Sartori Bellavitano and Asiago Cheeses

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The Lady began selling three cheeses this week from Sartori and brought home samples for your favorite Feline Foodie (that would be me) to sample and review. The Lady reminded me that Sartori was one of the hosts of the Cheese Reception the first night she spent in Wisconsin when she went to make cheese for Kroger.

First up:

Sartori Bellavitano Gold:

Wow, this is one nice cheese. It tastes like a combination of Cheddar and Parmesan – a perfect balance in my book. At room temperature this cheese is creamy and the flavor just pops out and grabs your taste buds and doesn’t let go. Crafted in Wisconsin by Master Cheesemakers, Bellavitano Gold is an addition to your cheese board that’s sure to please even the pickiest guests.

I give Sartori Bellavitano Gold 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: On a cheese board with cashews and a selection of fruits such as pears and apples. You might also spread a little Dijon Mustard on it and serve with 34° Crispbread Sesame Crackers. You could also add a couple chunks of this to your homemade Marinara sauce and kick it up a couple of notches.

Wine Pairings: 14 Hands Merlot.

Beer Pairings: Sand Creek English Style Special Ale

Sartori Rosemary and Olive Oil Asiago:

This cheese was milder than the Bellavitano Gold but the addition of the rosemary and olive oil added a nice edge to the cheese. It was nutty with a pungent aroma.

I give Rosemary and Olive oil Asiago 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Again, this cheese would go well on a cheese board with nuts and dried cranberries. I would also add this to a minestrone soup recipe to give it another flavor level.

Wine Pairings: Shypoke’s 2007 Napa valley Charbono

Beer Pairings: Oregon Nut Brown Ale

And last, BUT certainly not least:

Bellavitano Gold with Pepper:

The outside of this sublime cheese is rubbed with lots of cracked pepper and the additional taste makes an already great cheese even better.

I give the Bellavitano Gold with Pepper 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestion: The Lady paired this with Beecher’s Original Crackers and the combination made The Man swoon; not literally but you get the idea… The Lady added a few green grapes and the cheese board was perfect.

Wine Pairings: Charles Shaw Shiraz (which won a double gold medal in 2002 – besting 2300 other reds) aka “Two Buck Chuck” – a great table wine from California’s Bronco Wine Company and Fred Franzia and sold exclusively at Trader Joes.

Beer Pairing: Washington State’s Anacortes Brewery Imperial Fresh Hop Rye Pale Ale.