My Tillamook Cheese Plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady does indeed love this Feline Foodie. Last night as a snack, she fixed up a Tillamook Cheese Plate with three of my favorites: Cheddar with Peppercorns, Smoked Cheddar and Extra Sharp Cheddar.

To keep The Man appeased she threw in the Horseradish variety, which just about made The Man weep. He does love his horseradish and when you combine it with Tillamook, you can never go wrong…

As you can see below, The Lady was unable to get a picture of me with my head not moving…that’s because I was scarfing down those tasty morsels so fast, her lens couldn’t stop the action…

This Feline Foodie gives the Tillamook Cheese Plate 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got)…

Cheese 101: The Eight Faces of Cheese

The Lady has discovered that Customers are often reluctant to ask in-depth questions about cheese and instead either ask her to recommend a cheese she (or I) like or they’ll just pick a cheese that sounds or looks “familiar”.

Your favorite Feline Foodie and Tillamook Cheese Fan of the Month for November (that would be me) thought it might be a good time to start short tutorials about the basics of cheese.

First up: the eight basic styles of cheese – all cheeses fall into one of the following categories and understanding what each style is can help make your next cheese-buying trip anxiety-free and more enjoyable.

Fresh Cheese:  Any cheese that does not undergo any ripening period is a fresh cheese. These cheeses have high moisture content; are mild in taste and have a creamy texture. Fresh cheeses include cottage cheese, cream cheese, and ricotta. While mostly bland, they improve, taste-wise, when mixed with other flavors such as herbs, fruit and sweeteners. These cheeses often have acidic or citrus taste and also the taste of fresh milk. Most of these cheeses should be eaten within a few days to a couple weeks of when the package is opened. These cheeses have a short “Use-by” date.

Other fresh cheeses include Cotija, some Mozzarellas, Queso Fresco, Mascarpone, Feta, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Fromage Blanc, Fresh Goat Cheese aka Chevre, Bel Gioioso Burrata, Crave Brothers Mascarpone, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Crottin, Valencay, Cabecous Feuilles, Bel Gioioso Crescenza-Stracchino and BelGioioso Tiramisu Mascarpone.

Soft-Ripened Cheese: These are cheeses that ripen from the outside in and are soft even when chilled and can be runny when out at room temperature. The outside rind is often a white, bloomy rind that has been sprayed with a mold, usually penicillium candidum, before a short aging period. The most common cheeses in this category are Brie, Camembert and Triple Creams. In the United States most of these cheeses are made from pasteurized milk; whereas in Europe many of these cheeses are still made from raw milk. Because of the FDA Regulation requiring that raw milk cheeses be aged at least sixty days, most European Cheesemakers make both raw milk and pasteurized versions of their cheeses that fall into this category. I have addressed this issue in a separate posting that you might like to read.

Included in this category are Brie de Nangis, Humboldt Fog, St. Andre, Delice de Bourgogne, St. Albray, Champignon, Cambozola, Pierre Robert, Formager d’Affinois, Crave Brothers Les Freres, Florette, Explorateur, St. Maure, Le Chatelain, Soignon Chevrion Buche, Fourgerus.

 Semi-Soft Cheese:  Cheeses in this category have a smooth and mostly creamy interior with little or no rind. Like fresh cheeses, semi-soft cheeses usually have high moisture content and often are very pungent; but can also be quite mild. Raw milk and pasteurized milk are both used in this category. Blues and washed-rind category cheeses can also be in this category.

Semi-soft cheeses include Chaumes, Bel Gioioso Fontina, Havarti, Tillamook Monterey Jack, Bleu D’Auvergne, St. Agur, Bellwether Farms’ Carmody, Roth Kase Petit Swiss, Jarlsberg, Roth Kase ButterKase and young Goudas.

 Washed-Rind Cheese: These cheeses are surface-ripened by washing the cheeses with brine, wine, brandy, beer or other ingredients throughout the aging process. The washing encourages the growth of bacteria and promotes pungent, sometimes very pungent, aromas and are therefore sometimes known as “stinky cheese”. While at Roth-Kase last spring, one of the duties The Lady completed in her Cheesemaking Class was to wash the ripening Gruyere. Also in my review of Taleggio, I state that it is also known as “My Father’s Smelly Feet”. In contrast to their smelly rinds, many of these cheeses are quite mellow and mild in taste such as Epoisses and Taleggio. Both taste absolutely nothing like the way they smell…and that’s a good thing…who would eat cheese that tasted like smelly feet???

