World's Best Extra-Mature Traditional Cheddar From Heather Fiscalini: John and I are so proud of our 18 month bandaged cheddar winning the Best extra-mature traditional cheddar in the World, this March, 2007 in London, England. This is the first time the Wyke Farms Trophy has been awarded outside of England for cheddar, and we are delighted to have brought this distinction to the United States. For more information on the 2007 World Cheese Awards go to www.finefoodworld.co.uk and click on the Food Awards > World Cheese Awards 2007. Fiscalini Bandaged Cheddar Price: $24.50 per lb Fiscalini Bandaged Cheddar from Modesto, California, is a true American farmstead cheddar and sings with a luxurious balance of buttery, grassy, and savory flavors.

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Weekly Trivia

Question: What exactly makes Brie cheese a Brie? Find out in the next Artisanal e-newsletter!
- The Artisanal Staff

Last Time We Asked: Why are supermarket cheeses cheeses wrapped so tightly? How come they don't have to breathe? What are they protecting them from?

Answer: Supermarket cheeses are wrapped tightly so that they can be pre-cut and sold in pieces instead of having them cut to order. If they were cut to order (which would be far better) then they might be wrapped in more cheese-friendly wrapping so that the cheese could breathe. If wrapped for short amounts of time the cheeses won't suffer as much from lack of air. (After all it is not as though the cheeses are taking deep breaths!) It's not only the lack of air exchange that causes those tightly wrapped cheeses to suffer, it is also having the plastic against the cheese surface which can itself impart a bit of a plastic residue on the surface of the cheese.

Cheeses do prefer to be able to 'breathe' though, as cheese is very much a 'living' food that when denied air will tend to suffocate. Without air the cheeses will tend to 'rot' and may even taste rancid after a time. The harder aged cheeses suffer less from this suffocation than younger softer varieties. So if you have a choice between softer and harder cheeses that are tightly wrapped, you will probably be less disappointed if you purchase the harder cheese.

By having the cheeses wrapped tightly in plastic the thinking is that the cheese will not be exposed to pathogens, and the persons that handle those wrapped cheeses won't 'harm' the cheeses. Fortunately cheeses are relatively resistant to contamination, as evidenced by the stellar track record that cheese continues to enjoy among foods implicated in food-borne illness outbreaks. Cheese remains one the safest foods available. It just tastes better if it is wrapped better.

Do you have a question for our trivia section, or some trivia of your own to share?
Send it to editor@artisanalcheese.com and we may use it in a future newsletter!

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