Culture Magazine

12 culturecheesemag.com THE HOT LIS T 202 3 CHEESE BITES T he seasonal rule of thumb concerning consumption of raw oysters has been around for at least 4,000 years, according to archaeologists at the Florida Museum of Natural History. By closely analyzing shells of parasitic snails found attached to discarded oyster shells lying in ancient middens around St. Catherines Island off the coast of Georgia, these scientists could determine that Native Americans only harvested oysters during months that contained the letter "R." Native Americans likely harvested oysters by hand from shallow waters, but only between what we now refer to as September through April. The evidence shows they avoided the R-less months of May, June, July, and August when the mollusks were busy breeding in the wild because, to eaters, oysters can seem watery and stringy after their sex organs get spent from spawning. Around 1812, as colonists settled into this part of the world and commercial oyster dredging became commonplace, the "R" rule held muster because people wanted to avoid unpalatable oysters and food poisoning that could arise in summertime. The other factor governing the "R" rule is that higher instances of red tide exist in the summer months, indicating the presence of algae that is toxic to humans. As filter feeders, oysters living in red tide waters can bring this toxicity to those who consume them. With the widespread adoption of oyster aquaculture, though, the rules have changed. "Today's farmed oysters are spawned in hatcheries, iced as soon as they leave the water, and stay that way all the way to your plate," says Rowen Jacobsen, in his 2016 book The Essential Oyster: A salty appreciation of taste and temptation. Luckily for oyster fans, shellfish farming means they are always in season. c Dulse and Miso Butter Broiled Oyster recipe on p. 55 Oysters All Year FALL AND WINTER "R" NO LONGER THE ONLY TIME TO ENJOY THESE BRINY BIVALVES written by Christine Burns Rudalevige In SEASON WHEYS Less TRAVELED The Return of the Wiltshire Loaf A LOST CHEESE FINDS A NEW HOME AND GENERATION OF FANS written by Deborah Gray C eri Collingbourne was hard at work when I met her at Brinkworth Dairy. She was managing the production of four different cheeses made with the morning's milk, freshly delivered from the pedigree Holstein Friesian herd, located just across the farmyard at Hill End Farm. Collingbourne's most intriguing cheese is her Wiltshire Loaf (formerly known as North Wiltshire). This cheese is mentioned in Jane Austen's novel Emma: Mr. Elton boasts of it being offered at a fancy party he'd attended. Maybe Austen was partial to a little Wiltshire Loaf herself, enjoying it in nearby Bath? However, Wiltshire Loaf became one of England's many lost cheeses. Labor shortages during WWII forced cheese production into large factories where bulk cheeses were manufactured to feed the masses. Farmhouse cheesemaking with its variety and individuality all but ceased, and with it went the knowledge that had been passed down through the generations. That changed when Collingbourne gave up her job as a science teacher to become a cheesemaker. She knew that Wiltshire Loaf had been made by her great grandfather and managed to track down the recipe from an elderly neighbor. Such was her success that her Wiltshire Loaf won the Best Territorial Cheese at the 2013 British Cheese Awards and remains a favorite with her customers. The taste and smell of a Wiltshire meadow is evident in this semi-hard cheese. It has a bright yellow rind yielding to a pale-yellow paste that is both crumbly and creamy with a lingering aftertaste. "I'm so proud to be making the cheese that my great grandfather made," says Collingbourne, "and I love that it tastes fantastic, too." She molds the cheese before popping over to the barn to discuss the calves with her husband. This attention to detail is the key to her success— along with the rain watering the lush green fields of Hill End Farm. c Wiltshire Pennies recipe on p. 54

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