Washed-Rind Cheeses include Raclette, Morbier, Epoisses, Taleggio, Pont l’Eveque, Livarot, Le Timanoix, Abondance, Bel Gioioso Italico, Winey Goat and Roth Kase Raclette.

Blue Cheeses: These cheeses have distinctive blue or green veining which is created by injecting penicillium roqueforti mold. This mold adds an easily recognized flavor that ranges from mild to bold and pungent. In Italy these cheeses are called “Gorgonzola”, in France “Bleu” or Roquefort – a protected name and style and in Britain and the US “Blue”.

In this category are Rogue River Blue, Bleu D’Auvergne, Forme d’Ambert, Maytag and Black River Gorgonzola.

Hard/Firm Cheeses: This is a broad category that covers cheeses that may be elastic at room temperature or are hard enough to grate like a Parmesan. Most of the Beemster Premium Goudas fall into this category as do most Cheddars, Swiss-style and Gruyere-style cheeses.

Specific cheeses in the hard category include Beecher’s Flagship Reserve, Comte, Rembrandt Gouda, Parrano, Piave, Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego, Idiazabal, Roth Kase Grand Kru, Emmenthal, Tillamook 2-Year Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar,  Beemster XO and Beemster Vlaskaas.

Natural Rind Cheeses: These are cheeses that develop a natural rind during the aging process without the addition of molds and without washing of the rind. Because they age over several weeks, many of these cheeses are made using raw milk. Many “Tomme” style cheese including Tomme de Savoie are in this category. The rind is usually edible but not necessarily tasty and is often gritty – try a nibble before going full steam ahead with the rind.

Other cheeses in this category include Mimolette, Cantalet, Brillat Savarin, Garroxta, English Stilton (also a blue), Shropshire Blue (another blue), Testun and St. Nectaire.

Spun Cheeses: Often called “Pasta Filata”; these cheeses are usually Italian in origin. As the name says, they are cooked and then kneaded (spun). They can be fresh or very hard grating cheeses depending on the producer. The cooking occurs when the curd is exposed to warm water which in turn makes the curd silky and elastic. The softer cheeses are then brined and the harder cheeses are air-dried.

This category includes BelGioioso Burrata, Mozzarella and Scamorza which all have a high moisture content and BelGioiosos Provolone and Caciocovallo with lower moisture content.

(There is a ninth category sometimes included in a list of cheeses but since your humble feline foodie does not consider it cheese, I refuse to really include it here: processed cheese such as Velveeta, “American Cheese” and other cheeses that can withstand a nuclear war…)

Up Next: Cheese 101: What is a Cheesemonger and other Cheese Vocations

Spaulding Gray: Tillamook Cheese Fan of the Month

Your humble Feline Foodie has been honored by being chosen as ”Tillamook Cheese Fan of the Month”. You may check out the detalis by visiting the Tillamook FanClub Website…WooHoo!!

(And they revealed a “random fact” that I have tried to keep secret…the result of another Burbank “incident” that ocurred before The Lady had me “tutored”…)

My thanks to the kind folks at Tillamook Cheese!! (And I guess I have to thank The Lady…who introduced me to the finer things in life when I adopted her…I’m referring to cheese…especially Tillamook VWESC…but, of course!!)

2009 World Cheese Awards – Categories 35 to 37 – Extra Mature Cheddars

2009 World Cheese Awards

You can view all 2009 World Cheese Award Winners at the official website by clicking here.

35: Extra Mature traditional Cheddar made after 31/05/08

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Keen’s Traditional Extra Mature Cheddar	Keen’s Cheddar Ltd.	01963 32286
GOLD	Extra Mature	J. A. & E. Montgomery Ltd.	01963 440243
SILVER	Cabot Clothbound Cheddar	Cellars at Jasper Hill	001 8025332566
BRONZE	Extra Mature Cheddar	Quickes Traditional Ltd	01392 851222
BRONZE	Bandage Wrap Cheddar	Fiscalini Cheese Co	001 209 545 5495

 

