Petite Boo by Marin Cheese Co

Even though Halloween has come and gone, it's still the spooky season, at least for those of us who like to extend the macabre festivities until the end of December and beyond. That's why I was thrilled to see that Whole Foods still had some seasonal Petite Boo cheese by Marin Cheese Co. in stock after Oct 31st. 

Petite Boo cheese is seasonal

Recently, I reviewed Marin's Petite Breakfast cheese, a versatile naked Brie that's considered a morning staple in many homes. My reaction to Petite Boo was far more animated than when I tried the Petite Breakfast Brie. How could I not be excited to try a spooky-looking triple cream Brie disguised as a ghost with an orange interior? It's so stinkin' cute...but still kind of scary looking! I was smiling from the moment I saw it and couldn't wait to dig in and taste this little round. 

Petite Boo is 4 oz of fun and flavor

As adorable as this holiday-themed cheese is, the taste is grown-up and sophisticated. The outer bloomy rind has smudges of smoky vegetable ash that deepen the overall flavors. Though it's milky and mild and smells like traditional Brie, earthy and buttery, it's zestier with deeper mushroom notes. It's tangy with just a hint of funk without any real bitterness, even when it's a smidge past its prime. When the British say a particular food is "moreish" that's the perfect word to describe this petit trésor. It is good!

Petite Boo's texture is InCreDiBlE. Holy cow's milk. The paste inside the soft, bloomy rind is oozy and smooth, velvety and absolutely lovely. The orange comes from natural annato, which enhances the very slight spicy notes. It's the type of cheese that makes a person close his eyes and sink fully into the experience. 

The vibrant orange interior is a wonderful contrast to the white exterior.

Because the flavor is so mild, Petite Boo pairs with almost anything. Serve it hot or cool, though with a silky smooth texture like the one it has, it deserves at least one bite unheated. The Marin Cheese Company has a fantastic Instagram account on which they offer excellent recipes and cheese pairing ideas.  I love their suggestion to dress up Petite Boo in a puff pastry mummy's costume for the fall season. 

Serve Petite Boo on a festive fall cheese plate with sliced green apples, red grapes, mixed marinated olives, candied pecans, proscutto or smoked salmon, apricot jam, pretzels, dark chocolate squares, and sliced crusty baguette rounds. Its orange interior will grab everyone's attention. This is a cheese that can easily pair well with savory or sweet foods. It's as good with fresh berries as it is with cured meats. You can serve it on burgers, sandwiches, in salads, or on its own. It's that good. And it can be baked in tarts, with potatoes, or in noodle dishes. 

When it comes to beverages, try Petite Boo with a Stout, Belgian Ale, or Saison. Good wine pairings include Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Cava, or Sauternes. 

In the fall, a Stout goes well with Petite Boo 

Petite Breakfast Brie

Whenever I purchase cheese, I try to seek out something new, a fromage I've never sampled before. With well over a thousand varieties available around the world and even more styles of cheeses being made at any given time, it shouldn't be a problem to find a surprise, but given the restrictions on importing, not all kinds of cheese are available in a specific area. Therefore, when I stumble upon a product I've never seen before, even better when it's petite and cute, I can't resist. 

My usual hunting ground for unique cheese is Whole Foods. They have a good selection of local, national, and international varieties. When I stumbled upon the Petite Breakfast Brie from Marin French Cheese Co. the other day, I was intrigued. I had never heard of a fresh brie, unaged and impishly naked without a rind. I immediately placed my little find in the shopping cart.

A day or two after my shopping trip, I was out walking and saw a mushroom that reminded me of my purchase! What are the chances? I had to snap a photo because I didn’t think anyone would believe me. 

This mushroom looks like my cheese.

 

Contrary to what I expected, Marin French Cheese Co is located in California, not France. Petaluma, California, is where the "cheese factory", as it was once called, has been producing fine cheeses since the late 1800s. This gives their business the honor of being the oldest cheese company in the USA. In addition to their flagship breakfast Brie, they also carry traditional aged soft-ripened cheeses. One look at the images of these beauties on their website is enough to make your mouth water. Some are covered in herbs or seasonings, while others are speckled with truffles. The rest take a less-is-more approach and are presented in their natural forms. 

