Bonjour mes amis ! This week, I want to share with you an all-American cheese selection I presented to a private tasting event.
I don’t really do many private cheese events, but I do enjoy them when the opportunity arises!
Without further ado, here is what we tasted!
Laychee
Pennyroyal Farm; Boonville, CA; Traditional rennet; Pasteurized; Goat (sometimes with sheep)
This cheese has been featured on my blog in the past, and it was a special request from the organizers. From Pennyroyal Farm in Mendocino County in California, this goat’s milk cheese sometimes includes sheep milk when it’s the season. Tangy, creamy, lemony, it layers on thick when spread on bread or a cracker.
Detroit St. Brick
Zingerman’s Creamery; Ann Arbor, MI; Traditional rennet; Pasteurized; Goat
Another goat cheese, this time from Michigan, by Zingerman’s Creamery. Coated with a fluffy white rind, Detroit St. Brick is dotted with green peppercorns. It ripens from the outside in, and the older it is, the more runny it is. That combination of a citrusy tang and peppery punch won the whole table over—it was a favorite of the evening.
Foxglove
Tulip Tree Creamery; Indianapolis, IN; Traditional rennet; Pasteurized; Cow
One of my favorite American cheeses right now, this double cream cheese from Tulip Tree Creamery is so smooth and slick on the tongue. Its bright first flavors up front draw you in, while the deep umami and funky finish keep you intrigued and asking for more. It ended up being a little too strong for some people, but those who loved it really loved it.
Merry Goat Round
Firefly Farms; Accident, MD; Traditional rennet; Pasteurized; Goat
A sort of goat milk version of Mont d’Or, this thick, spoonable goat milk cheese from Firefly Farms in Maryland is wrapped in spruce bark. To serve it, cut off the top rind, set out a spoon, and watch it disappear. Some people even heat up the cheese in the oven for a little bit to make the cheese run even more. Merry Goat Round’s mellow, meaty, woodsy flavors and its tidy presentation make for a showstopping addition to a cheese board.
Triple Play
Hook’s Cheese; Mineral Point, WI; Vegetarian rennet; Pasteurized; Cow, goat, sheep
Made by Hook’s Cheese Company in Wisconsin, this cheese combines goat, sheep, and cow milk into a unique recipe combining gouda, cheddar, and alpine cheeses. Actually, Triple Play may have been the favorite of the evening. With a satisfying tyrosine crystal crunch and savory, nutty, caramel, butterscotch, this cheese was all at once approachable and complex.
Estero Gold
Valley Ford Cheese; Valley Ford, CA; Traditional rennet; Raw; Cow
Made in Valley Ford, just up the road from San Francisco, this cheese is based on Montasio, a sweet, nutty, hard table cheese from Italy. Made by the Bianchi family, owners of Valley Ford Cheese Co., the bright yellow cheese has bright flavors with notes of pineapple—one woman even said she could sense oysters. With a slightly dry mouthfeel, you can enjoy it on a cheese board or even grated over a your main dish.
Grazin’ Girl
Valley Ford Cheese; Valley Ford, CA; Traditional rennet; Raw; Cow
Another cheese from Valley Ford Cheese, the blue cheese Grazin’ Girl is based on Gorgonzola dolce, again an Italian cheese to honor the Bianchi family’s roots. As far as blue cheeses go, this one is all savory and all deep, yearning for a sweet accompaniment.
At the end, one guest said the experience was “transcendental.” The world of American artisan cheese is indeed vast and delicious!