36: Extra Mature creamery Cheddar made after 31/05/08

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Extra Mature Creamery Cheddar made after 31/05/08	Dale Farm Ltd	028 867 63755
SILVER	Guernsey Extra Mature	Guernsey Dairy	01481 237777
SILVER	Welsh Extra Mature White Cheddar	First Milk Cheese Co Ltd (Haverfordwest Cheese)	01437 761501 01437 762852 / 01437 761503 Mark’s direct line
SILVER	Extra Mature Cheddar	Wyke Farms Ltd	01749 812424
SILVER	Extra Mature Creamery Cheddar made after 31/05/08	Dale Farm Ltd	028 867 63755
SILVER	Extra Mature Creamery Cheddar made after 31/05/08	Dale Farm Ltd	028 867 63755
BRONZE	Extra Mature Cheddar made after 31/05/08	South Caernarfon Creameries Ltd	01766 812 947 01766 810251 / 01691 776440
BRONZE	Grafton Classic Reserve Cheddar	Grafton Village Cheese Co.	001 800 472 3866
BRONZE	Extra Mature Cheddar by Ballyragget Creamery, Ireland	North Downs Dairy Co Ltd	01963 828828

 

37: Extra Mature block farmhouse Cheddar made after 31/05/08

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Westcountry Farmhouse Cheddar	Bakers of Haselbury Plucknett	01460 72893
GOLD	Aldi Extra Strong Cheddar by Parkham Farm, UK	North Downs Dairy Co Ltd	01963 828828
SILVER	Westcountry Extra mature Cheddar by Brue Valley, UK	R.L. Clapp & Sons (Cheesemakers) Ltd, Brue Valley	01458 833203
SILVER	Westcountry Farmhouse Cheddar – produced by Parkham Farms	Parkham Farms Ltd.	01237 431246
BRONZE	Extra mature block Farmhouse Cheddar	Tower Farms Cheesemakers Ltd.	01984 667252

2009 World Cheese Awards – Categories 32-34 – Medium Cheddars

2009 World Cheese Awards

You can view all 2009 World Cheese Award Winners at the official website by clicking here.

32: Medium traditional Cheddar made after 31/03/09

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Medium Cheddar	Parmalat SA (PTY) Ltd Bonnievale	00 27 23 616 2100
SILVER	Organic Unpasteurized Mild Cheddar – produced by Gibbsville Cheese Co Inc.	Organic Valley Family of Farms	00 1 608 625 3322
BRONZE	Medium Traditional Cheddar	Healey’s	00 27 21 847 0480

 

33: Medium block creamery Cheddar made after 31/03/09

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Medium Cheddar Cheese – produced by Glanbia Ingredients Ireland	Glanbia Ingredients Ireland	00353 568 836000
GOLD	Medium Creamery Cheddar	Dairy Crest (Davidstow)	01840 261878
SILVER	Welsh Medium White Cheddar	First Milk Cheese Co Ltd (Haverfordwest Cheese)	01437 761501 01437 762852 / 01437 761503 Mark’s direct line
SILVER	Welsh Medium White Cheddar	First Milk Cheese Co Ltd (Haverfordwest Cheese)	01437 761501 01437 762852 / 01437 761503 Mark’s direct line
BRONZE	Medium Creamery Cheddar	Wyke Farms Ltd	01749 812424
BRONZE	Medium Cheddar	Traditional Cheese Co. Ltd.	00 353 1 450 9494
BRONZE	Medium Block Creamery Cheddar made after 31/03/09	Dale Farm Ltd	028 867 63755

 

34: Medium block farmhouse Cheddar made after 31/03/09

award	entry	entered by	phone number
BRONZE	Denhay Farmhouse Cheddar	Denhay Farms Ltd.	01308 422770 01308 458963
BRONZE	Medium Block Farmhouse Cheddar	Tower Farms Cheesemakers Ltd.	01984 667252

2009 World Cheese Awards – Categories 29 – 31 – Mature Cheddars

2009 World Cheese Awards

You can view all 2009 World Cheese Award Winners at the official website by clicking here.

