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Cheese Slices on UEN - TV Schedule
Touring three continents, Cheese Slices explores the world’s best-loved cheeses and the passion and skill of the cheese makers who create them. Cheese Slices is hosted by Master of Cheese, Will Studd, who offers this unique 21 part series revealing the history, tradition without equal of these wonderful regions of the world.
Where do you usually eat cheese?
Jan 28th
Vermont Cheese - USA
The United States is renowned for creating "fast" processed food and the idea that there is an artisan cheese industry comes as something of a surprise to many cheese lovers. Will Studd looks at some of the finest cheese shops in New York before visiting the beautiful Vermont countryside to meet a new generation of American cheese makers who share a passion for creating local farmstead cheese with a distinct local identity. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Allen Young, who answers an important cheese science question.
Feb. 4th
The Legend of Roquefort - France
Roquefort is the most popular Blue cheese in France and has a fascinating history that dates back to Roman times. In fact, all the world's Blue cheese made today relies on the unique blue mold that grows in the famous caves beneath the Cambalou plateau at Roquefort. In this episode, Will Studd visits the largest producer of this unique cheese as well as the village and the underground caves that help make it so special. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Steven Wright, who answers an important cheese science question.
Feb. 11th
Parmigiano- Reggiano Grana Padano -Italy
Parmigiano Reggiano is the undisputed king of Italian cheese and is still made by hand the old fashioned way in giant copper cauldrons. The extraoridnary steps taken to control production of this wonderful cheese, and witnesses its birth, a process that is nothing short of magical is explained. Filmed in the beautiful countryside near Parma in Reggio Emilia, meet the Biemme family who have been making benchmark cheese for four generations, and visit the farm and maturation rooms to see how this cheese is matured by robots before getting graded by a stagionatura. Invesigate the thousand year old Grana Padano and learn why it's different from its famous cousin, as well as the correct definition of parmasan. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Pat Ford, who answers an important cheese science question.
Feb. 18th
Wisconsin - USA
This upper Midwest state is famous for its 'cheese heads' and proudly declares itself America's Dairyland because it produces more cheese than any other state in the USA.But since the 1950s, most of the original traditional cheese types have been replaced by bland and predictable mass-produced Swiss and Cheddar. Will visits several of the exciting new farmstead cheese producers, including Upland's Cheese Company, before meeting Willi Lehner at Bleu Mont Dairy to see how he ripens cheese in an underground cave. Finally, Will heads for the hills to look at Hidden Springs Creamery,where a new organic ewe's milk cheese is being made with the help of local Amish farmers.
Feb. 25th
Mountain Cheese - Switzerland
Switzerland has a reputation for producing the finest mountain cheeses in the world, and more than three quarters of these are still made the traditional way from raw milk. Will samples Raclette and learns how it's made, the old fashioned traditional way over a wood fire. His journey takes him on to the pretty town of Gruyere to look at the origins of a cheese whose name literally means "head of a monk. " Then it's time to meet the king of Swiss cheese, Emmenthaler and find out just how it gets its holes. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Jeff Broadbent, who answers an important cheese science question.
March 4th
Feta: Food of the Gods - Greece
The ancient Greeks regarded cheese as Food of the Gods, and it's no surprise that in Greece today the consumption of cheese per capita is the highest in the world. Travel to Central Greece to learn how wooden barrels play an essential role in the maturation of traditional Feta and how Manouri, an ancient whey cheese, is made. Take a trip to Crete, the largest of all Greek islands, to sample some delicious local cheese delicacies. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU professor Lynn Ogden,who answers an important cheese science question. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Craig Obert, who answers an important cheese science question.
March 11th
The Irish Cheese Renaissance - Ireland
Though Ireland's cheese making dates back to Celtic times, it has really been the past decade that the artisan cheese makers have revived this ancient art. Will Studd explores the spectacularly rugged Southwest coast and discovers the washed rind cheeses, blue cheese and an unusual cheese flavored with seaweed. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Sylvana Martini, who answers an important cheese science question.
March 18th
New Farmstead Cheese of Northern California - USA
Artisan and handmade farmhouse cheeses have been at the forefront of a growing consumer backlash against innocuous mass produced foods in the United States. In Northern California, meet those responsible for this exciting new movement, and after a tour of the Ferry Building farmers market in San Francisco, Will drives north along the coast visiting small producers who make great cheese from cows, goats, and even ewes milk. Will also catches up with one of the last traditional producers of Monterey Dry Jack, the oldest and mostly widely known of all Californian cheeses. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Marie Walsch, who answers an important cheese science question.
