Savor Culture

This lovely hunk of goodness is a bloomy-rind, goat’s milk cheese called Gabriel.  Actually, it’s a goat-cow blend, as indicated by the yellow hue of its paste; pure goat’s milk cheese, lacking the carotene present in cow’s milk,  is snowy-white in color.  Gabriel is enriched with enough cow’s cream to bump it up to triple-cream status, meaning that more than 75% of its dry weight is butterfat.

Gabriel is among the excellent aged cheeses produced by Bittersweet Plantation in Gonzales, Louisiana.  Though I have purchased several of these cheeses in that neck of the woods, my first experience with Gabriel and the cow’s milk Fleur-de-Lis was during my fromagière days in Chicago.  I had never had such a luxurious goat’s milk cheese as this, as contrasting to chèvre as a rich vinaigrette is to straight vinegar.  It exhibits the caprine scents of chalk and hay, the characteristic tang and powdery texture of goat’s milk, but also has an earthy base note from the cow’s milk.  

This particular wheel of Gabriel had probably aged at least seven weeks (at any rate, its “expiration” date passed last week), causing its “goaty” characteristics to become more discernible.  In the past, I’ve enjoyed this cheese at five to six weeks, when its interior is soft and its flavor is pleasantly mild.  Gabriel’s ability to age gracefully is due to its dusting of vegetable ash under its rind; Evangeline, the ash-less version of this cheese, ripens at three to four weeks.  There are corresponding variations in cow’s milk, as well: Fleur-de-Teche (ashed) and Fleur-de-Lis (unashed, and sublime!).

As enjoyable as the cheese is on its own, my appreciation for it increased upon learning more about Bittersweet Plantation Dairy.  The cheesemaking operation is a part of the empire of  Chef John Folse, a man who is actively involved in Louisiana’s cuisine and culture.  He seems to have a finger in every pot this side of the bayou, from a culinary school and his own production facility to television and radio shows and of course, cookbooks (a copy of Folse’s Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine is among my own cookbook collection).  

In this interview, Chef Folse discusses his reasons for opening Bittersweet Plantation Dairy in 2002: to revive and expand the tradition of small-scale cheesemaking in the Bayou State.  Their fresh products, such as Creole Cream Cheese and Bulgarian-style yogurts, evoke the traditional cheese that would have been produced in Louisiana’s warm climate; their portfolio of aged cheeses reflects the tremendous growth of the American artisan cheese movement.  Chef Folse’s commitment to keeping our culinary traditions vibrant and relevant is inspiring, and I look forward to visiting Bittersweet Plantation on a future visit to Louisiana.

To spare you Evangeline’s lifelong search for Gabriel, check Bittersweet Plantation’s website for a list of retailers and online ordering.  In addition to the aged cheeses, seek out the dairy’s yogurt; the Sugar & Vanilla flavor is outstanding, with the fine texture and balanced sweetness of a delicate dessert sauce.  Yum!

La Fête du Fromage is a monthly, international blogging event hosted by Chez Loulou.  Join us by writing about cheese and sending your link to Loulou by the 13th of the month.  Visit Chez Loulou for the roundup on the 15th of every month.

Tags: artisan cheese, Food culture, Goat's milk cheese, La Fête du Fromage, Louisiana