Another top honour for How to Say Cheese
Over 5000 entries, 1% won gold. Honoured to be recognized along with the other gold winner in this category – NASA’s Multi-touch Interactive Sphere. Check out the growing list of honours on the awards page.
E-BOOK NON-FICTION
WINNER ($100 PRIZE):
How to Say Cheese, by A.K. Williams and Bee Kapitan (Interactive Bee Media)
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest Not-for-Profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. In its eleventh year of operation, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honour the most exceptional independently published books in over 70 different categories, for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (www.IBPPG.com ) in cooperation with Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency.
Think of me as your virtual cheesemonger inviting you to explore fine cheese selections without the intimidation. Trying new flavours and food should be fun.
Each week, I am sharing some of my favourite cheese selections or tasty discoveries from around the world. I encourage you to visit your local fine cheese counter and ask for a sample.
If you are seeking more platter inspiration with awesome photos, sign up for my monthly cheese newsletter and I will automatically provide you with a FREE pdf download of delicious cheese platter ideas.
Cheese Profile| FLAVOUR | Full-flavoured |
| TASTE | A mild goat flavour with a sweet lactic finish. Older wheels will have more bite. |
| SMELL | Fresh, lactic, and goaty. |
| RIND | Rubbed in olive oil and pimentón (smoked paprika) creates an ochre to a bright red rind. |
| INTERIOR | Firm but not dry, it’s buttery yet still crumbles. The paste is bright ivory with random tiny holes. |
| FABULOUS | A dry rind, white interior with a firm texture and fresh flavours. |
| FAR-GONE | Without too much trouble any surface blue mould can be removed and the cheese still enjoyed. |
| COUNTRY | Spain |
| REGION | Navarre |
| MILK TYPE | Sheep |
| RENNET TYPE | Animal |
| AGED | 2 – 10 Months |
| PRODUCER | FLor de las villuercas |
COUNTRY |
Australia |
Canada |
USA |
ONLINE |
| REGION | Melbourne | Vancouver | Most Cities | USA |
| STORE | Oasis Bakery | Benton Brothers | Fine Cheese stores | iGourmet.com |
| ASK FOR | Angel | Jonah or Andrew | For help | Just Click |
| ONLINE | @oasisbakery | @bentonscheese | @igourmet |
Think of me as your virtual cheesemonger inviting you to explore fine cheese selections without the intimidation. Trying new flavours and food should be fun.
Each week, I am sharing some of my favourite cheese selections or tasty discoveries from around the world. I encourage you to visit your local fine cheese counter and ask for a sample.
If you are seeking more platter inspiration with awesome photos, sign up for my monthly cheese newsletter and I will automatically provide you with a FREE pdf download of delicious cheese platter ideas.
Make Mine a Lacha. Idiazabal is a smoked cheese made from the milk of the Lacha (Laxta in Basque) breed of sheep from the Taxabolas Mountains. The Natural Wedding Company site has more ideas on how to decorate hard or formed cheeses with edible flowers.
| FLAVOUR | Medium |
| TASTE | Caramel and grassy, with a smoky finish. |
| SMELL | Grasslike with an acidic smokiness. |
| RIND | Thin and light brown with an oily feel due to a 3-10 day smoking process. |
| INTERIOR | Ivory to pale yellow in colour; dense, dry scattered with small holes. |
| FABULOUS | Dense smooth paste with a clean fresh aroma. |
| FAR-GONE | Soft on the edges with a bitter sharp flavour. |
| COUNTRY | Spain |
| REGION | Navarre |
| MILK TYPE | Sheep |
| RENNET TYPE | Animal |
| AGED | 2 – 10 Months |
| PRODUCER | Quesoalbeniz Albeniz |
COUNTRY |
Australia |
Canada |
USA |
ONLINE |
| REGION | Melbourne | Vancouver | Most Cities | USA |
| STORE | Oasis Bakery | Benton Brothers | Fine Cheese stores | Murray’s Cheese |
| ASK FOR | Angel | Jonah or Andrew | For help | Just Click |
| ONLINE | @oasisbakery | @bentonscheese | @murrayscheese |
“How to Say Cheese” is featured in a special edition ebook to celebrate the first 5 years of iBooks Author (The software that creates interactive books for the iPad.) Download your free copy https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1194865352
Thanks again to the following talented people that made this enhanced ebook a reality. They are – Editors- Cynthia Sharp, Jeanette Bailey and Carolyn Affleck iPad Tester – Lini Hutchings, Sound Engineers – Darnell Pleasant and Logan Kula.