March 25th
Stilton: The King of English Cheese– England
Considered to be one of the greatest English cheeses, and unlike most other native traditional cheeses, Stilton has never been replicated. This episode looks at why this proud cheese has retained its outstanding reputation for more than two centuries. Visit Quenby Hall and the old Bell Inn in the village of Stilton where the name originated, as well as the British Cheese Awards at Blenheim Palace, to see which Stilton maker will be crowned the king of English blue cheese. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Jeff Broadbent, who answers an important cheese science question.
April 1st
Artisan Cheese USA
Will's cheese tour takes him across the United States to look at artisanal cheese in regions not normally associated with specialist cheese. Will learns firsthand about the challenges of making farmstead washed-rind cheese in Virginia before meeting up with his old friend Ari at Zingerman's Creamery in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Then it's a drive to Indiana to meet American goats cheese pioneer Judy Schad of Capriole dairy where he is encouraged to find a new way to enjoy Bourbon. After a brief stop at Saxelby Cheesemongers' stall at New York City's public market on the Lower East Side, Will travels to Oregon to discover the fascinating story behind Rogue River Blue, one of the oldest raw milk blue cheeses in the US.
April 8th
Soft Washed Rind Cheeses - France
There is nothing like the strong seductive smell of washed rind cheeses to bring back evocative memories of a visit to France. Travel to the misty Vosges Mountains of Alsace, the green undulating countryside of Normandy and the pretty village of Epoisse in Burgundy to look at four benchmark monastic cheeses. These are Munster, Pont L'eveque, Livarot and Epoisse. These luscious smelly cheeses have a long history and until recently were threatened with extinction. Their growing popularity today is largely due to the vision and hard work of a few very passionate family owned dairies. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Don McMahon, who answers an important cheese science question.
April 15th
Pecorino - Italy
Pecorino is one of the most ancient of all European cheeses. This episode explains the different types before traveling to Tuscany to visit the "II Forteto" dairy. Formed by a group of social reformers in the 1970's, this cooperative has since grown to become one of the largest producers of Pecorino Toscano DOP. The town of Bra in Piedmont is where "Slow Food" holds the world's largest specialist cheese festival every two years, on this occasion they are celebrating traditional shepherd's cheeses. We learn why raw milk cheese is crucial to 'Slow Food' and the importance of protecting biodiversity for future generations. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Brian Nummer, who answers an important cheese science question.
April 22
Germany
Germany has a long history of cheese-making dating back to pre-Roman times, and is also the largest producer of cheese in Europe. After travelling to the Alps to look at a seasonal mountain cheese called Bergkase, Will visits a small biodynamic farm to discover how Germany's most popular fresh cheese, quark, is made. After venturing north to taste some Tilsiter, Will finally calls in on a cheese-maker monk who sings as he makes ewe's cheese from the milk of his beloved flock.
April 29th
Japan (1 hour)
Nihon Matsuri Festival last weekend in April SLC
Do the Japanese like cheese? In this one-hour special episode of Cheese Slices, Will travels to Japan with leading Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda to find the answer to that burning question. Starting with a visit to Tokyo's leading cheese shop, Fermier, he looks at the extraordinary range available at the a well known Tokyo department store before heading off to Shimizu Farm at Nagano to see how a traditional mountain cheese is made. Next stop is Yoshida Farm, where Will and Tetsuya (Tets) try their hand at cheese-making before throwing a party where Tets and friends demonstrate new ways to cook with cheese, Japanese style. Finally, Will visits an award-winning farmhouse dairy on the island of Hokkaido where washed rind cheese is carefully matured in purpose built underground cellars
May 6th
The New Cheese Pioneers -Tasmania (1 hour)
Pacific Islander Month /Water Week
Will invites his friend Tetsuya Wakuda to accompany him on a tour of Tasmania and to demonstrate a few of his unusual recipe ideas with the local dairy produce. New artisan cheese-makers who have proudly put the country back on this one-hour special features: Bruny Island cheese and wood-fired oysters; artisan cider produced from heritage apples; handmade cultured butter from Elgaar Farm; John Bignell's blue cheese and leatherwood honey; King Island cream and lobster; Heidi Raclette... and even a Wasabi flavoured cheese.
