Cheese & Sweet of the Week: Laguoile & Paley's Place Fruit & Nut Bar

Upon breaking open a cylinder of Laguoile (lah-YOLE), one is overcome by what I like to describe as the scent of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. If you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing (or smelling) this attraction, what I'm referring to is the odor of a heavily water-damaged basement. Or, what is probably more accurate, a dark, damp cave. This delicious raw cow's milk cheese is made in the southern part of France, just under the Cantal Mountains (home of Cantal, another tasty cheese). Named after two small towns located in the region - Laguoile and Laguoile-Aubrac - it carries similar characteristics to its neighboring Cantal: firm and a bit chalky with a sharp, tangy bite. Yet Laguoile is aged longer, developing a straw colored paste and thick, crusty brown rind that smells exactly how it looks. But do not be deceived by its appearance or pungent aroma, because the flavor is phenomenal. The texture is crumbly, but smooth and creamy on the palate. It has a cheddary sharpness with strong earthy notes of mushrooms. In fact, as you get closer to the rind, the flavor is reminiscent of a slowly simmered brown mushroom stock. Yummy!

As for my sweet of choice this week, Paley's Place Bistro & Bar in Portland, Oregon created a delectable Fruit & Nut Bar to accompany their restaurant's cheese selection. Made by hand in 5-pound slabs, this sweet treat is like a panforte, but without any flour, spices, or added sugar. The simplicity of the variety of ingredients is what makes it so desirable - dried figs, apricots, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, hazelnuts and almonds all bound together with honey. It's rich and dense without being fatty or sickly sweet. And the crunchiness from the nuts adds an extra layer of texture to the pressed combination of moist, chewy fruit. This really is the perfect addition to any cheese plate.

The Mysteries of Mold Revealed!

We've all experienced it - a piece of forgotten cheese in the fridge has somehow been colonized by a band of fuzzy whitish, greenish, bluish spores. Our first reaction to this discovery is "Eww!" followed by gingerly removing the colorful wedge from the back of the cheese drawer and chucking it into the garbage. While mold on food is certainly a sign for non-consumption, such is not the case for cheese...for the most part. The problem is you're dealing with milk that is already spoiled, albeit in a controlled environment. And you're dealing with many cheeses that come with their own mold.

Unfortunately, there are no set black and white rules for what constitutes bad moldy cheese; at least I have yet to find any. I've spoken to cheese makers and mongers, researched the world wide web and read ancient texts called "books" about the matter. In my explorations of the cheese world, this is my take on moldy cheese: It depends on the cheese. I know that doesn't help much, but like mushrooms, you have to know if that particular mold has spoiled that particular cheese in a way that will spoil your insides.

Nonetheless, here are some guidelines to follow when you encounter mold on your cheese, whether it's in your fridge or at your local cheese shop:

1) White, blue and green mold is GOOD. It's the same mold you find on brie type cheeses or blue cheese. You can can cut it off or eat it...the choice is yours. Red, pink, yellow and black mold is BAD. If any of these colors appear on your cheese, promptly discard it.

2) Fresh cheeses such as ricotta, cream cheese, quark, creme fraiche, mozzarella, etc., should never have mold of any sort. Spoiled fresh cheese will usually develop a pinkish orange film, but these cheeses will typically go sour before mold forms.

3) The nose knows. When in doubt, give it a big whiff. But it helps to know what you're smelling. Refer to my earlier post, Bad Smell vs. Bad Bad Smell. Ammonia and vinegar are BAD cheese smells. Stinky feet smell, however, may be the greeting of a truly delicious cheese!