Castello Cheese | Flavor Pairing with Castello Cheese – I was introduced to Castello at the recent eat & STYLE 2017 trade fair. Castello is a cheese brand, or rather, a producer of specialty cheeses. The brand boasts a long tradition with over 120 years of history. All Castello products embody not only extensive expertise but also creativity and that certain something in each of their more than 40 individual cheese varieties worldwide. These cheeses differ in consistency, recipe, and taste – the only common thread is the high standard of quality across the entire range. Since 2006, Castello has been part of the Arla Foods group. During an exciting event and the Castello Sensations Tour, I had the opportunity to explore Castello's extensive portfolio, learn about flavor pairing, and sample a fantastic menu.
The Castello Sensations Tour Truck
The Castello cheese range
Castello's diverse product range includes blue cheese, fresh cheese, hard cheese, and semi-hard cheese. At the Castello truck at eat&Style 2017, I had the opportunity to sample many different Castello cheeses ("Castello Blue," "Castello Danablu," "Castello Cave Cheese," "Castello Cheddar," and "Castello Fresh Cheese Rings") and delve into the world of flavor pairing. It wasn't just about the cheeses themselves, but rather about the extraordinary taste experiences that can be achieved through various combinations with each cheese. "Experience and appreciate cheese with all your senses," was the motto, and I was looking forward to the exciting test.
"Castello Blue" is a very creamy Danish double-cream blue cheese with a delicate saltiness and a slightly bitter aroma of hops, along with typical mushroom notes in the aftertaste and a sweet finish. "Castello Danablu," on the other hand, is a semi-firm and quite spicy Danish blue cheese. Its flavor is piquant, with a slightly tangy-salty note, a hoppy-bitter blue cheese aroma, and a marzipan flavor to round it off. The consistency is both spreadable and firm enough to slice. My clear favorite was the "Castello Cave Cheese," which matures 35 meters underground in limestone caves and offers a robust, well-rounded flavor with an intense aroma and a sweet, nutty finish. Number four, the "Castello Cheddar" ("Original" and "Extra"), matures for an exceptionally long time ("the longer the maturation, the more intense the flavor"), is produced according to a traditional English recipe, and is an aromatic and spicy or robustly spicy hard cheese. The "Castello Alter Mommark" variety is similar to Havarti cheese, is robust and piquant, and has an intensely tangy aroma as well as a bittersweet taste. During the 5-month maturation process, salt crystals form in the cheese, giving the Mommark a salty finish. Also delicious were the mild fresh cheese rings made from fresh milk with a creamy consistency, served as a starter with fresh bread. The fresh cheese for the Castello rings must chill for 36 hours before it takes on its typical ring shape and the respective "decoration" for the "Pineapple," "Chive," "Rum," and "Pepper" varieties. See for yourself here. entire product range to.
Here, cooking takes place, tests are conducted, and flavor pairing is explained.
Flavour pairing with Castello cheese at the Castello truck
What is flavor pairing?
Let's talk about flavor pairing with cheese. Strictly speaking, flavor pairing is "the art and science of discovering new combinations of flavors that lead to new taste sensations." When it comes to different flavor combinations, we humans categorize them into three different groups: "flavor marriages" (which describes the combination of flavors that create a new, unique aroma); "flavor oppositions" (which describes the contrast of flavors that enhance each other); and "flavor juxtapositions" (which describes the juxtaposition of different flavors). When you perceive something as an "aroma" while eating, it's always related to your receptors. These are located on the surface of your nerve cells and transmit signals to the brain via nerve pathways. What we eat ends up in the mouth and consequently on the tongue. The receptors on the tongue distinguish between five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami – which stands for "savory." The olfactory receptors in the nose, working in conjunction with the tongue, detect smells both when smelling (orthonasal) and when eating (retronasal). "Taste originates in the brain – food merely provides the potential," as the saying goes, and this is quite true. The taste receptors on your tongue and your olfactory receptors form the interface between your consciousness and the "outside world," meaning the food on your plate. It's therefore not surprising that even food cooked the same way every time doesn't always taste the same. Many external emotional factors play a role, as do personal preferences and experiences. Thus, your favorite childhood dish, prepared by your mother, almost always tastes better than if someone else tries to recreate it exactly. The environment, context, and familiarity with the dish itself also play a significant role.
The first course of the four-course menu
The scientific basis of flavor pairing is the analysis of the aroma components of a food. When applied appropriately, this can be used to predict which aromas will complement each other best. While this theory cannot explain all food combinations, the approach is perfectly suited for creating exciting dishes and culinary creations. And this certainly applies to cheese as well. Cheese itself has an incredibly diverse and broad flavor spectrum – every food, every cheese, offers different flavor pairing possibilities.
Dessert: Blue cheese ice cream with tomatoes. Intriguing!
Flavour pairing with Castello cheese
The event featured cooking demonstrations and showcased the concept described above. The culinary magic wasn't done by me, nor by the other guests, but by top chef Heiko Antoniewicz, who skillfully conjured up an exciting four-course menu, each course featuring a different Castello cheese, complete with a tasting. The entire experience was accompanied by Dr. Michael Podvinec, a natural scientist and passionate cook who has been interested in and fascinated by the scientific basis of good taste for years. He explained to us from a scientific perspective what flavors complement each other, why they do, and why we particularly enjoy certain "flavors." The topic captivated me, and I wanted to learn more. Did you? Then read on. „flavour pairing – the game of aromas“ By Heiko Antoniewicz. Back to the food…
Wine and juice were served with each course. What could be better?
The meal began with an aperitif of red port, lemon, ginger beer, and ice. Afterwards, we were seated at our table, or rather, between courses, we were allowed to look over Chef Antoniewicz's shoulder, sample individual components, and learn why each ingredient paired particularly well with the respective cheese. Course I was a combination of Castello Cheddar (aged 7 months) with pineapple, sage, coffee powder, and mackerel – an exciting interplay of sweet and salty, tangy and sweet. The cheese was hidden inside the rolled-up, wafer-thin pineapple in the form of a cream. Combined with the fish and the coffee powder, it was a very successful start. Course II, Castello Cheddar (aged 9 months) with beef broth, cardamom, and "fries" – before the third course was served, my clear favorite, even though the flavor combinations were new and different to me. Course III, featuring Castello cave-aged cheese with venison, hazelnuts, and celery, was so good that I went back for two more helpings and couldn't get enough of the espuma in which the cave-aged cheese was incorporated. Dessert and course IV was certainly the most extraordinary interplay of flavors and aromas: Castello Blue was combined with tomato, mustard caramel, almonds, and saffron. A touch of sweetness combined with the classic blue cheese flavor, along with a subtle caramel note. Different and new, yet—throughout—perfectly harmonious. (If you'd like the complete menu, including the tasting notes, as well as some inspiring flavor pairing recipes, just let me know!)
Hard facts and personal opinion
For me, the event in conjunction with Castello cheese was unique and special. Experiencing flavor pairing in such a unique way was very exciting, new, and memorable. Next time you're at the supermarket, you should definitely check out the cheese counter or the refrigerated section. I've linked the fascinating book above, and I hope I've sparked your interest in flavor pairing and what it entails. The topic—including the components I tasted that evening, the sheer number of aspects, and the multifaceted nature of flavor pairing—unfortunately exceeds the scope of this article. If you'd like to know more or have specific questions, feel free to write to me or check out Castello cheese's social media channels (see below).
+++ This article was created in cooperation with Castello. Thank you! +++
Castello cheese – the premium cheese brand from Arla
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