May 13th
The Cheese Legacy of the Vikings – Norway
(May 17th Norway Constitution Day)
Will travels to the spectacular fjords of Norway to look at rare skimmed milk cheeses dating back to Viking times. After learning about a traditional fresh cow's milk cheese called Pulltost he visits a family making a cheese called Gammelost, which lives up to its notorious reputation for smelling like old socks. The episode ends in the beautiful 'valley of the goats', where Will samples Ghetost, an ancient sweet brown caramel cheese remarkably similar to fudge.
May 20th
Gorgonzola – Cave Ripened Tallegio - Italy
Gorgonzola, the graddaddy of all European blue cheeses made from cow’s milk, and its cousin cave ripened Tallegio, which until recently was one of the Italy's great soft cheese secrets. These fascinating cheeses are created in Northern Italy. Visit Lombardy, and the maze of underground cellars in the town of Novara where more than 70 percent of Gorgonzola is matured. Caves located in the foothills of the Alps cooled by melting snow are still used to ripen Tallegio the old fashioned way. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Don McMahon, who answers an important cheese science question.
May 27th
Camembert - France
Camembert is a potent symbol of French cheese making and is copied all over the world. Traditional Normandy camembert is made under strict AOC rules from unpasteurized milk. A visit to the tiny village of Camembert where it all began, and the nearby dairy of Monsieur Durand who is now the last 'fermier' or farmhouse producer in the region. The Cooperative of Isigny St. Mere, one of the most respected producers of traditional AOC Camembert in France is also visited. The important difference between camembert and its ancient cousin brie is explained. See the cheese shop of Monsieur Roland Barthlemy in Paris, a famous affineur who supplies the Elysee Palace. After the show stay tuned for "Cheese Cubed" -- USU scientist Craig Obert will answer an important cheese science question.
June 3rd
Australian Cheese Pioneers – Australia
In its short history, Australia has developed an enviable reputation for its efficient pasture based dairy system and commodity exports. But until quite recently the only specialist cheese available in the country came from Europe. Over the past two decades, a small group of passionate farmhouse cheese makers have developed a range of unique Australian cheeses from cow, goat, sheep and buffalo milk. Will Studd travels to meet the original pioneers. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Wayne Askew, who answers an important cheese science question.
June 10th
Cheese of Quebec - Canada
The Canadian province of Quebec is undergoing a cheese-making revival.Will visits Quebec to find out whether the original French settlers have influenced this renaissance. After finding the oldest traditional cheese still made in North America, he visits pretty Ile-aux-Grues in the St Lawrence River to learn how a commodity cheddar producer is adapting to the changing market. Then Will heads to Montreal to visit a Benedictine monastery making Quebec's oldest blue cheese , and a singing 'shepherd', before heading for the local markets, where he meets some of the main players in the burgeoning new cheese movement.
June 17th
Portugal
Until recently, Portugal's traditional ewe's milk cheeses were rarely found outside the country. Will travels to the rugged mountains of the north to find out more about the king of Portuguese cheeses, Serra da Estrela. Dating back to pre-Roman times, this ancient cheese is still made from ewe's milk and curdled with the juice of cardoon thistles. After travelling south to look at some of its close cousins, Will then travels to the ruggedly beautiful island of Sao Jorge in the Azores to learn about the benchmark cheeses of "little Switzerland".
June 24th
Spanish traditional Quesos – Spain
There are hundreds of traditional farmhouse cheeses made in Spain but until recently most were not well known internationally. Investigates the delicious Manchego cheese before visiting the annual cheese fair at the medieval city of Trujillo where he finds a cheese made from Merino ewes milk and set with thistles. The journey continues through the spectacular Picos Europa mountains to look at cave ripened Cabrales and Valdeon. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Rod Brown, who answers an important cheese science question.
July 1st
Artisan Cheese Champions –Wales
Many people think the only traditional cheese made in Wales is mild young crumbly Caerphilly, but they're wrong. Will travels to Caws dairy to meet a family responsible for re- creating farmhouse Caerphilly before catching up with an old friend at Gorwydd farm who is now making this benchmark cheese from raw cow's milk and two cheese makers responsible for putting Wales back on the specialist cheese map of Britain.
