Current Featured Cheese - July 2025

Based in Thorp, Wisconsin, Marieke® Gouda was founded in 2006 by husband and wife team Marieke and Rolf Penterman. Originally from the Netherlands, Marieke missed the Gouda style cheeses she grew up with, so after two years of study, she created her first wheel. Just four months later, her first round of the Foenegreek Gouda was submitted to the US Cheese Championships and won a gold medal. Since then the Foenegreek Gouda has won numerous medals from various US and international competitions. The Foenegreek Gouda is made as a traditional gouda with the addition of fenugreek, an herb which gives the cheese a sweet and nutty flavor similar to maple syrup.

For those of you who may not have heard of or tried Halloumi, it is a cheese that hails from the beautiful Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Cypriot cheesemakers have been making it locally for centuries. It is also a popular cheese in other Eastern Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Turkey, the United Kingdom, and now worldwide, including the United States. The name Halloumi is a Cypriot trademark...

Tomme Saint Georges’ paste is moist and creamy. Its flavor profile reminds us of a sauce or bisque made from sweet cream, chives, and leeks. You might pick up on some breadiness. Consider pairing it with bolder wines and beers along with prosciutto, honey or dried fruit.

Hornbacher arrives in warm burnished brown colored 12-pound wheels that when first opened offer hints of mushrooms, mineral notes and browned butter. Think roasted hazelnuts and caramelized onions. The cheese maker describes the flavor as 'buttered baked potatoes.' This firm cheese is a bit crumbly, presents flavor crystals, and stands out for its intense savory umami flavors and creamy mouthfeel.

The outside of the La Dama Sagrada wheels look very similar to Manchego wheels, prominently displaying their basket weave texture, but this cheese’s paste is more the color of ivory. When you first open the wheel you smell the aroma of sweet, cooked curds and caramel. Since this one is aged 6-8 months, the paste is drier, and you'll find it studded with flavor crystals. La Dama’s up-front sweetness is balanced nicely with a little bit of spiciness on the finish.