Take a bow!
Also special thanks to friends who provided support and encouragement. Wayne King, Daryl Fraess and Z at Interactive Explorers
You will never see a whole wheel of Roquefort in your local store as producers cut the wheel in half to ensure the correct amount of blue. So many hidden surprises about cheese that you will have fun exploring. Inside the ebook “How to Say Cheese” we had fun creating a reveal widget.
| FLAVOUR | Full Flavoured |
| TASTE | Strong spicy, salty flavour followed by a rich creaminess. |
| SMELL | Pleasant and earthy. |
| RIND | Rindless, wrapped in foil to stop bad mould. |
| INTERIOR | The paste is bright white, dense yet soft and creamy, with many small caverns coated with blue/green mould (Penicillin Roqueforti) |
| FABULOUS | Firm yet soft, but not wet, filled with cavities covered in soft velvety grey-green mould |
| FAR-GONE | Extra mould growing on the surface on a smell similar to hydrogen peroxide (bleach) Slimy texture and excess liquid, especially when wrapped in plastic for long periods of time. |
| COUNTRY | France |
| REGION | Aveyeron |
| MILK TYPE | Sheep |
| RENNET TYPE | Animal |
| AGED | 5 Months 3 Weeks in a cave |
| PRODUCER | Roquefort Carles |
COUNTRY |
Australia |
Canada |
USA |
ONLINE |
| REGION | Melbourne | Vancouver | Most Cities | Canada |
| STORE | Oasis Bakery | Benton Brothers | Fine Cheese stores | Cheesyplace |
| ASK FOR | Angel | Jonah or Andrew | For help | Just click |
| ONLINE | @oasisbakery | @bentonscheese | @cheesyplace |
Matured for more than two years, this cheese retains a creamy mouth feel yet has a firm and crumbly texture. Deep caramel notes and mouthwatering crunchy crystals surprise the palate to make this variety a coveted favourite. The co-op producing Beemster is a member of the Caring Dairy and is also produced in the USA.
| FLAVOUR | Full Flavoured |
| TASTE | Flavours of butterscotch and caramel with a sweet nutty finish. |
| SMELL | Sweet and nutty. |
| RIND | To stop mould growth the 10.5 (23 pound) wheels of Beemster XO (extra old) are encased in plastic. |
| INTERIOR | Dense and firm, but still soft enough to bite. Thickly scattered with small protein crystals and occasional small holes. The paste is a rich orange that is darker towards the edges. |
| FABULOUS | Bright orange colour with a hard texture speckled with little crunchy bits. |
| FAR-GONE | If stored improperly after cutting, it becomes hard and rocky, still tasty but difficult to bite. |
| COUNTRY | Holland |
| REGION | Beemster |
| MILK TYPE | Cow |
| RENNET TYPE | Animal |
| AGED | 26 Months |
| PRODUCER | Beemster.us |
COUNTRY |
Online |
Canada |
USA |
| REGION | Canada | Vancouver | Most Cities |
| STORE | CheesePlace.com | Benton Brothers | Speciality Cheese stores |
| ASK FOR | Just Click | Jonah or Andrew | For help |
| ONLINE | @cheesyplace | @bentonscheese |
First mentioned in text in around 1282 AD, Appenzeller is one of the oldest Swiss cheeses. Unique to Appenzeller, the brine recipe includes either cider or white wine and up to 20 local herbs.
