My Cart (
Featured Cheeses - 2014
Click the months below to learn about our featured cheeses for 2014...
Please note that occasionally we are able to secure a truly special, hard to find cheese on short notice and may substitute an item.
Featured Cheeses - January 2014
Camembert
Open the lid on your Camembert box, and you will notice immediately an aroma of mushrooms with a subtle braised cabbage undertone. These two aromas are the quintessential elements of true Camembert. The rind is an ivory white with red flecks through it, and if you stroke the cheese you will feel the downy texture of the penicillin rind. The rind is essential to create Camembert… as the mold rind grows around the cheese it sends out microscopic roots (rhizomes), and it is these roots, working from the outside in, that turn the texture from chalky to voluptuously soft and gooey. Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Soft; Bloomy Rind
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 30 days
Gorgonzola
A traditional creamery cheese, Gorgonzola imparts a sharp, spicy flavor, the blue-green ripples providing an excellent contrast to the rich, creamy cheese. The taste ranges from mild to sharp, depending on age. Read More »
- Country: Italy
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft; Blue
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 60 days
Salemville Amish Blue
Salemville Amish Blue Cheese is made from cow’s mile, this cheese has a mild, earthy flavor, well balanced and flavorful. This cheese is nationally and internationally renowned for its quality, balance and flavor. Crumble on salad or pasta tossed with garlic and olive oil, stir into hot mashed potatoes, or make into delicious blue cheese salad dressing. Amish Blue cheese is excellent with big, bold red wines. Read More »
- Country: United States
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft; Blue
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 60 days
Featured Cheeses - February 2014
Port Salut
Port Salut is a semi-soft natural cheese that is most recognized by its orange rind. It is rather mild with a savory, sweet flavor, unlike many other French cheeses. It is a cheese that has universal appeal with its smooth, velvety texture and light acidic taste. The pâte is elastic, cream-colored, soft, and supple with a very faint aroma. Bon appetit! Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 60 days
Denhay Farms West Country Farmhouse Cheddar
We love Farmhouse Cheddar for its buttery, nutty, cheddary richness, without the slightest hint of bitterness or bite. The aroma of authentic farmhouse cheddar should be nutty or grassy, with a rich texture and complex flavors ranging from fruity to a woody oakiness. The color of the cheese should range from straw yellow to beige, and the texture should be open with a few cracks… rather than rubbery and dense, which indicates factory processing. You’ll know great cheddar if you can still taste the sweet nuttiness several minutes after you have finished your first mouthful.
Read More »
- Country: England
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 6 months
St. André Mini
The intensity of flavors in St. Andre vary from being pleasantly creamy to a rich, buttery taste due to the addition of sweet cream. Many connoisseurs describe it as being as lush, creamy, and rich as cream cheese. Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Soft; Bloomy Rind
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 45 days
Featured Cheeses - March 2014
Morbier
This cheese is quite elastic and springy in texture, with a yeasty aroma and a sweet, fruity taste. Traditionally, a half wheel of Morbier would be propped up by the fire. As it started to melt, the cheese would be scraped on to crusty bread or hot potatoes. Morbier is such a good melting cheese and the flavor is not too strong, so it won’t over power the entire dish. One of the points to remember when cooking with cheese is… a little goes a long way. And the flavor of the cheese becomes stronger when you heat it, so be careful to select a cheese that has a good mild flavor! Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 3 months
Cantal
You are about to enjoy a cheese that was savored, and even written about, by the Romans over 2000 years ago. Its rich heritage was born in central France in the Auvergne mountains at an altitude of over 3000 feet. Auvergne has exceptionally lush pasturelands due to the volcanic soil, mountain storms, and summer sun - all of which give this celebrated cheese its rich and vigorous taste. Two thousand years ago, the curds were put into a wooden cylinder called “le Formage,” which is now the French word for cheese. Cantal bears the AOC designation and can be found in 3 sizes – the largest wheel weighing about 95 lbs. It has a thick smooth, grayish/brown rind, and some say it smells like its fertile pasturelands. The interior is close textured and pale yellow with a sweet milky aroma, a nutty, buttery flavor, and a slightly acidic finish if it’s aged. Typically this cheese is matured from 3-9 months, and you will find it is quick to show fleur de bleu – a blue mold which the Europeans gladly eat.
Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 3 months
Roaring Forties Blue
Roaring Forties is a full bodied blue with a honeyed, slightly nutty quality and good aftertaste. It is a rindless cheese, matured in wax, which helps it retain moisture and creates a smooth and creamy texture. A Roquefort style mould is used to create this singular and exciting cheese style. Read More »
- Country: Australia
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft
- Milk Type: Cow
Featured Cheeses - April 2014
Fromage d'Affinois
A bloomy rind cheese with lots of flavor, Fromage d’Affinois is mild and buttery. Often confused with brie, its texture is similar to a creamy cheesecake. It is made using a process known as ultra filtration. This imparts a taste like a triple-crème, although the fat content is closer to a double-crème. Enjoy it with grapes, pears, strawberries or crusty French bread. Accompany it with a tasty zinfandel, a sauvignon blanc or a viognier. Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Soft; Bloomy Rind
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 30 days
Five Territories
Five Territories from Britain's Abbey Farms is an amazing combination of five different British cheeses that are layered on top of one another to create a one of a kind cheese. The name is derived from the five different territories (counties) of England of which each layered cheese is originally from: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Cheshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. Read More »
- Country: England
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 60 days
Mirabo Walnut
Mirabo Walnut is a classic Brie crafted in German style. Made with pasteurized milk, it is a creamy soft cheese with a mild, pleasantly tasty flavor. Enjoy this Brie at its peak of flavor by opening the tin and unwrapping, letting the cheese stay at room temperature for one hour before serving. As a classic dessert cheese, it is perfect for rounding off a meal. You can also serve between meals with plain crackers or crusty bread. Read More »
- Country: Germany
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 45 days
Featured Cheeses - May 2014
Jarlsberg
A mild cheese, reminiscent of Swiss, Jarlsberg (pronounced YAHRLZ-berg) has large irregular holes and a distinct nutty flavor. Its semi-firm yellow interior has a texture that is buttery rich with a mild and slightly sweet flavor. It's an all-purpose cow's milk cheese that's ideal for snacking, sandwiches, entertaining and cooking - it also melts beautifully. Read More »
- Country: Norway
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 3 months
Asiago
This unique variety of cheese has a very distinct taste. Its aroma is strong and is reminiscent of the fragrance of yeast and dried fruit. Occasionally one can even distinguish a note of boiled chestnuts. To the touch, it is slightly elastic when it's relatively young and harder when fully matured. The dark shades of yellow straw that distinguish this variety can at times reach the intensity of amber. The sweet taste can acquire a somewhat more savory flavor and ranges to slightly piquant. The rich aroma becomes refined with seasoning and has a hint of dried fruit, butter and sometimes, exotic fruits. Read More »
- Country: Italy
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 6-9 months
Queso Blanco
Queso Blanco means “white cheese” in Spanish. It is a crumbly, white cheese with a mild flavor and crumbly texture. It is popularly used in salads but is also excellent when melted. This cheese is terrific used in traditionally Mexican dishes or cubed and fried! Sangria anyone? Read More »
- Country: United States
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: Fresh
Featured Cheeses - June 2014
Appenzeller Classic
Aged for 3-4 months, you'll find this cheese on the slightly spicy side. It's a pressed, cooked-curd cheese with occasional pea-size holes. We found it to have a pleasing, smooth texture. Its real charm though, is its fruity tanginess, making it a perfect complement to delicious summer fruits or to be served as a dessert cheese.
Read More »
- Country: Switzerland
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm; Washed Rind
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 3-4 months
Beemster Classic
Aged 18 months, this cheese looks and feels similar to parmesan but it is more closely related to gouda in taste and feel, offering a smooth, creamy texture followed by a sharp, salty flavor due to its extensive aging. Read More »
- Country: Netherlands
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 18 months
Tomme de Savoie
The word tomme, called toma and tuma in Italy, refers to a wheel of cheese. The word tomme also implies that a cheese is made from the milk of more than one herd. There are many varieties of tome, each named after the area where they are made. The wheels which are made in winter from cows that eat hay are very different from the tomes made with summer milk, because the cows have been gazing in lush mountain pastures. This cheese comes from Savoie, a region on the eastern boarder of Switzerland, where these cheesemakers are well known for Tomme-style cheeses. After the farmer uses the cream to make butter, the cheesemaker uses the skim milk to make Tomme de Savoie. The maturing process takes two or more months, producing a cheese with a rustic appearance – a thick, sometimes fuzzy, grey rind with patches of yellow or red molds. The pâté can be a buttery color or so pale that it is virtually white. It has many small eyes, and smells and tastes earthy like a cave. Tomme de Savoie is mild and creamy. Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 3 months
