Du Jour: Whole Foods Cheese Team Leader Sally Puyau

Like wine, cheese is rich in Old World tradition and dizzying in its selections and pairing possibilities, says Whole Foods Market Specialty Foods Team Leader Sally Puyau (left). A former super yacht chef, Puyau helps compose the Baton Rouge store’s 300-item cheese counter, where she and fellow team members reveal secrets like how Reblochon differs from Brie, and at what temperature to serve your Manchego.

This week, Puyau and Whole Foods Team Member Annie Laurie Thompson discussed the benefits and versatility of goat cheese with 225 Dine. Goats’ milk cheeses have grown in popularity in the United States in the past 20 years due to their health benefits and versatility. Furthermore, it’s a cheese that’s taken off among a new generation of domestic farmstead and artisan cheese makers (including a few in Louisiana and Mississippi).The cheese is best known in its fresh form and for its ability to liven up salads, pizzas and spreads, but it’s also the base for a growing number of aged cheeses such as Gouda, cheddar and others, Puyau says. “Its taste profile is tangy and slightly citrus,” she adds. “Plus, it’s low in fat and easy to digest.” Made with vegetable rennet, goat cheese is also a go-to choice for vegetarians.

Thompson, who teaches how-to classes at Whole Foods, says goat cheese is an easy base for quick, impressive recipes. Roll a dollop of fresh goat cheese in prosciutto and sauté the bundle briefly. Stuff it in a fresh grilled pitted peach. Or slice Greek halloumi cheese made with goats’ milk and sauté it until just brown in a skillet with sun dried tomatoes. All three ideas use two to three ingredients and take around 10 minutes to assemble. Thompson says one of the most frequent questions concerning cheese is how to store it. Her advice is to buy small amounts and wrap each loosely in wax paper.

The best way to learn about cheese, or deepen your knowledge, is to break the overwhelming field into categories —like country or type—and begin sampling, say Puyau and Thompson. Whole Foods Market helps consumers expand their awareness through occasional cheese classes. Find out more at wholefoodsmarket.com.

To read previous Du Jour features on local chefs and other culinary experts, click here.