, allowing it to develop unique textures, flavors and aromas.
"In the winter, you get to eat all the richer-milk cheeses that you just don't get when it's hot," explained Shaunie Price from the Trolley Square Whole Foods in Salt Lake City.
For those trying to eat in season or needing ideas for a holiday cheese plate, Price and two other Salt Lake City cheesemongers — Max Christensen from Harmon's City Creek and Wendy Robinson of Liberty Heights Fresh — share the following 10 classic winter cheese selections:
Appenzeller • This hard cow's-milk cheese, produced in the northwest region of Switzerland, is the "grandfather" of alpine cheeses, said Christensen. With holes or "eyes" reminiscent of Swiss cheese, it has a nutty, buttery flavor that goes well with cured meats. Alpine cheeses are produced near the Alps in Switzerland, France and Italy and are at their peak in winter. Specialty cheese shops will usually have Appenzeller as well as several other varieties this time of year.
BellaVitano • Combine the creamy flavor of cheddar with the savory aged parmesan and you have the American-made BellaVitano. It's the best-selling cheese blend at Harmon's City Creek, said Christensen. The outside of the cheese is often rubbed with flavors such as ginger and citrus, black pepper or merlot. For the holidays, Christensen suggests splurging on the Cognac-rubbed BellaVitano. "It's absolutely phenomenal, especially when served with chocolate."
Comte • This is another Alpine cheese that deserves a spot on a holiday cheese plate, says Price. Creamy and nutty-tasting, this French offering goes well with a crusty baguette or fig cake. It also is a good melting cheese, so use it in your next omelet or bowl of macaroni and cheese.
Fondue • One of the most communal ways to enjoy cheese during the cold winter months is by dipping bread and pickled vegetables into a chafing dish of creamy melted fondue. The two most popular melting cheese options are, not surprisingly, from Switzerland: Gruyere and Emmental. These Swiss cheeses can be used by themselves in fondue, but Christensen said when mixed together their different flavors complement each other well. Harmon's sells the combination, already grated for busy customers. Christensen said while cooks can use that as a base, they also should experiment with other good melting cheeses such as raclette and Gouda (see recipe).
Parmigiano-Reggiano • This hard, granular cheese is usually grated and served on pasta. But it's really got enough personality to stand alone on a holiday cheese plate, said Robinson. "Sweet, with great flavor, it's an underused tasting cheese." Cut it into chunks and serve it with nuts and figs.
St. Nuage • The name, which means "cloud" in French, is a luscious triple cream cheese that pairs well with sparkling wines and dried fruit. "It's lighter and fluffier than Brie and other bloomy-rind cheeses," said Price. It's a good soft cheese option to add to a plate that may have mostly hard cheeses.
Stilton • This pungent, earthy blue cheese is made in the spring with pasteurized cow's milk. It's aged at least nine months, so it is at its peak flavor in the winter, said Price. It's best with a drizzle of honey and some caramelized walnuts. "It's a match made in heaven."
Stichelton • This is Stilton's new-age cousin. Produced near Nottingham using raw cow's milk, it's been described as a sumptuous cheese that creates a chain of sensations: fruity and salty, buttery and earthy, sharp and creamy. Robinson likes to serve it with the tayberry or black mission fig jams from Utah's Amour Spreads.
Truffle • It's a special occasion when you offer cheese flavored with truffles. The shavings of the highly prized fungus impart an earthy, complex flavor and aroma, said Robinson. Truffle cheese can be made using any type of milk — cow, sheep or goat — and variations come from all over the globe, including Spain, France and the United States. Liberty Heights Fresh has several choices, but Robinson is partial to the creamy, luxurious Triple Truffle cheese made by Deer Valley Resort in Park City.
Winnimer • This cow's-milk cheese, wrapped in spruce bark and washed in brine, is available mostly in the winter months, said Robinson. The texture is rich and smooth with a woodsy finish. It has a bold flavor, so serve it with a dry white wine, bread or other mild-flavored accompaniments.
Max's Easy Holiday Fondue
1 pound shredded Gruyere or Emmentaler or a mix*
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 clove garlic, halved
1 cup cooking liquid, such as riesling, beer, tomato juice or apple juice
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
Chunks of bread, for dipping
Pickled vegetables, for dipping
In a bowl, combine the shredded cheese with nutmeg and mustard.
Rub garlic around the inside of fondue pot.
Whisk together the cooking liquid and cornstarch in the pot. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add cheese and spices all at once.
Stir continuously until all of the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Serve with chunks of bread and pickled vegetables.
*Feel free to experiment with the cheese mixture, adding raclette, Gouda or other good melting cheese.
Makes • 4 servings
Source: Max Christensen, lead cheesemonger, Harmon's City Creek