Featured Cheeses - July 2014
Manchego
Manchego has a distinctive flavor and an equally distinctive look. It can be recognized by a unique, zigzag or crosshatch pattern in its black-gray or buff-colored rind. (It is created by the rippled surface of the press used to make it. The rind itself is inedible. Inside, you’ll discover an ivory-colored interior and several small holes. Most Manchego fans are pleasantly surprised at their first taste of this hard cheese: Rich, full and slightly salty at the finish. Even its aroma has been described as special, suggesting lanolin and roast lamb. Read More »
- Country: Spain
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Sheep
- Cheese Age: 6 months
Idiazábal
The cheese has a hard, dry texture yet is feels pleasantly oily when consumed. It is a real favorite of those who enjoy a tasty, chewy cheese. Adherents rave about its distinctive rich, buttery flavor and perfumed aroma. Even its hard, orange-brown rind is edible. The cheese is often served with a full-bodied Spanish red wine and is considered a perfect companion for grilled or barbequed meats, which makes it especially appealing for summertime barbeques as an added treat. One culinary recommendation: it is perfect to melt on top of barbequed burgers. How ironic that the most famous of Basque cheeses should find notoriety on America’s outdoor grills! Read More »
- Country: Spain
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Sheep
- Cheese Age: 6 months
Mahón
One taste of Mahón, a smooth, supple, hard cheese named for the capital of Menorca, will prove to any skeptic why cheese production here has become world renowned. A unique cheese with a sweet and fruity aroma and a rich, bold flavor, Mahón is not for those who prefer bland cheeses. Made from cow's milk, it has a yellowish rind and a spicy and somewhat salty cheese flavor. Read More »
- Country: Spain
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 3 months
Featured Cheeses - August 2014
SarVecchio Parmesan
Named overall Champion of the 2009 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest (considered by many to be the “Superbowl” of cheese competitions) as well as winner of the hard grating cheese category of the 2007 American Cheese Society competition, SarVecchio Parmesan is made by Master Cheesemaker Larry Steckbauer at Sartori Foods in Antigo, WI. Made in the tradition of Italy’s Parmigiano Reggiano, it’s washed with olive oil, then "extra-aged" for a minimum of 20 months. SarVecchio offers a crumbly texture with a mellow salty, sweet, and nutty flavor, with notes of roasted caramel. Delicious! A world-class Parmesan from right here in the USA! Read More »
- Country: United States
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 20 months
Montasio
When the cheese is fresh, the taste is mild and delicate, and the color is white. The texture is compact with an even oscillation, and the rind is smooth and flexible. As the cheese matures, it becomes grainy and crumbly and the rind dries and darkens. Its flavor becomes mellow and fruity with and full flavored finish, and its color slowly turns to a pale, straw-yellow. Typically, you will find this cheese served as an eating cheese with crusty bread. You can also shred it on pasta dishes, and serve it in omelets, sauces, and fondue. Try it with Pinot Grigio. Read More »
- Country: Italy
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 5-10 months
Pecorino Toscano
The maturing process takes two or more months, producing a cheese with a rustic appearance – a thick, sometimes fuzzy, grey rind with patches of yellow or red molds. The pâté can be a buttery color or so pale that it is virtually white. It has many small eyes, and smells and tastes earthy like a cave. Tomme de Savoie is mild and creamy, fruity and nutty, but also a robust cheese with overtones of salt and an unmistakably raw flavor. Pair it with sausages, fruit, bread, and wine. Read More »
- Country: Italy
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Sheep
- Cheese Age: 3 months
Featured Cheeses - September 2014
Lancashire
Lancashire's combination of a delicate texture and rich, creamy flavor places it in a distinct category of its own. Lancashire, like most British cheeses, is the perfect complement to a good beer or ale. It's equally delicious paired with a Chardonnay or Muscadet. It often appears as a staple part of a "Ploughman's Lunch," a traditional meal served in pubs across Great Britain.Read More »
- Country: England
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 60 days
Dry Monterey Jack
Dry Monterey Jack is an American favorite! Made similarly to Monterey Jack, this cheese is aged longer and has a firm texture with a sweet, nutty flavor. Dry Jack is terrific grated, sliced, or used in recipes. Try it in casseroles or on soups or Mexican-style dishes. Read More »
- Country: United States
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 7-10 months
Bleu d'Auvergne
Compared to Roquefort, its super-intense and crumbly relative, Bleu d'Auvergne has a creamier texture and a more subtle, rustic flavor. For a special treat, serve it with Sauterne and toasted nuts, or with a full bodied red wine. Bleu d'Auvergne is great crumbled on a tossed salad or add it directly to your freshly made vinaigrette to mellow the acidity. Try a small piece on a slice of apple for a beautiful, healthy snack! Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft; Blue
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 30 days
Featured Cheeses - October 2014
Pecorino Romano
