November is one of my favorite times of the cheese calendar, because it is a month of change for cheese makers. Truth is I have mixed emotions about this change. We are down to our last few batches of single herd goat cheese and the larger sheep's milk cheeses are beginning to appear. Some makers have finished making cow cheese and others are just beginning.

Some of our newer customers are surprised to hear about these seasonal changes. Too many consumers have been given the false impression that they can have any cheese they want any time they want it. In truth you can get renditions, well facsimiles, of types of cheese out of season, just as you can get tomatoes out of season. Yet, what a difference between a tomato harvested locally and ripened in August compared to one transported out of season from a commercial grower then ripened with steam in January. The pressure on cheese makers to produce, produce, produce is so enormous that it has changed the fate of many traditional cheeses. A consumer may discover a cheese in August or September and want it for Christmas, even if this would mean making it out of season. To this end, I know one cheese maker who, under pressure from consumers a few years ago, resorted to making cheese on powdered milk. This, however, is not common. Most cheese makers are passionate about the quality of their ingredients. The best people in the industry will go with the seasons.

I think I have the greatest customers in the world. If I say to them that such and such will be out of season in a few weeks, they accept it calmly, no matter how much they love the cheese. Eating great locally made foods is more important to them than having a branded food all year round, even if the brand represents an artisan cheese company. In fact, you can get into a lot of trouble by following only the brand (but that is the topic for another time).

By following the seasons you will be staying in touch with the great cheeses; for cheese, like all natural foods, is very much a product of its source. To put it simply, great cheese comes from great milk. Great milk in turn is a product of great feed, great pastures, careful animal husbandry as well as studious and considered cheese making and finishing. No shortcuts, no branding tricks, no additives, no cute labels will substitute for this.

The problem is that seasonal change can be highly individual. By putting the buck with the does or the rams with the ewes at different times of the year, the farmer can sometimes extend the season somewhat. Usually only the huge operations do this. In theory it is possible, if the herd is large enough, to produce cheese throughout the year. Most of the single estate, farmstead producers, however, use the winter to take a break and give their animals a rest. It is best to look forward to the drying off times, because even if they keep going, the winter feed is so dramatically different that one can almost immediately taste it in a cheese. Almost everywhere, the changing climate spells a change in quality, whether or not one recognizes it immediately. I know of several cow cheese producers that stopped producing cheese in the last several weeks, which is when the cows were taken off the pastures for the year. Why? The summer and autumn milk of cows on pasture is so sweet and complex, once you've tasted cheese made on it, you really don't want to go back.

The 'buck two step' is only one of many tactics that goat cheese makers use to get through the winter. Some producers will begin freezing curd from about September on to be used in December, January, February and March for making cheese. Others will shift away from 100 percent chevre making and reserve a portion of their September, October and November milk for cheeses that require more aging. They then will release these during the winter months. Still others will get a license to buy in milk and may buy in cow's milk from a local farm to produce a cow's milk cheese using chevre moulds. All practices are being used at the moment in California. However, among the best people in the industry the frozen curd tactic is seen as undesirable.

Here's a rough guide to the upcoming seasonal changes:

• Chevres made on the milk of small single herds will be disappearing in the next month or so throughout the northern areas of the country. Some may go as long as Christmas, but this is pushing it. Generally, if you are eating chevre for Christmas, it will be made on frozen curd. Chevres will appear again in April.
• Soft-ripened brebis (sheep's milk) from small producers have already ended. They are being replaced by larger ewe's milk cheeses, such as Vermont Shepherd and Bellwether Farm's San Andreas.
• Some cow cheeses that are made only on pastured milk have already stopped in the northern areas. Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Wisconsin is one example.
• Leaf wrapped cheeses, such as Sally Jackson's Goat Tomme and Sheep Tomme will be stopping in November. They will appear again in April. However, she got a late start with her new cow, so her newly named cow tomme, Renata, is likely to continue throughout the winter.

Generally, the washed rind cheeses are produced from November throughout the winter. Several Eastern farms are doing this.

Therefore a few raw milk cheese buying rules:

1. Avoid chevres from about mid-December.

2. Cow's milk soft ripened cheeses (brie style) should be at their best.

3. This is a good time for washed rind (surface ripened, if you will) made on cow or sheep's milk.

4. Go for the natural rind blues such as Stilton, the traditional Persilles (not those made up ones by Hevre Mons) of the Haut-Savoie, aged Gorgonzolas, and some Erborinatos. Not the best time for Roquefort or ones from that family.

5. 18 month cheddars should be perfect now, as will 9 month Double Gloucesters.

6. Many semi-soft cheeses with bloomy rinds or washes would taste good up to about the end of January.

About the Cheesemonger

John Raymond, previously the Cheese Manager at Dean & Deluca, St. Helena, spent 20 years in Europe working with traditional foods. He now runs his own wholesale and retail cheese operation, called Raymond & Co., in Glen Ellen, California.