Marin French Cheese Company prides itself on using traditional techniques. Their award-winning cheeses are made in small batches, and though they don't outright say it, I suspect each product is made with a great deal of love in addition to care. You can read more about the incredible story of this long-lasting company in one of their blog posts at the following link: The Story 

I wasn't sure what to expect when sampling the Petite Breakfast Brie. It looks so darn cute, and I really wanted to absolutely love it. But this cheese was specifically created to provide added protein for hard-working individuals at their morning meal. It's not meant to be a fancy or gourmet cheese. However, with the right pairings, there's no reason it can't be elevated. The truth is, though, it's a bit of an acquired taste.

The Petite Breakfast Brie is very cute

A top view of the Petite Breakfast Brie

The aroma that escapes upon removing the cellophane wrapper is sour and slightly sweet, a little like sour cream. Without a rind or any aging, this vegetarian cheese lacks the earthy, nutty, or mushroom flavors that are typically found in its bloomy rind cousins. It's far less complex than a true Brie, and it's not as tangy. Because any sweetness is not pronounced, the petite round ends up tasting rather ordinary. In terms of allure, it's not as forgettable as a plain girl, but also not as memorable as a superstar. Still, there's a certain Je ne sais quoi about it, something that pulls you back for another sample.

While the taste is similar to sour cream, it has a bit more salt and a slightly bitter finish that creeps up in the back of the palate. People often compare this breakfast provision to thick cream cheese, which is also accurate; it's just milder, less tangy with fewer sweet notes and more bitter undertones. It's a dark and mysterious, sturdier version of cream cheese.

The Petite Breakfast Brie is great as a snack food.

This fresh, rindless Brie has a texture that's creamy and smooth, also similar to an extra-firm version of cream cheese, but with more structure. It's another product that leaves traces of teeth marks when you bite into it. The Petite Breakfast Brie will coat your mouth, but it’s not gloopy or sticky and actually spreads like cold butter. Heated, though, it becomes soupy and runny, but, melted or not, the flavor remains very mild. It’s good on toast and tastes like a cream cheese with much more depth. 

Because the Petite Breakfast Brie is so mild, it can pair well with either sweet or savory flavors, and in this case, I prefer the sweet couplings. In fact, it's actually better when it mingles with other provisions than it is on its own. Its petite size makes it ideal for transporting in a picnic basket to a nice park, in a lunch box to school or work, or in a pocket for a snack later when the urge arises. 

As I mentioned before, this isn’t an ideal product for baking. It’s best served cool or at room temperature if the weather isn't too warm. Try it with Rustic Bakery Artisan Crisps, sliced green apples and honey, or roasted almonds. Plop a wedge of it on some nicely toasted French bread or some honey whole wheat toast and a scoop of strawberry or fig jam, and you won't be disappointed. As a snack, you can try it with trail mix, one that contains dried fruits. For savory combinations, serve it with prosciutto or caramelized onions and plain crackers.

As far as what to drink with this cheese, because it is a breakfast cheese, a mimosa or spicy Bloody Mary wouldn't be out of the question. Why not? If you're planning on coffee with your morning meal, try the Lifeboost light roasted variety. For later-day samplings, stay away from IPAs because, in this case, bitter with bitter isn't ideal. A fruity or wheat beer would be a better option. It also goes well with sparkling wine, Pinot noir, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc. 

A mimosa pairs well with the Petite Breakfast Brie

Laura Chenel Goat Brie

 

 

According to the Laura Chenel website, their 5-ounce creamy Brie is "an American twist on the traditional French cow's milk cheese." If one wants to get technical, no cheese outside of the region of Brie in France can be considered a true Brie, however, many cheeses are produced in a similar fashion resulting in a soft-ripened cheese with a white rind and a distinctive mushtoomy flavor. Brie-like goat cheeses have a long history in France. In fact, one of the more notable imported French goat Brie cheeses is Florette, a Brie-style cheese by Fromagerie Guilloteau, known for its extra smooth interior due to the ultrafiltration of the pasteurized goat mild before the curds are separated from the whey. This extra step does two things: 1. it removes some water from the milk. And 2. it causes clusters of fat to break down into smaller globules, which, in turn, leads to a smoother overall texture. Laura Chennel, touted as "America's first commercial producer of goat cheese," has certainly created a likable petite goat Brie, but I struggle to find the unique Brie flavor through the strong tang of the goat milk. The lovely aroma is there, though, and, for anyone considering it, I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to sample this aged goat cheese if offered.

