Put the art into cheese

On June 13 a virtual cheese tasting session is bound to create a buzz among city turophiles connoisseurs of cheese One or more cheeses would be preordered through The Cheese Collective TCC and delivered a day before The Instagram Live session will have cheesemonger and TCC founder Mansi Jasani talk about curated cheeses and share tips on pairing storing and cooking with these cheeses Over the next few months a few more sessions are planned across the country Cheesetasting is a sensorial experience requiring one to see smell touch and taste the produceMansi JasaniDue to the lockdown we felt this would be the best way to hold a cheese tasting session says Jasani Her platform conducts cheese appreciation and pairing workshops and is known for crafting and curating fresh cheeses from across India into customised platters and gift basketsArtisanal differenceIn metros the welltravelled who appreciate quality artisanal cheeses have helped lead to a surge in its demand FoodHall has dedicated chillers stocking over 160 artisanal cheeses from across the globe There is a support base for local vendors too by sourcing camembert brie brie with truffle mozarella and buraata from local producers Former journalist and owner of Casa Del Cheese Dhvani Desai says There isnt much awareness about cheese in our country Some international brands that use less dairy in their cheese are often dumped in India Other brands use palm oil which is a controversial option due to its health hazards Artisanal cheese is made entirely from milk without chemicals Desai conducts open houses and cheesemaking workshops in the city to spread awareness and educate people about buying artisanal cheese Mausam Narang who owns Eleftheria Cheese a micro creamery that makes Europeaninspired cheese using milk sourced from a singleherd cow dairy farm near Mumbai elaborates Artisanal cheese is nutrientdense delicious and has a nuanced flavour profile Real handcrafted cheese can be made with different types of milk cow buffalo goat sheep etc and can be spreadable semisoft semihard or hard in textureAgnay MehraAgnay Mehra of The Spotted Cow Fromagerie says People want good quality and healthier options Artisanal cheese is usually made in small batches without making too many changes to the raw materials and keeping in mind the beauty of seasonal changes It is about following traditional cheesemaking techniques and carefully ageing each batch This has taken a long time to perfect but thats the challenge that has now become one of our USPsHome cuesAnother local brand Cremeitalia known for making cheeses from the pasta filata family such as fiordilate pizza cheese fiordilate boconchinni burata stracciatella buffalo mozzarella ricotta mascarpone and scarmoza has seen a sudden surge in demand since March Its MD Prateek Mittal says During the lockdown many have turned towards home cooking and have been experimenting with Europeanstyle cuisine and in turn with artisanal cheese to imitate and enjoy restaurantstyle food at home Also processed cheese is partly natural cheese put together with additives artificial ingredients and large amounts of salt In stark contrast artisanal cheese is techniqueoriented We follow generations old techniques of traditional Italian farms and fuse them with the highest standards of local production and technologyStore it rightMehra suggests Since fresh cheeses dont have any preservatives and have a tendency to absorb a lot of strong aromas around it once opened it should be consumed within two to three days It is best to store handcrafted cheese between 2 to 5 degrees Celsius and not freeze it as it changes texture Any water droplets forming should be wiped down daily Hard cheeses can be stored in airtight containers wrapped in butter paper Mittal adds Always use clean and dry cutlery while slicing and eating the cheeseOn June 13 5 pm onwardsLog on to thecheesecollective on InstagramTreccia di mozzarella from Eleftheria CheeseIngredientsSliced heirloom tomatoes 2Basil a few sprigsExtra virgin olive oil 2 tbspSalt and pepperMethodSlice the Treccia in half like a loaf of bread Stuff the tomatoes and basil drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top and serveCaprese salad with balsamic reduction from CremeitaliaIngredientsBalsamic vinegar 1 cupHoney 14 cupTomatoes 3 cut into12inch slicesFiordilatte cherry cheese 16ounce packSalt 14 tspGround black pepper 14 tspFresh basil leaves 12 cupExtravirgin olive oil 14 cupMethodStir balsamic vinegar and honey together in a small saucepan and place over high heat Bring to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer until the vinegar mixture has reduced to 13 cup in about 10 minutes Set the balsamic reduction aside to cool Arrange slices of tomato and Fiordilatte cherry cheese decoratively on a serving platter Sprinkle salt and black pepper spread fresh basil leaves over the salad and drizzle olive oil and the balsamic reductionMansi Jasanis Cheese Board 101There must be a variety of cheeses three to five in terms of textures taste and typesKeep a herbed cream cheese a truffle brie a tomme an aged cheddar and some blue Keep a nutty option too pistachio and almonds or candied nuts are the bestAdd a sweet variant like dried cranberries apricots and fig Jams are nice too mdash think apple brandy jamFor crunch add potato salty discs or plain rustic crackers Fresh baguette goes well tooCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news