• Is this artisanal cheese made in America? Unfortunately, some that are being sold under American labels are actually made in Europe.
• What farm or farms did the milk come from?
• Is the cheese made on the milk of a single herd or multiple herds? If the person doesn't know, don't buy it.
• What breeds of cow, goat or sheep were responsible for the milk?
• What is the size of the herd?
• Were the animals on grass? If not, what were they fed on? If so, what were they supplemented on?
• How old is this cheese? The cheesemonger should know within several days.
• Is this the right age and condition for this cheese? And, Is this the right taste profile for this cheese? Does it always taste like this or am I to expect improvement or degeneration?
• Is this a young version of the cheese or an older version?
• What are the seasons for this cheese? Seasons? Yes, in what season does it normally taste best?
• I see this cheese is wrapped in such and such; is this what it should be wrapped in?
• How long has it been sitting on shelf.
• How does the rind contribute to the taste?

About the Cheesemonger

The beautiful country of Portugal is a cradle of sheep's and goat's milk cheeses.  Its cheese makers follow ancient methods and traditions producing rustic, hand made cheeses.  Many Portuguese cheeses are exquisite and highly regarded, yet they are difficult to find in the US. 

"Bica de Queijo" loosely translated means "bag of cheese".  And that is exactly what this cheese looks like.  When the curd is fresh, it is placed in a cheese cloth and twisted up into a "bag".  As the cheese firms up, the cloth is removed, but its imprint remains, giving rise to its name.  Made from goat's milk, it is mildly goaty with a pleasant creamy, chewy texture.  The rind is not edible, but it's an interesting part of the cheese - look for the imprint of the cheese maker here.  It's as if we are given a snapshot of how the cheese was prepared.

Bica can be enjoyed at every stage from soft and fresh to mature and firm.  The flavor remains consistent, but the texture varies greatly. 

Wine and food pairing suggestions

Bica is a mild, but flavorful, cheese with a springy texture when young which makes it a perfect cheese for your cheese board.  Trim one side of the rind off, but leave a bit on the end of the cheese for guests to use as a "handle".

Bica is a wine friendly cheese and pairs well with sparkling, dry whites and fruity reds like Pinot Noir or Sangiovese.

About the Cheesemonger

The cheesemonger has two locations: The Grapevine Wine & Cheese Shop located in downtown Willow Glen, CA and Good Tastes Wine, Cheese & Tasting Bar located in downtown Campbell, CA.  Selecting cheese at these shops could not be easier or more fun.   They have a wide selection of high quality cheese from throughout the world with new shipments frequently arriving. All cheese can be tasted prior to purchase and is cut to order. And if you are not sure what you want, their knowledgeable staff will gladly help you pick out the perfect cheese. Stop by and check out this month's featured cheese or join their bi-monthly Cheese club and be surprised by the outstanding cheeses provided to you!

Wrapped in chestnut leaves with an aroma that's salty and sweet; Valdeon is a beautiful blue cheese that has become one of our customers' favorites.  It slices well, but is a bit crumbly and the chestnut leaves are more for decoration than anything, but they certainly add to the aroma and visual appeal.

The flavor is earthy and mild with a distinct blue flavor without being metallic on the finish.  It's a medium blue - great for sauces and salads. 

Cheese Handling Procedures

Blues like to be kept moist and Valdeon is no exception.  It will "weep" a bit and become moist - cover it with a napkin if it gets too soggy, then wrap it in foil, and then in plastic wrap.  The goal here is to manage the moist part without drying it out completely.  Leave the chestnut leaves on if you use it as a table cheese, peel the leaves off the cheese before using it in other dishes. 

Wine and food pairing suggestions

Because blue cheeses tend to be robust, they pair well with other robust, full flavored foods and bold red, spicy, and tannic wines.  Plus, they are great on steaks and other full flavored meats.  Crumble a bit on top of a steak for the last minute or so after BBQ or broiling, or dot the classic garlic bread with a bit of blue for added "BAM".  On salads? Of course!  Or make a snazzy fondue by adding a quarter cup of Valdeon to a cup of grated Gruyere dusted with flour, topped with a splash (1/4 cup or so) of good white wine.  Old bread does well, rye and seeded bread especially.  Add more Valdeon to suit your taste.

About the Cheesemonger

The cheesemonger has two locations: The Grapevine Wine & Cheese Shop located in downtown Willow Glen, CA and Good Tastes Wine, Cheese & Tasting Bar located in downtown Campbell, CA.  Selecting cheese at these shops could not be easier or more fun.   They have a wide selection of high quality cheese from throughout the world with new shipments frequently arriving. All cheese can be tasted prior to purchase and is cut to order. And if you are not sure what you want, their knowledgeable staff will gladly help you pick out the perfect cheese. Stop by and check out this month's featured cheese or join their bi-monthly Cheese club and be surprised by the outstanding cheeses provided to you!