Breaking News in the World of Cheese!

There’s breaking news in the world of cheese, and given the dietary concerns of so many people I know and love, I just have to share it. Did you know that there’s an entire line of delicious, well-made, premium cheeses that are naturally lactose-free? I didn’t, but apparently Top Chef finalist and Montclair restauranteur Ariane Duare does.

Chef Ariane’s award-winning Montclair restaurant, CulinAriane, was the scene of the launch of New Jersey-based Finlandia’s latest product launch—Lacey Swiss—this past Thursday.

“The fact that Finlandia is all natural is really important to me,” says Chef Ariane Duarte. When asked why she chose to team up with Finlandia, Chef Ariane responded, “I really try to use fresh, all natural ingredients whenever possible in my recipes, but the real reason I like Finlandia is its robust, nutty flavor. Unlike other cheeses that get lost once you combine them with other ingredients, Finlandia Cheese really adds a lot of flavor to recipes.”

I was given an opportunity to taste for myself just how robust and tasty the cheese company’s products were at their cheese tasting/luncheon at CulinAriane.

Upon entering CulinAriane I was immediately presented with a glass of wine and asked to compare their Swiss cheeses (including Swiss, Light Swiss and the new kid on the block, Lacey Swiss) with competitors’ cheeses. Perhaps not surprisingly, Finlandia’s cheeses were undoubtedly superior. The robust flavors were evident in their Swiss cheeses, and I began to understand Chef Ariane’s enthusiasm for these cheeses.

As I chatted with other guests during the appetizer/cocktail hour portion of the event, a common theme began to emerge—the news that these cheeses were all naturally lactose free was new information to many of them as well. “You don’t understand, now I can serve quiches to my family again” was the sentiment expressed by a guest who described in detail her never-ending quest to satisfy her cheese desires while balancing her husband’s inability to digest lactose.

Other surprising bits of information about Finlandia:

• Lacey Swiss, the new light cheese is hormone free, low in sodium, low in fat and FULL of flavor—hands down my favorite of the cheeses offered
• They are headquartered in Parisippany, New Jersey—I was thrilled to hear that I could purchase Lacey Swiss and know that I was supporting the economy here at home
• Finlandia is owned by Valio, a dairy cooperative based in Finland and run completely by small dairies—seems charming, to me, knowing that my cheese is produced by a group of small dairy farmers
• Finlandia has the highest protein content in the milk used for their cheese production, equating to very well taken care of cows. Happy cows equals delicious cheese—sounds good to me
• They have been using sustainable farming methods for over 150 years—clearly this is more than trendy marketing to Finlandia, this is how they make exceptional cheese

The event continued with a brief cooking demonstration, where Chef Ariane showed us all how we could satisfy our New Jersey crowds with the perfect grinders and hoagies using some of the savory cheeses available. We dined on original creations of Chef Ariane’s including a Muffaletta Hero for a Crowd with Finlandia Muenster and Havarti Cheese, Chicken Saltimbocca with Finlandia Havarti, and my personal favorite Marinated Flank Steak, Grilled Scallions, and Finlandia Havarti Sandwich.

As we finished our lunch we were provided a brief lesson in spotting well-made cheese by Finlandia’s CEO Chris Franco. We were educated on the role the holes, or “eyes” as they are known within the industry, play in elevating the flavor of Swiss cheese. The cheese company’s newest Swiss, Lacey Swiss, has many small holes (eyes) throughout, and according to Mr. Franco this is how its exceptional flavor is achieved. “More holes, more surface area, means more flavor,” Paavlo Salminor, Finlandia’s Production & Quality Manager, further elaborated.

Of course, none of these tasty tidbits of information about the cheeses help me out at home if my toughest critics—my sons—don’t agree that this is cheese worth stocking in our fridge. So following the luncheon, I grabbed my swag bag and headed home, knowing exactly what I’d be doing once the kids got home from school.

Armed with three of Finlandia’s pre-sliced cheeses, I sat my harshest cheese critic, 6-year-old Owen, down to begin his own taste testing. First up was Gouda, which Owen immediately proclaimed his favorite! Slow down, I said, as I handed him a slice of the Swiss; Owen thoughtfully chewed, smiled and said, “I like this, but Gouda is still my favorite.” Rounding out the test, I handed him Swiss Light. Owen’s eyes lit up as he devoured the slice. “This one’s my favorite, tied with the Gouda," he said.

While I like the flavors of all of their cheeses, I had to admit to Owen that my favorite Finlandia cheese was their Lacey Swiss. Oh well, we can’t agree on everything.