29: Mature traditional Cheddar made after 01/09/08

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Denhay Traditional Farmhouse Cheddar	Denhay Farms Ltd.	01308 422770 01308 458963
SILVER	Mature, unpast	J. A. & E. Montgomery Ltd.	01963 440243

 

30: Mature block creamery Cheddar made after 01/09/08

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Welsh Mature White Cheddar	First Milk Cheese Co Ltd (Haverfordwest Cheese)	01437 761501 01437 762852 / 01437 761503 Mark’s direct line
SILVER	Mature Creamery Cheddar	Dairy Crest (Davidstow)	01840 261878
BRONZE	Mature Cheddar	Wexford Creamery Ltd.	00 353 539142088
BRONZE	Welsh organic Mature White Cheddar	First Milk Cheese Co Ltd (Haverfordwest Cheese)	01437 761501 01437 762852 / 01437 761503 Mark’s direct line

 

31: Mature block farmhouse Cheddar made after 01/09/08

award	entry	entered by	phone number
GOLD	Westcountry Mature Cheddar by Brue Valley, UK	R.L. Clapp & Sons (Cheesemakers) Ltd, Brue Valley	01458 833203
SILVER	Mature Block Farmhouse Cheddar	A J & R G Barber Ltd	01749 860666
SILVER	Mature Cheddar – 9 months – produced by Croxton Manor	H & B Foods Ltd / The Cheese Cellar	0207 819 6000 / Jo:0207 8196074
BRONZE	Denhay Farmhouse Cheddar	Denhay Farms Ltd.	01308 422770 01308 458963
BRONZE	Farmhouse Block Mature Cheddar, vegetarian	W.H. Longman & Sons Ltd.	01963 440282 01963 441146 / 01963 440 401/ 440613 (accounts)
BRONZE	Mature Block Farmhouse Cheddar	Alvis Bros Ltd.	01934 864600

The Wedge Report : Part One: Cougar Gold aka Cheese in a Can

Cougar Gold

As the T-Shirt says: The Lady and The Man went to the Wedge and all I got was a bunch of stinky cheese… one more time this feline foodie makes out like a bandit…

The Lady and The Man brought home several cheeses for their favorite feline foodie to sample and review.

I don’t want to short change any of the fine cheeses I tasted…I will review each cheesemaker separately beginning with Washington State University’s Cougar Gold…cheese in a can… who knew…

This sharp, white cheddar ages in a can for one year and then can be shipped anywhere a tin can can go…

Okay, I know what you are thinking as it was exactly what I was thinking… just how good can cheese in a can be??? The Lady used a can opener to open the cheese which had a date on it and the name of the person who was making cheese that day… talk about knowing how old a cheese is…

My second thought after “cheese in a can, yikes…” was “why cheese in a can?” The US Government (aka the Rat-Ass Bastards) funded a study at WSU to come up with a way to successfully keep cheese in a can… this was during WW2… and Dr. N.S. Golding, a Professor at WSU at the time came up with this cheese and it was named after him.

Bit of trivia, because it is packed in a can, supposedly this cheese can last forever as long as it remains in the unopened can and is refrigerated… you’ll never be able to prove that around here…

This cheese is crumbly and melts on the palate and is absolutely delicious… it is nutty and rich; everything this feline foodie looks for in cheese.

I overheard The Lady telling The Man that the reason this cheese reminded him of Beecher’s Flagship, always a favorite around the manse, was because Kurt Dammeier fashioned Flagship after Cougar Gold…after all, he is a graduate of Wazoo… what is it they say… imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… Flagship is a bit sweeter and both cheeses can stand alone… both are winners… but today I am into Cougar Gold… sorry Jena…

I made sure The Lady can order more of this cheese… have debit card… can order…

This feline foodie gives Cougar Gold 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I‘ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Just get out a can opener; open this sucker and enjoy it with 34° Sesame Crackers or a nice slice of smoked Gallus gallus domesticus. It melts well and is excellent in mac n cheese or any pasta dish.

Wine Pairing: Two Vines Merlot

Beer Pairing: Washington State IPA

Source: Cow’s Milk

Awards: Gold Medal 2006 World Cheese Awards: Silver Medal 2000 World Cheese Awards; Silver Medal 1995 US Cheese Champion and a Blue Ribbon from the American Cheese Society in 1993.

Up next: The Fine Cheeses from Willapa Hills Farmstead Cheeses

2009 Feline Foodie Cheese Awards

2009 Feline Foodie Awards®

Portland, Oregon

For Immediate Release

 

Spaulding Gray, Portland’s Favorite Feline Foodie and CF(eline)O of the Feline Foodie Awards®, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Feline Foodie Awards®.