July 8th
Brie from Brie and the French Affineur – France
(Bastille Day July 14th)
If the name "Brie" conjures up images of a mild creamy flat cheese covered with a pure white mould, chances are you have never experienced authentic Brie from Brie. Will visits the Ile de France region to learn more about the benchmarks of the style, Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun, before visiting Brie's close cousin, Chaource, in the Champagne region. He then travels to the underground caves of Hervé Mons to find out how this respected affineur selects and matures cheese to its optimum before calling in to see Pascal Beillevaire to get a few tips from the largest specialist cheese retailer in France.
July 15th
Compte Gruyere and Farmhouse Morbier – France
Comte is one of the most popular cheeses in France and the most important of all those made under the strict French appellation system, still using traditional methods high in the Alpine mountains that create the border between France and Switzerland. The link between farmer, cheese maker, and affineur are traced. Visits to the old Fort of Saint Antoine where 60,000 crusty wheels are matured. How did Morbier cheese get its stripe? 25. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Jeff Broadbent, who answers an important cheese science question.
July 22nd
Traditional Cheeses of Provence – South East France
Will travels to Provence in the South East of France to try Banon, a traditional benchmark goat's milk cheese wrapped in dried chestnut leaves where he also discovers a rare cheese called Brousse du Rove. After driving north to the Vercors plateau to investigate St Marcellin Will comes across an extraordinary small dried goat cheese whose name literally means ' the feet of god'.
July 29th
Aritsan Cheeses from Highlands and Islands - Scotland
Scotland is not renowned for good cheese, but in the rugged rolling highland country Will unearths an ancient sour cream 'chieftains' cheese called Caboc. After enjoying Strathdowne blue with oatcakes Will finds out how the cheese also matches with single malt whisky. Then it's off to the Isle of Mull where an enterprising family, supplement the feed for their cows with whisky mash during the cold winter months.
August 5th
Twins of the Mediterranean – Corsica and Sardinia
Despite being close neighbours, these two large islands in the Mediterranean have distinctly different cheese traditions. While sampling Corsica's renowned Brocciu, a soft ewe's milk cheese, Will is introduced to a traditional cheese covered with maggots. After a short ferry ride and a drive into the beautiful mountains of Sardinia, he uncovers an ancient curd cheese matured in a goat's stomach before exploring authentic Pecorino Fiore Sardo, an exceptional cheese hand-made by shepherds then smoked over an open fire.
August 12th
Traditional Flavoured Pecorino cheeses - Italy
Pecorino is one of the most ancient of all European cheeses. This episode explains the different types before traveling to Tuscany to visit the "II Forteto" dairy. Formed by a group of social reformers in the 1970's, this cooperative has since grown to become one of the largest producers of Pecorino Toscano DOP. The town of Bra in Piedmont is where "Slow Food" holds the world's largest specialist cheese festival every two years, on this occasion they are celebrating traditional shepherd's cheeses. We learn why raw milk cheese is crucial to 'Slow Food' and the importance of protecting biodiversity for future generations. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Brian Nummer, who answers an important cheese science question.
August 19th
Osau Iraty Chees - Basque
The Basque people proudly boast the oldest language in Europe and one of its most ancient cheeses. Will visits the pretty village of Espelette to discover the significance of its famous red peppers, before traveling into the mountains to one of the few remaining traditional shepherds' huts where they still milk their flock of Ewes by hand. This region's cheeses go by many names, but the official version is Ossau Iraty in France and Idizabial in Spain. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Dave Preszler, who answers an important cheese science question.
August 26th
Cheeses of the Alps: Savoir Comte – France
The Alps and Savoie are covered by snow for at least four months of the year and cheese making here has always been a strictly seasonal affair. The local spruce forests play an essential role in ripening the soft and unctuous Mont D'Or. The high summer pastures where we visit a farm making the deliciously creamy Reblochon and learn how to grill it under hot coals. Then it's on to one of the few remaining cheese makers still making Beaufort, the "Prince of Gruyere" and its smaller cousin Abondance in the high alpage. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Craig Obert, who answers an important cheese science question.
September 2nd
The Nordic Cheese Revolution - Denmark
The Danish dairy industry is widely recognised as one of the most efficient in Europe; it produces more blue cheese than any country in the world. Will travels to the pretty island of Bornholm to see how Danablu is made, before heading to Copenhagen to find out more about how the Nordic food revolution is now encouraging large producers to look at more interesting cheese varieties. After visiting several small dairies Will discovers that nothing has changed when it comes to the Danish love of smoked cheese.
