Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.

Awesome Cheese Discoveries At The Fancy Food Show 2017 – San Francisco

Hello, my friends! Phew, I was really busy last week between visiting the Fancy Food Show and, for the first time, the Good Food Mercantile. If you’re not familiar with these events, they are trade shows put on by the Specialty Food Association semi-annually in San Francisco and New York City. I have visited the show maybe 4 times now, and have shared my favorites every year! Every year, new products pop up, and I get to meet lots of talented, passionate food people!

Here are the most striking formaggio finds from this year! Be ready to see these on the shelves of cheese shops near you!

Cows Creamery Avonlea

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
For fans of Ann of Green Gables, now you can get a taste of Prince Edward Island’s terroir with this cheddar named Avonlea.

Cow, Prince Edward Island, Canada, raw, vegetarian

This delightful clothbound cheddar from Prince Edward Island is aged at least one year, and has some complex flavors evocative of apricots and walnuts. The creamery, Cows Creamery, also makes ice cream. For any Ann of Green Gables fans out there, this may be the cheese for you!

Marieke Gouda

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Marieke Gouda, fine Dutch style made in the USA!

Cow, Wisconsin, USA, raw, some vegetarian cheeses

Good gouda is a special thing, especially when it’s made in the USA. Marieke Gouda is made with traditional Dutch methods, and is even sold back in Holland, in addition to the US. I particularly liked the Plain Mature cheese, aged 6-9 months, sporting notes of hazelnuts and caramel. Marieke’s won many awards for her cheeses, and after one taste of them, it’s easy to see why. They are exquisite.

Eira da Vila Serpa

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Do you need some BOLD cheese flavor? Give Serpa a try!

Sheep, Serpa, Portugal, raw, vegetarian

Every year for the past few years, I have gotten to taste some new (to me) Portuguese cheeses. Their general bright, zippy, strong flavors have definitely won me over! This year, I discovered Serpa, from the town of Serpa in the southern part of the country. This particular wheel was made by Queijaria Eira da Vila using sheep’s milk and thistle rennet, and rubbed with paprika and olive oil, it tastes sweet, tangy, a little spicy, and FULL of flavor.

Grafton Village Cheese Bear Hill

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Grafton Village Cheese’s Bear Hill is a little nutty, a little fruity, a lot flavorful.

Sheep, Vermont, USA, raw, traditional rennet

This washed-rind, alpine style cheese is aged five months to yield a silky smooth cheese with toasty nutty and fruity (maybe grape?) notes. It is rather subdued as far as alpines go. It’s really hard for me to resist alpine cheeses, and this particularly refined American iteration won me over. If you already know Grafton Village Cheese‘s cheddars, I recommend trying their other cheeses!

Tulip Tree Cheeses

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Tulip Tree’s Foxglove is a double cream cheese washed in beer. When ripe it can outrun the fastest rabbits.

Cow, Wisconsin, USA, pasteurized, Snapdragon is vegetarian, the others are not

Discovering this young creamery’s cheeses was a major highlight of the Good Food Mercantile! I fell in love with their fluffy triple cream cheese Trillium, and REALLY got attached to their washed rind, gooey Foxglove, which gets its pungent smell and flavor from a washing of Hubbard and Cravens Porter Beer by Thr3e Wise Men Brewery. Get thee some tasty, runny cheeses!

Laurel’s Crown Cheese Luck of the Irish, Jersey Girl

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Jersey Girl by Laurel’s Crown Cheese. Look at that color!!! Now those must be some happy cows.

Cow, Washington, USA, raw, traditional rennet

Meeting Laurel and her delightful cheeses felt like running through a meadow of wildflowers. Her refreshing, sweet words and love for the jersey cow milk she uses to make her cheese were radiant! Her cheeses, colored bright yellow from the large amount of beta carotene in the milk, are not too flavorful, but all show off the unique qualities of the milk. Jersey Girl, a tome-style cheese, was mild and creamy, a great snacking cheese. The ale-washed Luck of the Irish had more of a full-flavored bite.

Blackberry Farm Hawkins Haze

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Hawkins Haze is like a veil of sheep cheese slowly settling over your tongue.

Sheep, Tennessee, USA, pasteurized, traditional rennet

Thanks to the Good Food Mercantile, I was able to discover the Tennessee luxury resort called Blackberry Farm. They not only offer getaways on their 4200 acre property, they make cheese. Maker Chris Osborne showed me Hawkins Haze, a mold-ripened sheep milk cheese that offers bliss in a fluffy, cloud-like package. I loved the cheese’s gentle, creamy flavors, and I suspect you will, too.

Callie’s Pimento Cheese

Favorite cheeses at the 2017 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Pimento Cheese–easy, approachable, flavorful, and a great party food.

You can debate with me whether or not you think pimento cheese counts as fine cheese, but I confess! I have a soft spot in my heart for soft, creamy, luscious pimento cheese! This year, I discovered Callie’s yummy, simple, filling take. Made with shredded cheddar, spices, and pimento peppers, it’ll be great for your upcoming Superbowl party! Serve with their biscuits for maximum effect.

 

Have you got any cheesy new year’s resolutions? Let me know! Drop me a line or leave a comment!

 



 

 

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