When interviewed, Mr. Gray admitted it had been a grueling and tough job, “But someone had to do it, choosing the “Best of the Best” in cheeses from the Pacific Northwest, Wisconsin, the United States and beyond.”

 Mr. Gray personally sampled and reviewed each winner and added how impressed he was with the high quality of entries.

 

Best of Show (tie)

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – No Woman

“Beecher’s No Woman is the cheese that started it all,” stated Mr. Gray, “the first cheese The Lady brought home that I fell in love with. I found that it was a perfect pairing with 34° Sesame Crispbread Crackers and peromyscus leucopus pate.”

BelGioioso – Burrata

Per Spaulding Gray, “The first time I tasted this divine little pocket of yummy cream and mozzarella, I thought I had died and gone to cheese heaven. When The Lady visited the BelGioioso Bellevue Plant where Burrata is made, I was so overcome I lost one of my lives…”

 Best Northwest Farmstead Cheese

Willamette Valley Cheese Company Brindisi

“The Willamette Valley Cheese Company, in addition to making a superior Fontina-style cheese (Brindisi), this local cheesemaker is to be commended as a sustainable Jersey Cow dairy farm that is 100% certified organic.” Spaulding added when naming this cheese his favorite farmstead cheese.

 

Best Bait Cheese

Roth Kase – Petite Swiss

According to Portland’s Favorite Feline Foodie, “Roth Kase Petite Swiss is preferred 10 to 1 by mus musculus living in the Salmon Creek area of SW Washington State.” Now that’s quite a ringing endorsement.

 

Best Pub Cheese

Clawson Creamery – Cotswold

“I must admit I gravitate to flavored cheeses and Cotswold with its onion and chive taste is right up there as one of the best,” states Mr. Gray.

 Best Flavored Cheese Curds

Golden Age Cheese Company Jalapeno Cheese Curds

“These little squeekers make a terrific snack!!” Spaulding Gray

 

 

 Best Everyday Cheeses

“ ‘Everyday’ means the cheese is high quality and yet still affordable for everyday use. Tillamook delivers on so many wonderful cheeses but this is their best.”

 

Cheddar

Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar

Swiss

Roth Kase Petite Swiss

Blue/Gorgonzola

Black River Gorgonzola

Parmesan

BelGioioso American Grana

Gouda

Beemster Vlaskaas

 

   Best Licensed Cheesemaker and Favorite,

Former All-around Party Guy

Roth Kase’s Bob, Wisconsin Licensed Cheesemaker

“Although I was prohibited from accompanying The Lady the day she made cheese with Bob at the Roth Kase Cheese facility, I chose Bob based on how much The Lady liked him…and the fact that he was very patient with her and her other Cheese Stewards who were making cheese that day”. Spaulding Gray added that he trusts The Lady’s instincts as though they were his own.

 

 

 

Cheese Banned From French Public Transportation

Berthaut Epoisses

At room temperature, this cheese is pungent enough to set off the neighbors and have them calling the EPA to report the possibility of a toxic leak. “But, without compare, this is the tastiest Camembert that this Feline Foodie has tasted. I would give at least one of my lives to always have Epoisses at the manse. Ooh, la, la…I love this cheese,” Spaulding Gray exclaimed enthusiastically.

 Special Award:

Sustainable Farming: Turning Sh*t Literally into Shinola

Wisconsin’s Crave Brothers

When The Lady went to Wisconsin to make cheese, one of the cheesemakers her group visited was the Crave Brothers of Waterloo. This farmstead cheesemaker makes the best Mascarpone I have ever tasted.

But above and beyond their superior cheeses, the four brothers literally turn sh*t into shinola, using their  Holstein herd’s processed manure to power their entire plant and up to 120 houses in the surrounding neighborhood.

“These guys are amazing and deserve this special award and it is bestowed on The Crave Brothers with pride,” Mr. Gray enthusiastically exclaims.

 

Spaulding Gray was a stray, gray striped tomcat who adopted The Lady and The Man when they lived in Southern California before migrating to the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Gray reviews the cheeses The Lady sells, observes humankinds and generally acts obnoxious whenever he wishes.