| FLAVOUR | Full Flavoured |
| TASTE | Rich, creamy and fruity, with a piquant finish. |
| SMELL | Sweet and grassy, with a slight musty finish. |
| RIND | Thin yellow to orange colour, covered in dusty white patches. |
| INTERIOR | Pale yellow, fudgy, silken texture, with pea sized hole in the centre. |
| FABULOUS | Firm, pale yellow paste wit a slight fruity aroma. |
| FAR-GONE | Pink band of colouration near the edges and a strong smell of ammonia. |
| COUNTRY | Switzerland |
| REGION | Appenzell |
| MILK TYPE | Cow |
| RENNET TYPE | Animal |
| AGED | 4 – 5 Months |
| PRODUCER | Appenzeller.ch |
COUNTRY |
Canada |
USA |
|
| REGION | Vancouver | Most Cities | |
| STORE | Benton Brothers | Speciality Cheese stores | |
| ASK FOR | Jonah or Andrew | For help | |
| ONLINE | @bentonscheese |
High in the Alps sit the co-operative run cellars of L’Etivaz, surrounded by alpine meadows. The product is made in traditional copper cauldrons over open wood fires and aged in village chalets with aging rooms that were built in 1932.
Due to the short cheese making seasons, the cheese makers often have other jobs e.g. Carpenters or mechanics. To ensure that the cheese is made from only mountain milk, the cows must eat mountain grass for 3 weeks before they can start making milk for this cheese.
| FLAVOUR | Full Flavoured |
| TASTE | Full and rich with fruity hints followed by smokiness |
| SMELL | Fruity and herbal aroma with a spicy finish. |
| RIND | Smooth pale brown crust with “L’Etivaz” embossed on the side of the wheel. |
| INTERIOR | Solid with a smooth texture and scattered crystals, dark yellow in colour turning light brown near the rind. |
| FABULOUS | Firm texture, golden yellow in colour with scattered protein crystals. |
| FAR-GONE | Odor of ammonia and pink spots near the rind. |
| COUNTRY | Switzerland |
| REGION | Vaud |
| MILK TYPE | Cow |
| RENNET TYPE | Animal |
| AGED | 8 Months – 3 Years |
| PRODUCER | Etivaz-AOC.ch |
COUNTRY |
Australia |
Canada |
USA |
| REGION | Melbourne | Vancouver | Most Cities |
| STORE | Oasis Bakery | Benton Brothers | Speciality Cheese stores |
| ASK FOR | Angel | Jonah or Andrew | For help |
| ONLINE | @oasisbakery | @bentonscheese |
The term “gruyère” earned its name from tax collectors who operated between France and Switzerland in the Middle Ages who received cheese as payment. In order to age huge amounts of cheese, some large Gruyère producers have created 2Km tunnels within mountains.
| FLAVOUR | Full Flavoured |
| TASTE | Nutty with a herbal grassy finish. |
| SMELL | Slightly fruity and herbal. |
| RIND | Thin yellow and orange waxy rind which darkens to a light tan colour as it ages. |
| INTERIOR | A smooth and dense paste the colour of straw with scattered milk protein crystals. |
| FABULOUS | Firm dry and dense paste pale yellow in colour. |
| FAR-GONE | Wet to touch, rind slides off with a strong ammonia. |
| COUNTRY | Switzerland |
| REGION | Fribourg |
| MILK TYPE | Cow |
| RENNET TYPE | Animal |
| AGED | 4 – 18 Months |
| PRODUCER | Von Muhlenen |
COUNTRY |
Australia |
Canada |
USA |
ONLINE |
| REGION | Melbourne | Vancouver | Most Cities | Canada |
| STORE | Oasis Bakery | Benton Brothers | local supermartkets | Cheesyplace |
| ASK FOR | Angel | Jonah or Andrew | For help | Just click |
| ONLINE | @oasisbakery | @bentonscheese | @cheesyplace |
