Featured Cheese - August 2013

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.

This moist, crumbly cheese offers a slightly sour but buttery flavor and a sharp, but not overpowering smell. A cheese of international reputation, it is creamy, light and subtle in flavor… a gastronomic delight to satisfy all palates.

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.