While many goat Brie cheeses are milder in flavor than a ripe cow's milk Brie, this is not the case with the Laura Chenel version. In fact, the tang of the goat milk slightly overpowers the mushroom flavor, but there's a wonderful, subtle nutty flavor that's apparent if you let the paste linger on your tongue. As is the case with most soft-ripened goat cheeses, this adorable Brie-like product is firmer than its cow-milk counterpart. Inside the very thin bloomy rind is a smooth paste that's creamy and satisfying and slightly rubbery but not in a bad way. Overall, it's a nice texture. There are a noticeable salty flavor and a slight twist of lemon that's barely detectable but still uplifts this little cheese and gives it a general lightness. It might be a bit much for some, but I love the powerful goaty tang that surprises the taste buds. Despite the strong goaty notes, the finish is clean without any long lingering pungency. 

A notable difference between Brie and other soft-ripened cheeses in the United States is that the Brie in France is relatively young and is made with raw cow's milk. US laws require any raw-milk cheeses to be aged at least 60 days, nearly double the aging time of French Brie. To bypass the aging requirements, imported Brie from France or elsewhere often begins with pasteurized milk instead of raw milk, which changes the flavor. According to the Laura Chenel website, all of their cheeses are made with fresh pasteurized milk in beautiful Sonoma County in California where the creamery is located. Vegetarians will be happy to know that the rennet used is not animal-based. Because Laura Chenel uses pasteurized milk, the cheese doesn't have to be aged longer than usual, and, for this product, in particular, the process is 9-14 days.

If you've ever been curious about why goat's milk cheeses, especially fresh chevre, are beautifully snow-white, it's because goats have the unique ability to convert carotene found in the grasses and hay they eat into colorless vitamin A or retinol. Cows, on the other hand, have a low-enzyme activity for this kind of conversion and end up storing the carotene in their fat. The result of the fat globules that end up in milk, interestingly enough, is that the protein and membranes around the fat shield the color from view, making the milk look white. During the cheese-making process, though, the fat membranes dissolve and the protein clusters disperse or loosen, and the color, usually yellow or gray, is then exposed. AH HA! Orange cheese is another story and is most often colored with added anatto. 

 

It's no surprise that the Laura Chenel company has won many awards. Just this goat Brie alone has placed first or come in runner up in at least four major events. According to the Laura Chenel website, Laura Chenel's foray into cheese making began in the following way:

After spending 10 years working and studying in Europe, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, Laura Chenel returned home to Sonoma County, undecided about her life’s direction. She was eager to return to the land so that she could be self-sufficient. As she was particularly concerned about eating and cooking healthy, natural foods, and having always been intrigued by goats, she decided to buy her first goats. As the herd continued to grow, Laura became attached to them. As the quantity of milk increased, she felt responsible for the milk and wanted to transform it into something that would pay tribute to its makers; therefore, she found herself drawn to cheese-making.

Like other bloomy rind cheeses, this fun little find is best served on crusty French bread, crackers, or eaten with fresh or dry fruit. It can be used in both hot or cold sandwiches or in pasta dishes. It can also be prepared in a pastry crust with caramelized onions, apricot jam, or chopped toasted pecans on top. 

Goat Bries in general pair well with white wines such as Sauvignon blanc, Chablis, pinot grigio, or Cotes de Gascognelavor. Because of the tanginess of this cheese, I would add a Beaujolais to this list, and if you're a beer lover, try it with a Belgian-style ale.

Get ready for more soft-ripened cheese reviews. I'm on a roll and have a few on the menu, so stay tuned! 

Buying Things For the Cuteness Factor

I have a hard time resisting cute items in small packages. I once bought a container of three baby cauliflower heads, one purple, one white, and one yellow, for five times what they should have cost simply because they were so little and adorable. They tasted exactly the same as adult cauliflower, which I knew would be the case, but they were so darn cute. I couldn't resist. The same urge to buy overcame me when I saw the mini Ile de France Brie cheese in the to-go case at Lucky's Market. Fortunately, this little fromage won't drain your pocketbook.

