Cyprus Profile

Cyprus

Cyprus is a raw cow’s milk cheese that is mixed with basil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and black olives. This cheese is mild but not uninteresting. It can be used in a large variety of applications from salads, pastas, and sandwiches.

Like the Thomasville Tomme, Cyprus fits into the semi-soft category of cheeses. To create the semi-soft texture, Jeremy will leave the curds larger to retain more moisture. The biggest difference in the procedure between the Tomme and the Cyprus (with the exception of adding the flavoring ingredients) is that after the curds are cut, Jeremy “cooks” or heats the curds up to about 100 degrees. This is help the cheese absorb the salt and other flavors as well as give it a little bit firmer texture. The cheese is only pressed for a very short time to keep the texture elastic and springy yet firm. After the cheeses have been salted with sea salt, we place them in plastic bags and vacuum seal it to inhibit mold growth. Because this is a raw milk cheese, it must be aged for a minimum of 60 days before consumption.

What makes this cheese special?

The Cyprus is special because we only make three flavored cheeses–the others being Eden and Heat. We typically like the more pure flavors of traditional, handmade cheeses, but the quality of the ingredients really sets this particular cheese apart from other flavored, factory-made cheeses. For those of you that have been enjoying our cheeses for many years, you might remember the Mediterranean Feta. My mom made this cheese even before Jeremy and I moved back to the farm. We made three different varieties of feta: pesto, mediterranean, and pepper. Customers just loved this cheese so much that we decided to keep making it, but change the style a little bit. We wanted something a little more creamy and meltable than the feta style. So, in 2007, we changed the procedure and in 2008, we changed the name.

One thing that is unique about the Cyprus is the use of part-skim milk. The Green Hill, double cream cow’s milk similar to a brie, is our most popular cheese. With the growing demand for this higher-fat cheese, we needed to find uses for part-skim milk. The Cyprus is a great option because whatever flavor and richness is lost in lower fat, it is compensated by robust flavors of garlic, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and black olives. Because these flavors are often found in Mediterranean cooking, we wanted to name the cheese after a place in that area of the world.
Jeremy only makes this cheese about once a month. He is able to get about a 12% yield–meaning that for every 100 pounds of milk, he will get about 12 pounds of cheese. From 350 gallons, he makes about 40 six pound wheels of cheese and 3 forty pound blocks.

Flavor Profile:

The first flavor that jumps out at me is the garlic. We order our spices from Frontier Natural Products Co-op in Iowa. The basil adds a great earthy, herbal flavor. The sun-dried tomatoes add a savory and sweet component, whereas the Taggiasca black olives from Italy have a briney and sweet flavor. These olives are the only non-lye cured black olives we could find. In all the other cheeses that we have had in past cheese of the month clubs, the milky, creamy, earthy flavor of the milk was spotlighted. In this particular cheese, the flavors mask the grassy, tangy flavor of the milk. Instead, the body of the cheese is a vehicle for these great Mediterranean flavors.

Aroma and Appearance:

The Cyprus is vacuum sealed so there is not a rind on the outside. You immediately see the off-white, yellowish color of the cheese speckled with dark green basil, red tomatoes, and black olives. The aroma is slightly milky and definitely garlicky.

Texture:

The Cyprus has a pliable and slightly elastic texture. It is firm but still has a little springy or sponge-like feel when squeezed. It will be chewy and firm in your mouth, but as you chew, you will be able to see that it becomes creamy. The lingering flavors on your palate will be the garlic, basil and olives more so than the cheese.

Wine Pairing Options:

Italian red and white wines work so well with this cheese. I love a crisp Pinot Grigio with the Cyprus on a warm summer afternoon. This cheese is great when thinly sliced on top of a salad served with a white Italian wine such as a Garganega (this grape the main varietal in the wines labeled as Soave). On the other hand, this cheese is delicious with a red wine such as a Nero d’Avola or Sangiovese and some sliced, cured meats such as salami, prosciutto, and mortadella. I would stay away from big bodied Italian wines such as Barbera, Amarone, and Valpolicella because either the tannins will overwhelm the cheese or the sweetness of the wine will not be pleasant with the bitter and earthy flavors of the cheese.

Food Pairing Options:

This is a great cheese to serve on an Antipasti platter before a meal. We also love to use it in a cold pasta salad, on a salami sandwich, and grated over pasta. Because of the semi-soft texture, you can even melt this cheese in omelettes, quiches, and casseroles. Grate some over some roasted or grilled asparagus and drizzle with your favorite olive oil for a delicious side dish. You can serve this cheese on a cheese board with some mixed olives and thinly sliced meat such as prosciutto for a great hors d’oeuvres.

Storage Tips:

The best way to store the Cyprus is to wrap the cheese in wax paper and then surround it with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap will ensure that no moisture is lost and the wax paper will keep the cheese from taking on the plastic flavors of the wrap. We have noticed that the longer a cheese is wrapped in saran wrap, the more it will taste like plastic. The best place to store your cheese is in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator as it has the highest humidity. Because there are no mold inhibitors or preservatives in the cheese, you will start to see some mold growth after a week or so. Please just cut off all mold and enjoy!

Featured Recipe:

Recipe adapted from www.epicurious.com as featured in the January 2003 edition of Gourmet Magazine

Antipasto Salad
yield: Makes 8 servings
active time: 20 min
total time: 45 min
Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min (includes cooling onion)

ingredients:
For vinaigrette
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For salad
2 cups water
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 hearts of romaine (12 ounces total), torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 (8-oz) jar roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 (6-oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup assorted brine-cured olives
1 cup drained bottled pepperoncini (5 ounces)
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz Cyprus cut into 1/2 in cubes
4 oz salami such as Fra’mani Gentile salami cut into small cubes

preparation
Make vinaigrette:?Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl until combined well.
Make salad:?Bring water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then add onion and simmer until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool.
Spread romaine on a large platter and scatter with parsley, peppers, artichokes, olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, onion, cheese and salami. Whisk vinaigrette again and drizzle over salad.
Cooks’ notes:
• Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Onion can be pickled 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.