Niagara Gold

Producer:

Upper Canada Cheese Company

Style:

Semi-soft washed rind

Milk type:

Pasteurized cow (Guernsey)

Region:

Jordan Station, Ontario

Photo from Upper Canada Cheese

Context:

Niagara Gold is an Oka-style semi-soft, washed rind cheese fashioned after recipes developed by the Trappist Monks of the Loire Valley. The cheese is made from the milk of Guernsey cows. The Guernsey cow first bred on the Isle of Guernsey, a tiny island in the English Channel off the coast of France. Around 960 A.D., Robert Duke of Normandy reportedly sent a group of monks to the island to help defend it, educate the locals, and cultivate the land. The monks apparently brought two breeds of cattle with them – Norman Brindles (a.k.a. Alderneys) and Froment du Leon from Brittany. Cross-breeding of these two animals led to the Guernsey. The owner of Upper Canada Cheese, Wayne Philbrick, was inspired to make Niagara Gold after driving by a local farm and
spotting a herd of Guernsey cows (one of only four such herds in Canada).

Appearance of rind:

Washed rind. Rich, gold colour with flecks of white mould.

Appearance of paste:

Yellow-gold paste; slightly richer colour near the rind. (The milk from Guernsey cows is high in beta carotene, which contributes to the golden
color.)

Nose:

Moderate intensity. Earthy, mineral, touch of barn, lactic.

Primary taste:

Sweet, buttery.

Flavour:

Buttery, grassy, slightly fruity, and hints of nuts. Long, delicious buttery finish. Guernsey cows produce milk that is higher in butterfat than most other breeds, contributing to the buttery taste.

Texture:

Delicate, semi-soft texture. Melts in your mouth.

Pairing opportunities:

Serve alongside fresh local fruits (ripe or dried pears, peaches, apples), nuts, and preserves – and then wash it down with a Trappist beer.

Other comments:

This cheese is a real pleaser, but one note of caution, the cheese becomes more earthy and pungent as it ages.