Pecorino Romano is a salty, Italian cheese, that is hard – good for grating. Made from sheep's milk, Perconio Romano is often used in pasta dishes similar to its cousin, Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan). Serve with bold red wines. Read More »
- Country: Italy
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Sheep
- Cheese Age: 45 days
Explorateur
When ripe, Explorateur’s ivory interior has a delicate aroma and salty, mushroomy tang… a delicately piquant flavor that reminds me of buttery baked hazelnuts. Explorateur is usually served as an appetizer with Champagne, Bordeaux, or dry, fruity white wines and crusty French bread. Often it’s served at the end of a meal as a dessert accompanied by a medley of ripe, fresh fruit. Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Soft; Bloomy Rind
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 30 days
Wensleydale
White Wensleydale is firm but not dry and hard, creamy yet the surface is slightly uneven and crumbly, and has a slightly sweet but also tart flavor. It’s sometimes described as having a nutty, buttermilk flavor and with a honey aftertaste, and gentle aroma of cut grass. It has a fine curd, minimal texturing, and high moisture content. Wensleydale is usually eaten young, at about a month old. This cheese goes well with a crisp apple and is traditionally eaten with fruitcake. Read More »
- Country: England
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 4-6 months
Featured Cheeses - November 2014
Grafton Classic Reserve Cheddar
In the US, as well as Internationally, Grafton Village Cheese Company is renowned for its Cheddar products. They are part of the New Wave of American Farmhouse Cheesemakers, who have been energizing our taste buds with distinctive farmhouse cheeses for a decade or so. Quality and incredible tastes that will wake up your palate are still the hallmarks of this company's products. Their savory cheddars are made with milk from selected herds of Vermont Jersey cows, whose milk is known for its extraordinary creaminess and high butterfat content. Farmers owning these herds have signed affidavits stating that their animals will not be treated with synthetic bovine growth hormones. These cheddars are 100% natural, and free of any chemical preservatives or additives. Read More »
- Country: United States
- Cheese Texture/Type: Firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 2 years
Pecorino Pepato
Most Pecorinos are oily cheeses because sheep's milk contains very high amounts of butterfat… one of the reasons this cheese is so delicious. So when Pecorino comes to room temperature don’t be surprised if you see beads of oil on the cheese, these are "butterfat tears" that weep naturally from the cheese, and they indicate that it's the perfect temperature for eating. Pecorino is usually eaten as a table cheese but will occasionally be shaved on top of fresh beans (perfect for summer salads) or lightly sautéed greens. Try it instead of Parmigiano on your next bowl of pasta. Its flavor is dense and the peppercorn sensation will bring new dynamics to your next meal. This selection should be served with a full-bodied red wine. Read More »
- Country: Italy
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Sheep
- Cheese Age: 45 days
Tetilla
A cheese that can be eaten any time during the day, it is also suitable for cooking, especially as stuffing and in recipes calling for coating as it melts easily with heat. Try it tucked inside a baked potato or a frankfurter. It's wonderful to spread over plain bread and over raisin bread. The creamy, soft and mild-flavored taste of the cheese combines perfectly with Pale Cream, a slightly sweet wine that subtly recovers the delicate flavor of the Tetilla. Read More »
- Country: Spain
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 45 days
Featured Cheeses - December 2014
Purple Haze
Purple Haze is a fresh goat's milk cheese flavored with lavender buds and wild harvested fennel pollen. The name, inspired by Jimi Hendrix’s classic song, reflects more of the appearance rather than the taste of the cheese. This chevre has a sweet, flowery (but not overwhelming) flavor of soft, creamy texture. Pair it with crackers, ripe figs or Zinfandel. Read More »
- Country: United States
- Cheese Texture/Type: Soft
- Milk Type: Goat
- Cheese Age: Fresh
Paradise Valley Pinconning
Produced uniquely for our distributor, Paradise Valley is made from an old recipe by Carr Valley Cheese Company in Wisconsin. A mild blend of colby and cheddar cheeses, it is produced in large thirty-eight pound wheels and sliced into long narrow wedges for our club members. Carr Valley was established in 1902 and continues to employ the hand cheese-making skills of four generations. Read More »
- Country: United States
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-firm
- Milk Type: Cow
- Cheese Age: 30 days
Roquefort
Many say Roquefort is best blue cheese in the world. It's one of the great French cheeses with a salty, distinctive, and powerful flavor. This cheese is made with the milk of ewes that graze on the lush plateaus of Aveyron. Roquefort is ripened in natural caves found under the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the south of France, and carefully tended by the Societe fromagerie. This scrumptious cheese is laced with dark blue-green mold, and has the piquant flavor you would expect from sheep's milk. Roquefort is a soft cheese that will melt in your mouth, but it's dry enough to crumble, and can be spread. Serve it after dinner with sweet fruit and wine - a perfect dessert. We recommend hearty Rhone reds, a sweet white Sauterne, or a dry Riesling. Read More »
- Country: France
- Cheese Texture/Type: Semi-soft; Blue
- Milk Type: Sheep
- Cheese Age: 3+ months
