Herb Cheese

The Heavenly Flavors of Herb Cheese

Herb cheese is pretty amazing. Just when you thought cheese couldn't get any better, along comes some rosemary, caraway, basil, or sage to add even more zesty flavor and aromatic adventure to your cheese tasting experience. Cheesemakers have been adding herbs to cheese for centuries, and with so many herbs and varieties of cheese to choose from, the possibilities for herb cheese are virtually endless. Whether they're lightly infusing the milk, sprinkled throughout the cheese, or rubbed onto the rind, herbs take cheese to a whole other universe of flavor and texture.

Wisconsin's Herb Cheese Varieties

Wisconsin cheesemakers have been experimenting with cheese from day one – which gives them over 180 years of experience creating new flavors, styles, and varieties of cheese. Among our most famous herb cheeses you'll find beauties like BellaVitano Garlic & Herb Cheese, made with garlic, spices, parsley, and lavender. Henning's Garlic & Dill Cheese Curds are a terrific white cheddar snack. We make rosemary cheeses and havarti cheeses with dill, horseradish and chives. Wood River Creamery Herbes de Provence Cheese is a cheddar and gruyere blend with the classic mix of herbs from French cuisine. There's also Sartori Rosemary Asiago and Deer Creek's Carawaybou, a caraway cheese that adds the tantalizing taste of caraway to an old-fashioned Wisconsin colby.

All about Herb Cheese

It's believed that cheesemakers have been adding herbs to cheese since even the earliest days of cheesemaking finding herbs added a certain something to flavor as well as presentation and ability to store it for long periods of time. Gouda, after all, gets its signature yellow rind from being dyed with saffron threads steeped in venigar to ward off pests while being shipped long distances on sailing vessels. The demand for these aromatic varieties has only grown stronger.

How is herb cheese made?

The process for making herb cheese is the same as making a standard cheese: Cheesemakers use rennet or another curdling agent to separate the curd from whey and add enzymes that will transform the milk into cheese. The curd is pressed into forms and left to ripen for anywhere from a few weeks to a few years. Dried herbs are always used because fresh herbs may cause the cheese to spoil. They can be added in several ways. Cheesemakers may infuse the milk with dried herbs and spices before curdling it, or they may stir bits of chopped herbs directly into the curd. Rubbing herbs on the rind during the ripening process or rolling a soft cheese in herbs to coat the exterior is another way of creating an herb-flavored variety.

What kinds of herbs can you add to cheese?

While there are no hard and fast rules about which herbs go with which varieties of cheese, here are some common pairings.

• Blue cheese: Parsley and sage will hold their own with the pungent flavors of a classic blue.
• Brie: Basil, chives, thyme, and tarragon are among the most common herbs for this soft-ripened cheese.
• Cheddar: While younger, milder cheddars can work with almost any herb, sage brings out the sharp flavors of mature cheddar.
• Feta: Basil and oregano pair nicely with the salty, briny taste of this fresh cheese.
• Gouda: More aromatic herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage accent the nutty flavor of a gouda.
• Monterey jack: This creamy cheese does well with oregano and dill.
• Mozzarella: Basil is the most iconic pairing for mozzarella, but rosemary can work as well.
• Ricotta: Parsley and thyme add zest to this mild-flavored cheese made from cream and whey.
• Swiss: Chives and dill complement the sweet flavors of a swiss or alpine-style cheese.

How to Pair Herb Cheese with Food and Drink

Pairing wines

With so many herb cheese varieties, it can be daunting to choose a wine that perfectly balances the texture and taste of the cheese as well as the flavor and aroma of the herbs. You can choose to match the texture of the wine with the cheese, pairing a full-bodied red with the heavier flavor profile of an aged cheddar or aged gouda. Alternately, you may choose to contrast the rich, creamy texture of a brie with the light, effervescent acidity of a sparkling wine. Sweeter wines complement a salty cheese like feta as well as more pungent, funky varieties like gorgonzola. And following the “what grows together, goes together” principle, it's always a safe bet to pair cheeses and wines that originally come from the same region. For example, with an aged cheese with Italian herbs like rosemary, basil, and thyme, you can't go wrong with a medium-body Italian red like chianti.

Pouring beer

Beer pairs amazingly well with cheese – its carbonated texture and complex taste will complement an herb cheese beautifully. For a milder cheese, choose a milder beer with lower alcohol and not a lot of hops. Older or richer cheeses can handle stronger stuff like brown ales or pale lagers. A heavy stout can hold its own with a sharper blue cheese, or you can contrast the funk of the cheese with a fruity lambic or hoppy ale.

Serving charcuterie

Herb cheeses are naturals on the charcuterie board. Be sure to choose herb cheeses with a variety of textures – from soft cheeses like brie to firm cheeses like aged cheddar. A selection of cured meats might include prosciutto, salami, soppressata, and ‘nduja. Sweet ingredients like figs, dried apricots, candied pecans, and honey will contrast the rich, creamy texture of your cheeses, while ingredients like crackers, sesame sticks, pecans, and cashews will add a bit of crunch. Savory ingredients like olives, pickles, mustards, and chutneys ensure a well-rounded collection of flavors. In the kitchen, you can stir herb cheese directly into pasta, grate it over salads, or bake it into Italian herb and cheese bread.