New kosher cheeses improve in taste

In his 15 years of strictly observing Jewish dietary laws, Alan Glustoff had one consistent gripe -- the cheese.

High-quality kosher varieties of virtually every other foodstuff have become plentiful in recent years, but rare was the kosher cheese that Glustoff felt was on par with its nonkosher cousins.

So this 53-year-old food industry veteran -- he helped develop Jell-O Pudding Pops -- did something about it. In 2005, he started 5 Spoke Creamery, a dairy with 32 grass-fed cows in Port Chester, N.Y.

Since launching last summer, the six varieties of kosher, raw milk cheese he makes there have attracted a dedicated following. That much of the attention is from people who don't care about eating kosher tells Glustoff he accomplished his goal.

"It was high time we had kosher cheeses that were as good as nonkosher cheeses," says Glustoff, whose buyers include upscale restaurants such as Manhattan's Gramercy Tavern and Chanterelle.

"I wish more people in the kosher community knew about it," says Glustoff, noting that kosher observing Jews haven't paid much attention to raw milk, small-batch cheeses because "they haven't had cheeses like this before."

Turns out Glustoff's timing was right. Kosher cheeses have seen dramatic growth during the past five years, says Rabbi Andrew Gordimer, who oversees dairy for the Orthodox Union, the nation's largest kosher certifying agency.

Previously, consumers could pick from just a handful of mass-produced kosher cheeses. Today, they can have grass-fed Lancashires, herb-infused cheddars, aged parmesans, goat and blue cheeses, even an Indian-style paneer.

Much of the growth comes from European imports. Israel also is exporting growing amounts of kosher cheese, particularly sheep's milk and goat's milk varieties.

So what makes a cheese kosher? In short: rabbis and rennet.

Because Jewish law forbids the mixing of meat and dairy, kosher cheese producers generally must have a rabbi on the premises at all times to ensure that no nonkosher ingredients or utensils have been used.

Rennet, the enzyme used in cheese production, is more complicated. Because rennet traditionally is derived from cow stomach, there are numerous -- and often debated -- rules governing its use.

Many kosher cheese producers instead use microbial or other vegetarian rennets. This has the added benefit of making the cheese more appealing to vegetarians, though few kosher cheeses are marketed this way.

The growth in kosher cheeses marks an overall change in the sophistication of kosher consumers.

"Ten years ago, the kosher consumer was not as educated, didn't demand better items," says Jeff Nathan, a kosher chef who hosts public television's "New Jewish Cuisine."

"Now they are more into food: they read, they watch television and they are saying there's more than just this basic stuff," Nathan says.

Brent Delman, a New York distributor of kosher cheeses to upscale East Coast markets, says the kosher cheese growth stems in part from the "intense competition in the cheese industry."

"Everybody's trying to carve out more of a niche," he explains.

Mark Rosen, for example. When the owner of Sugar River Cheese Co. in Deerfield started making his cheeses in 2002 he says he saw kosher as another way to set his cheeses apart.

In addition to being kosher, Rosen's cheeses also are made from hormone-free milk and come in unusual flavors, such as cheddar with roasted garlic and green onion, and Monterey Jack with olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

"I try to make cheese for everybody," he says. "I certainly sell in kosher markets, but I also sell to a whole variety of stores that don't generally sell kosher cheese."

But kosher consumers are paying a premium. Delman estimates that, while they vary considerably, kosher cheeses run as much as 25 percent more than nonkosher. And finding them can still be a challenge.

"With the Internet, you can get anything anywhere," he says. "But if you're going to your local kosher or specialty market you'll be fairly limited."

Fried Polenta With Cheddar and Spicy Guacamole

2 avocados

Jarred hot red peppers, to taste

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 log (18-ounces) prepared polenta, sliced into 10 rounds

8 ounces cheddar cheese, 1 block cut into 10 pieces

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. Use a spoon to remove the flesh and place it in a food processor. Add the hot peppers, lime juice and salt and pepper. Pulse until mostly smooth.

Transfer the avocado mixture to a plastic bag. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the polenta rounds, in batches if necessary. Fry, moving the rounds occasionally to prevent sticking, until lightly golden on both sides, about 5 minutes.

Top each polenta round with a piece of cheese, them cover the pan. Let cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to melt. Transfer the rounds to a serving platter.

Use scissors to snip off one corner of the plastic bag with the avocado mixture. Twist the top of the bag closed then use gentle pressure to squeeze some of the avocado mixture onto the cheese on each round.

Serves four to six.

Adapted from Mark Rosen of Sugar River Cheese Co., Deerfield