OUR February CHEESE & ACCOMPANIMENTS
Cheesemaker Andy Hatch only makes Pleasant Ridge Reserve from milk produced when his cows have been out on pasture, giving the milk and cheese a rich, golden color and grassy flavor that tastes of summer. Andy only makes cheese on days when the pasture conditions are ideal to ensure the quality of the cheese. The farm incorporates rotational grazing by creating 20 separate pastures on their 244-acre farm in southern Wisconsin. The recipe for Pleasant Ridge Reserve is similar to the French Alpine classic Beaufort and yields cheese with deep savory flavor. We can taste sweet salted caramel, grass, and a mile long fruity finish. Pleasant Ridge is the most-awarded cheese in American history, having won Best of Show in the American Cheese Society’s annual competition three times (2001, 2005 and 2010)
Farm/Producer/Importer: Uplands Cheese/Andy Hatch
Place: Dodgeville, WI USA
Style: Firm
Milk Type: Raw Cow
Rennet: Traditional
Age: 9-10 months
Pairing: Syrah or Old World Chardonnay. Belgian Witbier
We think Capriole Farm makes some of the best goat cheese in the world and Sofia is truly a cheesemonger favorite. Ask any cheesemonger in the United States, this slightly aged chevre makes us all swoon! Hand-ladled and ash ripened (which is neutral in flavor) with flavors of citrus and cream and a texture that just melts in your mouth. Goat cheese doesn't get much better.
Farm/Producer/Importer: Capriole Farm
Place: Greenville, IN
Style: Bloomy, geotrichum ash-ripened
Milk Type: Pasteurized goat
Rennet: Traditional
Age:1-3 weeks
Pairing: Sauvignon blanc, sparkling white wine or a nice hefeweizen
In 1999 Tony Yurgaitis and George Malkemus, two executives from Manolo Blahnik shoes bought a 300-acre farm in the rolling hills of Litchfield County, Connecticut. They restored the buildings and reintroduced a herd of dairy cows to the property. These were show cows and soon won awards all over the country for their superior genetics. They began bottling the milk and selling it locally and regionally. Fast forward a few years and they have expanded into ice cream, butter, sour cream, and cheese all made at their small creamery in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Tapping Reeve is their take on a cheddar. Its flavors are sweet and grassy, and the texture is slightly crumbly.
Farm/Producer/Importer: Arethusa Farm Dairy
Place: Litchfield, CT
Style: Firm
Milk Type: Cow
Rennet: Traditional
Age: 16-24 months
Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon, IPA
Only the finest cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is used for this truly unique cracker. Incorporating farm-fresh butter creates a smooth and creamy texture that provides the perfect complement to any cheese.
A medley of spicy and sweet peppers come together with an apple cider base.