American Cheese Society Awards 2009

American Cheese Society Hands out 2009 Awards:

Northwest Cheese Wins Best of Show: Rogue Creamery (Oregon) Rogue River Blue*

Second Place went to Cowgirl Creamery (California) Red Hawk

Third Place Tie between

Carr Valley (Wisconsin) Aged Mellage

Consider Bardwell Farm (Vermont) Rupert.

Other Northwest winners include:

American Originals:

Monterey Jack – Cow’s Milk:

Second Place – Tillamook County Creamery Association (Oregon): Monterey Jack

Cheddars:

Second Place – Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Washington): Flagship*

Cheddars with Sweet Flavorings, Fruits, Seasonings, Herbs, Spices, Alcohol/Spirits:

Second Place – Rogue Creamery (Oregon) Chocolate Stout Cheddar

Third Place – Rogue Creamery (Oregon) Lavender Cheddar

Cheddars Flavored with Sweet, Savory, Jalapeno, Chipotle, Red, Green Peppers; Black, White, Green Peppercorns; Garlic; Onions:

Second Place: Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Washington) Marco Polo Reserve

Cheddars from Cow’s Milk aged less than Twelve Months:

Second Place: Tillamook County Creamery Association (Oregon) White Cheddar Medium

Mature Cheddars (aged between 25 and 48 months):

First Place: Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Washington) Flagship Four Year Aged

Third Place: Tillamook County Creamery Association (Oregon) White Cheddar Extra Sharp

Blue Mold Cheeses:

First Place: Rogue Creamery (Oregon) Rogue River Blue*

Second Place: Rogue Creamery (Oregon) Mini Rogue River Blue

Feta Made From Sheep’s Milk:

Third Place: Black Sheep Creamery (Washington) Feta

Flavored Cheeses:

Cheeses Flavored with Peppers – All Milks

Second Place: Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Washington) No Woman* (This Feline Foodie’s Most Favored Cheese… in my humble and constitutionally-protected opinion…should have taken First Place…with all due respect to the winner…yeah, right…)

Cheeses Flavored with Crushed of Whole Peppercorns or Savory spices – All Milks:

Second Place: Tumalo Farms (Oregon) Antigo

Third Place: Tumalo Farms (Oregon) Capricorns

Open Category: Made from Goat’s Milk:

Second Place: Tumalo Farms (Oregon) Fenacho

Flavor Added Havarti: Spices, Herbs, Seasonings, Fruits:

Second Place: Willamette Valley Cheese Company (Oregon) Herb de Provence Havarti

Smoked Cheeses:

Smoked Italian Styles:

First Place: Estrella Family Creamery (Washington) Weebles

Smoked Cheddars:

Third Place: Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Washington) Smoked Flagship

Farmstead Cheeses:

Open Category: Cow’s Milk Cheeses aged More Than Sixty Days:

Third Place: Willamette Valley Cheese Company (Oregon) Boerenkaas

Open Category: Goat’s Milk Cheeses Aged More than Sixty Days:

First Place: Tumalo Farms (Oregon) Classico

Second Place: Rivers Edge Chevre (Oregon) Rivers Edge Chevre Astraca

Open Category: Sheep’s Milk and Mixed Milk Cheeses aged More Than Sixty Days:

First Place: Willamette Valley Cheese (Oregon) Perrydale

Second Place: Ancient Heritage Dairy (Oregon) Scio Heritage

Open Category for All Cheese with Flavorings Added – All Milks

Second Place: Tumalo Farms (Oregon) Pondhopper

Cheese Spreads:

Cream Cheese & Other Natural Cheese Spreads – Flavor Added – All Milks – Maximum Moisture 60%

First Place: Rising Sun Farms (Oregon) Gorgonzola Cheese Torte

Third Place: Rising Sun Farms (Oregon) Chili Lime Cilantro Cheese Torte

 

Winning Cheeses outside the Northwest that The Lady sells either on her Kiosk or her Island:

*Roth Kase Petite Swiss – Second Place – Class

*Roth Kase GranQueso – First Place – Class

*Mozzarella Fresca Fresh Mozzarella 8oz Vacuum Pack Ball Smoked – Third Place – Class

*Montchevre Mini Log with Sweet Peppadew – Third Place – Class

*Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Fromage Blanc – Second Place – Class

*Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Cultured Butter – First Place – Class

*Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Cultured Butter – Second Place – Class

*DCI Cheese Company Black Diamond Extra Sharp Cold Pack Cheese Food – Third Place – Class

Congratulations to all the winners!! Congratulations as well to Steve Jones (Steve’s Cheese – Portland) and Tom Van Voorhees (Rogue Creamery) on winning the First ever Cheesemonger’s Presentation Award. Read more here.

