Right, so I went on for a little while in the last post about the evils of sub-par or forgettable cheeses with some infused flavor passing off as worthwhile standalone cheeses. Same story, different day. Again, today's cheese isn't even necessarily bad, it will add color to the plate, it will attract attention, it will peak interest, but novelty factor alone does not earn one a place in the Favorite Club.
Originally made just around Christmas time, Sage Derby is one of the older infusion cheeses to come from England, where the digestive properties and festive look of the green sage made it a hit on holiday tables. Plain derby is not as commonly found outside England, which works fine with me as it's effectively just a younger, milder, buttery-er cheddar.... and who among us wasn't thinking "gee this mild cheddar is just too sharp, it sure could use a little less flavor and a slightly heavier presence on the palate."
Apparently I'm biased, go figure. Macerated sage leaves, sage leaf essence, green food coloring, or a mixture of these are used to create either a uniformly green paste such as the one pictured below or a more marbled look similar to the Porter Cheddar but in light green. Adding color and things to a forgettable cheese is like adding racing decals, spoilers, and louder exhausts to beater cars.... if you start with rubbish you're going to end with rubbish.
Origin: England
Milk: Cow, pasteurized
Rennet: Vegetable
Affinage: 3-4 months
Notes: I come across as pretty one-sided when it comes to English cheese, but there are some seriously incredible creations to be found. There's also a lot that's just not worth buying twice.
Thoughts: The sage flavor in this cheese, grassy and tingly as if a little minty, overpowers any flavor the Derby might have had, though we'll never know now. The creaminess and the texture of the cheese do come through, though all they really convey is the novelty flavor and no real depth or character of flavor. All this being said it's a huge hit among those looking for a new snacking cheese as well as small children. The issue I take here is that there are so many cheeses, mostly sheep's milk cheeses but also from cow and definitely from goat's milk, that have a natural grassy and green flavor to them with all the depth and character you could want, just as a result of being carefully and traditionally made from top quality milk. Just saying.
Caution
Dear UK readers; I'd love to sit down and share in some Port and Stilton with you as we discuss the virtues of your cheeses, for there are many. Please don't be cross, I don't spare other countries when they make bad cheeses either. The USA especially.
Originally made just around Christmas time, Sage Derby is one of the older infusion cheeses to come from England, where the digestive properties and festive look of the green sage made it a hit on holiday tables. Plain derby is not as commonly found outside England, which works fine with me as it's effectively just a younger, milder, buttery-er cheddar.... and who among us wasn't thinking "gee this mild cheddar is just too sharp, it sure could use a little less flavor and a slightly heavier presence on the palate."
Apparently I'm biased, go figure. Macerated sage leaves, sage leaf essence, green food coloring, or a mixture of these are used to create either a uniformly green paste such as the one pictured below or a more marbled look similar to the Porter Cheddar but in light green. Adding color and things to a forgettable cheese is like adding racing decals, spoilers, and louder exhausts to beater cars.... if you start with rubbish you're going to end with rubbish.
Milk: Cow, pasteurized
Rennet: Vegetable
Affinage: 3-4 months
Notes: I come across as pretty one-sided when it comes to English cheese, but there are some seriously incredible creations to be found. There's also a lot that's just not worth buying twice.
Thoughts: The sage flavor in this cheese, grassy and tingly as if a little minty, overpowers any flavor the Derby might have had, though we'll never know now. The creaminess and the texture of the cheese do come through, though all they really convey is the novelty flavor and no real depth or character of flavor. All this being said it's a huge hit among those looking for a new snacking cheese as well as small children. The issue I take here is that there are so many cheeses, mostly sheep's milk cheeses but also from cow and definitely from goat's milk, that have a natural grassy and green flavor to them with all the depth and character you could want, just as a result of being carefully and traditionally made from top quality milk. Just saying.
Caution
Dear UK readers; I'd love to sit down and share in some Port and Stilton with you as we discuss the virtues of your cheeses, for there are many. Please don't be cross, I don't spare other countries when they make bad cheeses either. The USA especially.
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