THE Canadian Cheese Guide
The Canadian Cheese guide by Chef Gurth Pretty shares cheese tips, cheese recipes and unearths the finest Canadian Artisanal Cheeses
Chef Gurth Pretty's Canadian cheese guide is chock full of invaluable cheese recipes, tips and tricks sure to please family, friends and foodies galore!
Chef Gurth Pretty’s “The Definitive Guide to Canadian Artisanal and Fine Cheese” book is the perfect gift for your family's honourary “mouse” -- you know, the family member who can’t get enough cheese, cheese and more cheese? This book is cheese lover’s guide to Canada, sharing innovative cheese recipes, introducing cheese makers, varieties produced, and where you can buy them - all by province.
Gurth came up with the idea when visiting Montreal’s Le Marché des Saveurs- a fine food shop specializing in local, Quebec-based products. (I’ll have to check that out on my next trip there). He had a "wow" moment when spotting the book: “Le Répetorie des fromages du Québec,” wondering what other kinds of cheese were available in Canada? He challenged himself to find out: resulting in his Definitive Guide which took three years to complete.
The book is divided into easy to find/use chapters, including:
- Milk Terminology to help you distinguish between your raw milk and thermalized milk cheeses
- Cheese Categories (blue, firm, and semi-soft for example), and the production levels you’ll want to acquaint yourself with when buying cheese.
- Buying and Storing so you know how to care for your fine block of fromage
Gurth says, “This book is a journey across Canada, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. Reading it cover to cover, you will discover the delicious cheese produced in each region, learn about the makers and find out where you can buy the cheese or experience them in restaurants.” And the final line is key because many cheeses are only available in their home province. And yes, Alberta does produce cheese - Gurth dedicated a whole chapter to cheese from Wild Rose Country!
A Tip or Two about Buying and Storing Cheese from Gurth Pretty:
- Never rewrap your cheese in its original wrapping- it will no longer be air tight and your cheese will deteriorate faster.
- Rewrap cheese in fresh wrapping material each time you open it (writer’s note: I’ve heard waxed paper or parchment paper works best).
At a recent cheese-tasting event at Toronto’s Cheese Boutique, Gurth was on hand to talk cheese and sign a few books. I got to try the Toronto-based Portuguese Cheese Company’s Corvo- a semi-soft, washed rind, cheddar style cheese that’s bright yellow and mellow tasting. I loved it for its smooth, creamy flavour that wasn’t too overbearing or pungent.
If your taste buds cry out for bolder flavours, you might enjoy Nova Scotia’s Den Hoek’s Dragon’s Breath- a soft, blue cheese dipped in black wax. It’s as dramatic as it sounds!
If you’d like something decadent from the Chaudiere-Appalaches Region, look no further than the Le Riopelle De L’Isle. Similar to a triple-cream cheese, this soft beauty is a pleasure. Named after famed local painter Jean-Paul Riopelle, the artist even lent one of his paintings in the promotion of this particular cheese. Given that we can’t easily find Riopelle De L’Isle in Toronto, I was delighted to have savoured a morsel or two!
And because Gurth is a generous sort, he’s allowing me to share his Quark & Fundy Smoked Salmon Recipe with you all just in time for Holiday Dining and Entertaining.
Enjoy!
