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COOKING TECHNIQUE & TIP
Rouses cheesemonger Scott Page is anAmericanCheese Society CertifiedCheese
Professional, a title that requires passing a master exam covering everything
from dairy regions to cheese making, ripening, storage and serving. Scott
lives in Zachary, Louisiana. Find more of his tasting notes in the Cheese &
Charcuterie section of our redesigned website at
www.rouses.com.
A
burger, like everything else, tastes better with cheese. But
what
kind
of cheese? We cheesemongers typically look at
milk type, category — bloomy rind versus washed rind —
the age of the cheese and its country of origin, but besides taste,
when it comes to burgers, the only thing that
really
matters is the
friability, what curd nerds like me call meltability. Some cheeses
melt into a mess, and some won’t melt at all.
Typically, the friability has a lot to do with moisture content. The
younger the cheese, the more moisture it retains and the easier it
will melt.
Here are a few of my favorite melty cheeses for burgers, beginning
with everyone’s guilty pleasure, American cheese.
Personally I’m not ashamed to admit my abiding affection for
American cheese. It’s the one cheese we always had in our refrigerator
when I was growing up.Those individually wrapped slices remind me
of my childhood, and it’s hard to beat the meltability. My five-year-
old daughter, however, is a cheese snob. She would
never
eat pre-
packed American cheese. Her sisters, six and 10, are a little more lax.
Cheese moves from something that adds texture but not much
taste to something that adds
wow
when you switch from American
to Alpine “Swiss cheese” styles. Gruyère and Emmentaler — the
original “Swiss” cheese — both add a deep, funky, nutty flavor.
Cave-aged Gruyère is the same cheese you use in French onion
soup. Try it on a burger with caramelized onions; you’ll thank me
later. Want something a little bit lighter but still nutty-tasting? Go
with a creamy French Comté.
Also on the more melty side of the cheese case are semi-soft cheese
such as Fontina, Monterey Jack and Havarti, which are great flavor
enhancers.
And you can’t go wrong with classic white or yellow cheddar. The
sharper (older) the better. The intense, grapefruity flavor of melted
Cheddar pairs perfectly with just about every burger topping. I like
Excalibur English Cheddar, but if I’m feeling patriotic, I’ll go with
an American artisan like Cabot, which is made in Vermont.
For a sweeter rather than savory burger, Dutch Gouda is a great
choice. Young Gouda has a buttery, caramel-like flavor. As it ages,
that caramel flavor subtly becomes more butterscotch-like.
If you’re feeling adventurous, choose a bloomy or washed rind
cheese. You can’t beat the creamy, mushroom-like flavor of Brie or
the toasty, bacony meatiness of Taleggio.
A trick for softer cheeses like Brie and
Taleggio is to cut them while the cheese is
cold.Then add the slices right at the end of
cooking so they don’t run too much.
Some cooks are afraid the flavor of bleu
cheese will overpower the meat. Just watch
how much you use, and you’ll be fine. The
classics (Stilton, Gorgonzola and Roquefort)
have their own flavor profile, as well as deep histories. English Stilton
is drier and more piquant; Italian Gorgonzola is creamier but still
tangy; cave-aged French Roquefort is made with sheep’s milk, so
it’s the strongest of the bunch, and far more pungent and tangy on
your tongue. If you’re still hesitant, start with something mild like a
crumbly Danish Blue or rich, creamy Saint Agur.
You don’t typically find fresh goat cheese on burger menus because it
won’t give you that creamy melt. But goat cheese will get very soft, and
it provides a flavor profile that’s unmatched. I promise you the citrusy
tang will not disappoint! Feta is primarily made from sheep’s milk. It’s
salty and crumbly. Like goat cheese, it won’t completely melt, but if
you’re making lamb burgers, there’s nothing “betta” than Feta.
Now that you know how to choose the right cheese for your burger,
go spread the word about the curd.
Rouses cheesemonger Scott Page — photo by
Romney Caruso
Cheese W iz
by
Scott Page, Rouses Cheesemonger