*Indicates a Cheese Sold at The Lady’s Kiosk and/or Island.

Please note Rogue River Blue (Best of Show Winner) is a seasonal cheese and will be available late fall.

Golden Age Cheese’s Cheddars

 The small township of Woodhull, New York is located in South Central New York State just north of the Pennsylvania State line. This is the home of Golden Age Cheese Company.

In 1983 Lawrence and Angela Hickey began the company to provide a local source of quality cheese for their community. Since the passing of Lawrence in 2004, Angela and their son, Marco, are continuing the tradition and keeping Lawrence’s dream alive.

The Hickey’s buy their milk from local farmers and it is hormone-free.

In the interest of full disclosure, Golden Age sent me free samples of their cheese with a request that I review the cheese on this blog. There were no other caveats to their request.

Golden Age sent me two cheddars: a yellow extra sharp and a white “super” sharp cheddar. They also sent cheddar curds and jalapeno-flavored cheddar curds, which I will review in my next post later today.

The Lady has always been a big fan of “New York” Cheddars. When the samples arrived she was quite excited. I had to explain to her that I was first in line to sample as I am the cheese connoisseur around here; she is merely the cheesemonger…sheesh…sometimes I get the feeling The Lady thinks she’s the power behind my throne…wrong, wrong, wrong…I am the center of this universe; at least in these parts…but I digress and with all due respect to The Brain, who IS the center of the universe.

Extra Sharp Cheddar:

Extra Sharp Cheddar

The Lady, The Man and I tasted the Extra Sharp Cheddar first. The texture was crumbly but still creamy. The taste was quite sharp and full-bodied with just a nip of bitterness, a taste that I really like. According to the Golden Age Cheese website, this cheese has been naturally aged 2 to 3 years. After our tasting and discussion, The Lady decided to use it to make a Panini and the recipe is posted on my sister blog. You can view the recipe by clicking here.

I give Golden Age Extra Sharp Cheddar 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Obviously, it works well in Paninis and “melts” beautifully. It’s a great choice for a cheese board with grapes and apples. It would also work well in a not-your-everyday mac n cheese. Again, any dish or casserole that calls for cheese would benefit from the addition of this cheese.

Wine Pairings: The Lady suggested New York State Arbor Hill’s Award-winning Noiret - a dry, red wine aged in French Nevers Oak.

Beer Pairings: Award-winning Lake Placid IPA.

Source: Cow’s Milk

Super Sharp Cheddar:

Super Sharp Cheedar

Aged 5 to 6 years, this is one sharp cheddar and for The Lady and me, the sharper, the better. The Lady and The Man had a poker buddy who used to like to say, “So sharp, it’ll take the back of your head off” when referring to sharp cheeses…and that was a good thing… I never had the pleasure to meet Gavin; he retired and moved to Reno before my tour of duty observing The Lady and The Man began; but my money says he would LOVE this cheese. And as an aside, based on comments of The Lady and The Man, if one of my comrades is observing Gavin…wow…do they have their paws full…

This Super Sharp Cheddar is one damned fine cheese…do not pass go…do not collect $200…proceed directly to the Golden Age Cheese Company and order this cheese which is a steal at only $7.99 a pound.

I give Golden Age Super Sharp Cheddar 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: This is a cheese that should be enjoyed alone with crackers, such as 34° Sesame Crispbread, and grapes, pears or apples. The Lady has plans to use to make Cheddar Pop-Overs (I’ll report on this culinary adventure once it has occurred…).

Wine Pairings: Staying with the New York State theme, I suggest Highfalutin Red from the Finger Lake’s Pompous Ass Winery…how could I not???

Beer Pairings: Troy, New York’s Brown’s Pale Ale

Source: Cow’s Milk

In addition to these two fine cheddars, Golden Age Cheese offers a cheddar that is aged 7-8 years and appropriately named “Jurassic Cheddar”. 

They also make Provolone, Muenster, a Double Smoked Gouda and a Smoked Provolone.

Be sure you visit their website – their prices are quite reasonable and their variety of cheeses in quite impressive.

Up next: Golden Age Cheese Company Curds