Ile de France Brie comes in a colorful package.

Ile de France mini brie comes in a 25-gram serving in a plastic container. That's just under one ounce, and it's just about the cutest round of cheese you can imagine. Unlike many individually wrapped cheeses, this is real cheese. It's truly a scaled-down version of Brie, not a cheese-like product. That said, the flavor and texture aren't exactly like a classic, normal-sized Brie.

Even a mini Brie has a bloomy rind.

Ile de France Brie has a nice thickness.

This mini Brie has a soft interior, much softer than one would expect. You won't find a firm paste with a creamline under the bloomy rind that's not as moldy as the larger version. In fact, the interior is a lot like the creamline of a regular Brie, only a bit firmer. The flavor is not as intense, but there are a slight earthy note and the typical mushroomy flavor of the rind that emerges once you bite into the tiny wheel.

Don't buy Ile de France mini Brie expecting a brilliant cheese; buy it because it's charming and easy to pack in your lunch box. Serve this little gem with a French roll or any way you would normally serve Brie. It pairs well with fruit, chutney, crackers, figs, or toasted nuts. 

Chardonnay is probably the more sensible wine choice when it comes to pairing Ile de France mini Brie cheese. Reisling, Viognier or Marsanne also go well with this cheese. For reds, try a Pinot Noir or other fruity selection. If you prefer beer, go with a Pilsner or a light beer. 

Hartwell

People warned me that I might be disappointed by this little Brie-like cheese. I was not. Sometimes the beauty of a cheese is in its subtlety. Perhaps because Hartwell is one of Jasper Hill's babies, those who cautioned me were expecting a jaw-dropping dairy experience with this cheese. Jasper Hill is the same company that produces the wondrous Harbison, a cheese that's unlike any other, one that leaves a definite impression. In the same way that Iggy Pop defines punk rock and you can't compare soft punk (yes, that's a thing) stars to a celebrity so legendary, don't try to compare any cheeses to Harbison. You will be disappointed if you do, but if you go into cheese sampling escapades with an open mind, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Hartwell cheese comes in a tiny package.

Hartwell may not be the life of the party, but sometimes a wallflower is more intriguing and ends up being the one people hold dear. It's unique in its own right and comes in a downright adorable package. The milk from grass-fed cows is how the cheese gets its overall rich, buttery flavor. It has a bloomy rind that's washed with the sediment from Eden Ice Cider, which gives the soft, outer surface a unique tang. The outer surface has all the characteristics of a traditional bloomy rind, but the earthy, mushroomy flavor is amplified, on the verge of being spicy with just a hint of the country in there. Even the aroma of the cheese is mushroomy, very much like a strong and slightly edgier Brie, though it never approaches hardcore.

A young Hartwell has a pretty outer rind.

Elegant cheeses in small packages are hard to find, but this one succeeds where others fail. Its shape, color, and overall look are classy. The inner off-white paste is smooth and even. This is a true semi-soft cheese, slightly creamy with a substantial chewy mouthfeel. The flavor intensifies as the cheese ages.

Hartwell on a whole wheat baguette or on rye crackers makes a fabulous snack. The cheese pairs well with tart apples or seasonal pears, too. You can serve it as you would a traditional Brie, even baked in a crust. Try it on plain crackers with roasted and chopped nuts sprinkled on top or in place of any cheese in your favorite sandwich.

Wines that go well with Heartwell include Chardonnay, Gamay, Zinfandel, Sauternes, Pinot Noir from Chile or even a nice champagne. If you're a beer fan, try this little treasure with a Pilsner.

Chardonnay pairs well with Hartwell.

From the Jasper Hill website:

Jasper Hill is a working dairy farm with an on-site creamery in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. An underground aging facility maximizes the potential of cheeses made by the creamery, as well as those made by other local producers. Leftover whey from the cheesemaking process is fed to heritage breed pigs, roaming the woodlands beyond the cows' pasture.

Jasper Hill's mission is to make the highest possible quality products in a way that supports Vermont's working landscape. We are driven to be the standard bearer of quality and innovation in the artisan cheese industry while promoting our regional taste of place.

More information about Hartwell from the Jasper Hill website.