September 9th
Goat Cheese of Poitou - France
The Poitou region is the original home of many of the famous goat cheeses of France. Journey to the village of Sainte Maure de Touraine to attend the annual Goats Cheese fair. In the Judge's Hall one finds out what to look for in a perfect chevre, as well as witnessing an unusual anthronisation ceremony. The largest goat cheese dairy in France is toured where the difference between St. Maure, the most popular goat cheese in France today, and its ancestor Sainte Maure de Touraine is explained. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Bob Ward, who answers an important cheese science question.
September 16th
Mozzarella and the Cheeses of Campania – Italy
Will journeys to Italy's picturesque Campania region to look at stretched curd cheeses and finds it hard to resist the lingering flavour and sensual texture of buffalo cheese made from raw milk. After learning about Italy's oldest ewe’s milk cheese, which is matured in a terracotta jar, Will gets a lesson from a Countess in how to make the perfect wood-fired pizza. He then heads to the coast to look at Cacio Cavallo, a traditional stretched curd cheese made with cow's milk, before visiting the underground maturation rooms of Casa Madaio where the finest examples are aged.
September 23rd
Edam, Gouda – Netherlands
The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of cheese in Europe after France, yet it's famous for just two cheeses, Edam and Gouda. The town of Edam is visited to see what the cheese looked like before it was covered in red wax. Will then visits a Slow Food show in Rotterdam where we discover a number of interesting traditional cheeses which the Dutch keep for themselves. After learning how real farmhouse Gouda and its cousins are made, Will travels to the beautiful island of Texel to look at a cheese that was once colored green with sheep droppings! Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Lynn Ogden, who answers an important cheese science question.
September 30th
Cheddar – England
The world's most copied cheese is Cheddar which orginally came from the green countryside of Somerset in England. Meet the last two farm producers of cloth bound cheddar in the county that still make cheese by hand from raw milk. How it is made, and the all important cheddaring process is explained, before we visit a local cider maker and the famous gorge and caves of Cheddar. Then it's time to cut and grade the cheese with Randolph Hodgson of Neals Yard Dairy fame at London's Borough Market. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Don McMahon, who answers an important cheese science question.
October 7th
Wisconsin -USA
This upper Midwest state is famous for its 'cheese heads' and proudly declares itself America's Dairyland because it produces more cheese than any other state in the USA. But since the 1950s, most of the original traditional cheese types have been replaced by bland and predictable mass-produced Swiss and Cheddar. Will visits several of the exciting new farmstead cheese producers, including Upland's Cheese Company, before meeting Willi Lehner at Bleu Mont Dairy to see how he ripens cheese in an underground cave. Finally, Will heads for the hills to look at Hidden Springs Creamery, where a new organic ewe's milk cheese is being made with the help of local Amish farmers.
October 14th
Vermont Cheese - USA
The United States is renowned for creating "fast" processed food and the idea that there is an artisan cheese industry comes as something of a surprise to many cheese lovers. Will Studd looks at some of the finest cheese shops in New York before visiting the beautiful Vermont countryside to meet a new generation of American cheese makers who share a passion for creating local farmstead cheese with a distinct local identity. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Allen Young, who answers an important cheese science question.
October 21st
New Farmstead Cheese of Northern California - USA
Artisan and handmade farmhouse cheeses have been at the forefront of a growing consumer backlash against innocuous mass produced foods in the United States. In Northern California, meet those responsible for this exciting new movement, and after a tour of the Ferry Building farmers market in San Francisco, Will drives north along the coast visiting small producers who make great cheese from cows, goats, and even ewes milk. Will also catches up with one of the last traditional producers of Monterey Dry Jack, the oldest and mostly widely known of all Californian cheeses. Following the show, watch "Cheese Cubed", a fascinating interview with USU scientist Marie Walsch, who answers an important cheese science question.
October 28th
Artisan Cheese USA
Will's cheese tour takes him across the United States to look at artisanal cheese in regions not normally associated with specialist cheese. Will learns firsthand about the challenges of making farmstead washed-rind cheese in Virginia before meeting up with his old friend Ari at Zingerman's Creamery in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Then it's a drive to Indiana to meet American goats cheese pioneer Judy Schad of Capriole dairy where he is encouraged to find a new way to enjoy Bourbon. After a brief stop at Saxelby Cheesemongers' stall at New York City's public market on the Lower East Side, Will travels to Oregon to discover the fascinating story behind Rogue River Blue, one of the oldest raw milk blue cheeses in the US.
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