Wow ‘Em With Local Cheeses This Holiday:Selected Platters of Vermont’s Award-Winning Artisanal CheesesBy Mary Elizabeth Fratini Any time I visit New York City, I never miss the opportunity to stop in at Murray’s Cheese Shop and splurge on the delicious samples they offer. Last time, though, it suddenly struck me: I realized I had already tasted many of the cheeses Murray’s had to offer because… they were all from Vermont! Vermont’s artisanal cheese industry has been taking the world by storm for several years now, garnering more than a dozen awards for three years running at the American Cheese Society’s (ACS) Annual Conference and Judging. The Vermont Cheese Council, which formed in 1997, now boasts 31 members and the University of Vermont recently launched the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese (VIAC), the country’s first comprehensive center devoted to this delicious new field. With great thanks to Jody Farnham, outreach coordinator and program developer for VIAC, here are two sampler plates of cheese sure to please everyone from novices to more experienced palates! For Beginners• GoatValencary: French-style Chèvre, Lazy Lady Farm, Westfield Lazy Lady Farm is a small organic goat dairy run by Laini Fondiller. This cheese is made every other day in small batches and ripened in a cave for that extra natural flavor. Having one of only four cheese-ripening caves in Vermont puts Fondiller in a great position to create award-winning cheeses. The taste is mellow and savory to the palate. The pate texture is fine-grained and cream. • SheepVermont Brebis: Willow Hill Farm, Milton A small round wheel, Vermont Brebis has notes of mushrooms and herbs and is runny in texture when ripe. It has a luscious almost olive-y mouth feel, a soft-ripened, mushroom-y, creamy little morsel, and ACS Award Winner in 2003, 2004, 2005. Vermont Shepherd: Majors Farm, Putney Vermont Shepherd is an aged, raw milk sheep cheese. This cheese has a golden brown rind and rustic shape, every wheel is distinctive. The texture is smooth and creamy; the flavor is sweet, rich and earthy with hints of clover, mint and thyme. This is their flagship, award-winning reserve cheese! • CowFarmhouse Two-Year Cheddar, Shelburne Farms, Shelburne With this longer-aged cheddar, the characteristic flavors become more pronounced. This cheddar has a bold taste, full-bodied aroma, and a dry, crumbly texture that make it one of Shelburne Farms’ most popular sellers. A truly traditional Farmhouse cheddar, as the milk used in the production of this cheese is straight off the farm. Gore-Dawn-Zola: Green Mountain Blue Cheese Farm, Highgate Center Made in the Gorgonzola style – tangy, sharp and crumbly. This cheese is cured over a three-week period attracting naturally-occurring flora to form a rind. The surface is scraped down before wrapping and further aging in the cellar. It has a unique character and bitter chocolate aroma. Due to its crumbly texture, it is best cut with a wire. Serving suggestion: try as dessert or an appetizer with caramelized walnuts, sweet raisin bread, or drizzled with honey. For More Experienced Tasters• SheepAutumn Oak: Willow Hill Farm, Milton This smooth and creamy natural rind cheese is made from the fresh rich milk of the farm’s own ewes. Its flavor is reminiscent of wild woodland mushrooms with a full mouth feel! Gold Medal winner at the 2004 World Cheese Awards in London! • GoatChèvre Red Pepper Log: Vermont Butter & Cheese Company, Websterville Distinguished by a simple, mild, fresh goats’ milk favor, this cheese is highly versatile, rolled in the finest crushed pepper, the contact on the palate is a wonderful experience. An excellent ingredient in many dishes as well as on its own. Vermont Chèvre maintains its reputation for quality through superlative taste, freshness, and lower salt. • CowTarentaise: Thistle Hill Farm, North Pomfret This semi-hard, aged, raw milk, farmstead organic cheese, is smooth in texture with a subtle nut-flavor and naturally rinded. It is ideal both for the table and for melting. Clothbound Cheddar: Shelburne Farms, Shelburne Hand-wrapped in cheesecloth in a centuries-old English tradition, then aged for more than a year, this cheddar has a memorable, earthy flavor, golden color, and dense, flaky texture that will take you back to the Old World. Brother Laurent: Green Mountain Blue Cheese Farm, Highgate Center A washed-rind French Muenster-style cheese, this cheese is very aromatic, dense, and tangy. It melts well and is traditionally served over boiled potatoes. A great addition to creamy meat sauces, or accompanying a wine-poached pear. Or, simply eat it alone with crusty bread at the side, savoring each bite. An A.C.S. award-winner. Many of these cheeses are widely available throughout Vermont at retail locations, food co-ops, and seasonally at Farmers’ Markets. For more information, including additional cheeses, histories and contact information, please visit the Vermont Cheese Council’s website at www.vtcheese.com or call 866-261-8595. A ?forprint">printer friendly version of this article is available. |