Crave Brothers Make Way for Little Brother: Petit Frère™
WATERLOO, Wisconsin—“We always wanted to develop something truly
special,” says Debbie Crave, Vice President of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, LLC, “something that would tell our story and reflect our heritage.”
That “something” turned out to be Les Frères,®(“the brothers”), an original American rind washed cheese known for its rich, full flavor (think applecider evolving to mushroom before finishing on a toasted sesame note), an earthy aroma, and a Brie-like texture.
Starting this summer, customers will meet Crave Brothers’ Petit
Frère,™ the little brother. Literally. Petit Frère is an 8-ounce wheel of Les Frères, packed handsomely in its own wooden box. “It’s a more versatile size to stock and merchandise,” says Ms. Crave of Petit Frère, “and customers won’t have to cut or wrap it on their own. We also think that American consumers will like its 8-ounce size and classy, oldworld packaging.
“Petit Frère (“little brother”) was the perfect name,” continues Ms. Crave. “We found an old photo of the youngest brother Mark with one of his childhood calves, and that became the artwork for the lid on the box. It really says it all: This cheese is an original Crave Brothers creation that represents our Irish-French heritage, and the tight connection between our dairy, its cows and the cheese we craft from it.
“And we do make it exactly as we make Les Frères—starting with
pasteurized milk from our own dairy cows all the way to hand-rubbing our own special cultures on the outside of each wheel and aging it in the affinage cellars right here on our farmstead.”
Crave Brothers’ Petit Frère comes packed 8, 8-oz. wheels per case. Each 8-oz. wheel is individually wrapped in foil and then snuggled into its own wooden box. Each face of the wooden box bears a label rich with information about the cheese inside, how to store and ripen it in the customer’s own kitchen, ideas for serving it, a recipe for Petit Frère en Croute, and, of course, the namesake label of the youngest brother Crave with his boyhood calf.
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Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces award-winning specialty farmstead cheeses right on the Crave Brothers Dairy Farm, using milk that’s just hours-old.
The four brothers call their cheeses Farmstead Classics to reflect the great care their cheesemakers take in crafting their cheeses using Old World techniques.
How to Care for Crave Brothers Petit Frère™
Store Petit Frère in the fruit or vegetable bin of the refrigerator or cooler where there is higher humidity—elsewhere tends to dry out the cheese. Thirty minutes to an hour before serving Petit Frère, unwrap it and let it sit at room temperature. Slice off the outer rind and serve For a riper, more robust flavor, serve Petit Frère with the outer rind on. Or, age it a bit in your own kitchen: Leave Petit Frère wrapped and let it sit at room temperature for a few hours. Return it to the refrigerator and let warm to room temperature for less than an hour before serving.
What to Pair with Crave Brothers Petit Frère™
Serve Petit Frère with crusty or artisan breads, fruits (pears and dried apricots are favorites), or nuts (walnuts pair particularly well).
Melt Petit Frère on artisan breads or in a panini.
Serve 1-oz. wedges of Petit Frère with arugula & hazelnut salad (see attached recipe from Executive Chef Scott Johnson of Canoe Bay, Chetek, Wisconsin)
Accompany Petit Frère with white wines such as the Pinot Gris or Alsatian Riesling.
And the cheesemaker’s favorite, make a chicken or turkey sandwich something truly special with Petit Frère.
Arugula & Crave Brothers Petit Frère™ Salad with Lavender Honey & Lemon Vinaigrette
Courtesy of Executive Chef Scott Johnson, Canoe Bay, Chetek, Wisconsin
Yield: 4 salads
Ingredients:
1 lb. arugula leaves, stems removed and washed
1 each lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp. lavender honey
To taste salt & pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½, 8-oz wheel Crave Brothers Petit Frère™ washed rind soft ripened cheese
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and crushed
4 each lavender flowers for garnish
Procedure:
1) In salad spinner, spin washed arugula leaves dry; set aside.
2) In small bowl, mix together lemon juice, honey and salt & pepper. Whisk inthe olive oil; set aside
3) Place arugula in large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette, adding just enough to coatleaves. Season with salt & pepper.
4) On each of four salad plates, place one wedge of Petit Frère. Gently layerthe dressed arugula leaves on the plate forming a tall tower.
5) Sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp. crushed hazelnuts.
6) Garnish with lavender flower, if desired
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