If you are looking for an exceptional American cheese for your Thanksgiving festivities, or for a host gift, you won’t be disappointed by this beauty. It’s a recent release with a long origin story and absolutely worth the wait. A collaboration between the Maryland creamery that produced it and the New York affinage team that nurtured it from infancy to its prime, this aromatic goat cheese seduced me at the first sniff. I’m hoping that affinage—expert cheese aging—will become more of a thing in this country, as it is in Europe, and that success stories like this one will pave the way.
Read moreOops. Missed One!
Sometimes it seems like my brain is at capacity. If a new cheese name goes in, another one gets pushed out. In last week’s post about great French Basque cheeses, I inadvertently omitted the newcomer that got me thinking about Pyrenees cheese in the first place. Former cheesemonger Steve Jones alerted me to Tomme per Diou, and there aren’t many cheese people I trust more. I can’t wait to share this raw-milk wheel in my classes (which reminds me: the 2024 World Cheese Tour class schedule is online) and to see more retailers stocking it.
Read moreBasque-ing in Glory
If you were limited to eating cheese from only one region (perish the thought), where would you choose? I’m going with the Pyrenees, preferably the French side. The cheeses we get from the Basque Country and neighboring Béarn are so consistently appealing that I don’t even think I would feel that deprived. Two new imports from the region make the choice even easier.
Read moreCheese O’Clock Returns!
Gather your cheese-loving friends and family and join my cheese pal Laura Werlin and me for the return of Cheese O’Clock, our popular Zoom-based tasting series. Laura and I reuniting on Thursday, November 30, for one night only, with two delightful guests, some favorite cheeses…and bubbles!
Read moreYour Raw-Milk Cheese Roster
The trend line for American raw-milk cheese is not what I wish it were. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a decline in the number of creameries producing cheese from unpasteurized milk, according to member surveys commissioned by the American Cheese Society. Cascadia Creamery’s Glacier Blue (above) remains among those cheeses made the traditional way, with milk at the temperature it comes from the animal. But the niche is shrinking.
Read moreGoat Cheese and Grilled Veggies Make a Tostada Masterpiece
Photo: Jeff Babcock
To answer your first question: Yes, it’s as good as it looks. And a breeze to make. Wish I had thought of it, but at least I recognize a genius idea when I see one. Crisp tostada, warm soft goat cheese, grilled autumn vegetables. My friend-in-cheese and talented cook Jeff Babcock was experimenting with fresh chèvre at home when this tasty concept took shape.
Read moreLose One, Gain One
Losing a great American cheese is a bummer—especially a cheese that so many loved—but a new arrival can soften the blow. So while I’m still in mourning for Ewereka, a blue-ribbon sheep Cheddar that Central Coast Creamery has discontinued, I’m enthused about its just-released replacement. Unforeseen hurdles compelled the Paso Robles, California, creamery to ditch Ewereka, but just wait until you taste the newcomer (above). Cheesemaker Reggie Jones has the American palate and purse dialed in, and I’d bet a bundle that this value-priced newbie will fly out of cheese shops.
Read moreWe Have a Winner!
Sam Rollins of Portland, Oregon, placed second at the Mondial du Fromage earlier this month, just four points behind the victor, Vincent Philippe of France’s Maison Bordier. Rollins’s finish was by far the best showing for an American to date in this international cheesemonger competition. One of two Americans representing the U.S. (American Nick Bayne competed for the UK and finished third), Rollins spent months beefing up his cheese knowledge and designing his platters for the grueling day-long contest. Via email, he told me how he prepared for the event and shared the highs and the lows (there weren’t many) of his Mondial experience.
Read moreNot Done with Burrata
Photo: Mari Havens
The tomatoes are winding down in my garden (except for the never-say-die Sungolds). The calendar says summer is ending, yet I still haven’t had my fill of tomatoes with burrata. Or Greek rusks with tomato, capers and feta. Or fried green tomatoes with mozzarella. Or braised peppers, tomatoes and onions with baked goat cheese. Or tomato, watermelon and feta salad. If you feel the same, seize the moment and grab these tomato-centric recipes.
Read moreCrazy Good Italian
Photo credit: Molly Decoudreaux
If you love Italy and Italian food (everyone on board?), you’re going to love Viola Buitoni’s new book, Italy by Ingredient. A native of Rome, Buitoni is now a cooking teacher in San Francisco with a devoted following (which includes me). She comes from food aristocracy—the family behind Buitoni pasta and Perugina chocolates—but her cooking is rustic and original, prizing fine ingredients over fancy technique. Ricotta and mozzarella are among her must-haves in the kitchen, and she has some tantalizing ideas for using them.
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