Good cheese is an upscale and controversial product like good wine or chocolate. Some cheeses have always been synonymous with good taste. This is due to the fact that some of its varieties are traditionally served with wine, as well as the rich and legendary history of cheese making makes some of its types luxurious. While many types of this product can be easily bought at most grocery stores and, as a rule, at very affordable prices, there are elite types that not everyone can try. What is the most expensive cheese in the world today? Naturally, this is a handmade product that requires a lot of effort and attention to make it. Such prices are associated with this.
Product history
The first clear evidence of the existence of cheese dates back to 5500 BC. e. (in the territory of modern Poland). In addition, scientists discovered earlier pieces of ceramics with holes filled with unknown substance. These were found near Switzerland - on Lake Neuchâtel, and date back to 6000 BC. e. As the researchers suggest, these vessels were filled with soft cheese.
By the time Rome became the dominant civilization in the world, cheese was everyday food. After the fall of Rome, the cheese-making tradition spread throughout Europe and the UK. France and Italy most actively formed the art of cheese making.
Today, 700 different types of this product are known throughout the UK. France has more than 400 famous cheeses, about the same number of Italy. Nowhere in the world is this product revered so much as in France. The country is famous for such famous cheeses as Camembert (which comes from Normandy) and brie (from the historical region of Brie). A French proverb is known, which claims that there are different cheeses for every day of the year.
The first factory for industrial cheese production was built in 1815 in Switzerland. Since then, its mass production has become commonplace. However, it was during the last 30 years that the most expensive and delicious elite cheese varieties appeared, which are estimated by gourmets from around the world.
Nowadays, there is such a variety of types of this dairy product that it would be impossible to imagine on the territory of one shopping facility. Thousands of different cheeses around the world are produced using a wide variety of complex and labor-intensive processes. The result is amazing delicacies with great tastes. The following are the most expensive cheeses in the world, which are often only available in individual regions. Some of them are considered local attractions.
BEAUFORT D'ETE
This cheese is also known as "Prince Gruyeres." It costs around $ 45 a pound and is great for fondue. It is made from raw cow's milk, instantly melts and has a slight smell of hazelnut. This is the most expensive cheese in the world, known for several centuries.
GORAU GLAS
This product won the British Golden Award in 2002 and was recognized as the most expensive British cheese. It is a soft variety that is produced in small batches using the labor-intensive process in Wales. Its cost is from 20 to 40 dollars per pound (about 0.5 kilograms).
ROGUE RIVER BLUE
This product is often marketed in the USA as the most expensive cheese in the world. It is produced in Oregon with the addition of a small amount of grape leaves soaked in pear brandy. Its cost is from 40 to 50 dollars per 0.5 kg.Besides the fact that its ingredients are so unusual, this is a seasonal product - it is made only from raw summer milk (hence its high price is formed).
WINNIMERE
It is also an American product. He won a prize at the American Cheesemakers Conference in 2013. When it comes to expensive cheese, this species deserves unconditional attention. One roundabout costs about $ 45, which is a lot. However, this can be justified - what is the most expensive cheese that can combine the flavors of seasonal berries, smoked meat and wood at the same time? This is its uniqueness.
CACIO Bufala
Buffalo milk has about two times more fat content than cow's milk. That is why it makes the fattest cheese in the world. This product is produced according to time-tested methods - it matures for 8-12 months in the caves of CasaMadaio. It has a delicate, buttery taste, melts in the mouth. This is the most expensive buffalo milk cheese in the world.
JARSY BLUE
Initially, it was produced only in the UK using milk from strictly defined breeds of cows. Nowadays, it is found mainly in Swiss production. And today they take milk with a very high level of fat for him, which allows him to have a thick and creamy texture. The bluish tint (which not everyone likes) is offset by the earthy aroma of raw milk.
EPOISSES BY GERMAIN
It may be one of the most unpleasant-smelling cheeses in the world, but also one of the most famous. Do not let the terrible smell fool you - inside the orange crust is a soft culinary masterpiece that tastes great. This unusual most expensive cheese in the world, the name of which alludes to Germany, is actually prepared according to old French recipes.
LORD OF THE HUNDREDS
This cheese variety comes from East Sussex and is made from local sheep milk. Like many such products, it seems slightly dry and harsh, but has a pleasant nutty flavor. This is a handmade product that is produced only in the countryside.
OLD FORD
This variety has elegant floral notes, produced only in small batches. Since goats produce much less milk than cows, such goat cheese is fresh and young. However, Old Ford is aged and pressed until it ripens by hand. Its production is very long and laborious, but it is worth it.
CACIOCAVALLO PODOLICO
Although the name of this variety is translated as “horse cheese” from Italian, in fact it is made from milk of a very rare breed of Podolica cows. Animals are specially given to eat a lot of strawberries, blueberries, cherries and many other berries, which gives the cheese a special flavor.
EXTRA OLD Bitto
China is also home to some of the world's most expensive and oldest cheeses. The Bitto brand was acquired in Hong Kong in 1997. This variety is aged for 10 years, so it is found on sale very rarely. Its cost is $ 150 per 0.5 kg.
Wyke Farms CHEDDAR
Cheddar is a classic type of cheese. It makes any sandwiches better, and toasts with it are great with most types of beer and wine. The Wyke Farms brand has turned one of the most traditional cheeses into something extraordinary, starting to process it with gold leaf and white truffle.
WHITE Stilson Gold
Manufacturers initially made this cheese only for the Christmas season, and now it is the most famous delicacy among celebrities. It is made with real golden flakes and golden liquor.
MOOSE
To find cheese that costs about $ 500 / lb (0.5 kg), you have to go to Bjursholm (Sweden) and visit the farm, which is the only place in the world where this product is made from moose milk. In fact, cheese is made from milk of only three domesticated moose.
Pule
This is by far the most expensive cheese in the world, the price of which is 576 dollars per 0.5 kg. This sumptuous treat is made in Serbia from donkey milk. Its cost is explained by the fact that it takes 25 liters of milk in order to make just one kilogram of cheese.
