We get asked many times a day what our favorite cheese is and the truth is, we don’t really have “a” favorite, we have many. But we do have some good stand bys, cheeses that are sure to please and are delicious! The important thing about a cheese plate is to make sure you have a diverse selection full of cheeses ranging from strong to mild, soft to hard and a variety of milks. Many people like to include a blue cheese in their collection but others choose to skip them, it’s really up to you. We have chosen to skip one here but you can always add one if you like. Either way, mix it up, try some old favorites and a couple of new ones to make a memorable cheese plate for you and your guests.
St. Albray is one of those cheeses we like for those who are looking for something more flavorful than brie but not too stinky or gooey. It is full flavored with a soft yet not quite spreadable texture. Full of earthy flavors, it’s a great way to start a cheese platter. Tomme Fleur Verte is one of the few fresh goats’ milk cheeses we can actually cut to order. Beautifully covered in fresh herbs and peppercorns, this cheese is delicate, tangy yet fresh with just the slightest goaty flavor. It makes any platter stunning and is even more delicious. Manchego is the most popular Spanish cheese we sell because it is the classic party pleaser. Being made from sheep’s milk makes this cheese intensely nutty while having a slight sharpness. Because this one is aged only six months, it has a softer, moister texture than its older brothers. Last but not least is Gaperon, a bit of a wild card but once you try it, you will addicted. Filled with garlic and peppercorns, this cheese needs nothing else. Eat alone or melted on bread for a delicious snack.
Last thing to remember is to serve all of your cheeses at room temperature in order to get the most flavor from your cheeses. Now just enjoy!
St. Albray
Straightforward, on the mild side, vegetal, and a little nutty; this cheese has an unctuous, semi-soft paste with tiny eyes and a scalloped, orange rind with a smattering of white mold. Developed in 1976 and made in Aquitaine, France; pasteurized cow's milk, aged for two weeks.
Tomme Fleur Verte
This is an excellent table cheese! The lovely combination of tarragon, savory, and thyme pressed into the rind - fresh-tasting, not bitter like some - and the semi-soft alabaster-white goat's milk cheese pair very nicely. Creamy, tangy, fruity, with notes of white pepper and the clean yet lingering taste of tarragon. Mmm... Not strong, not goaty, incredibly satisfying. Grab a crusty baguette and a bottle of crisp white wine. Pasteurized, made in Perigord, France.
Manchego
One of Spain's most popular foods. If you have yet to try it, wait no longer! It has the pleasant balance of flavors that endear so many to sheep's milk cheeses: sweet, nutty and buttery, with some sheepy notes. Robust but not strong. Its texture is dry and compact, with many small eyes; the embossed rind has a thatched pattern, remaining from the days when the curds were drained in basket-moulds made of woven straw. Customarily served with quince paste (Membrillo), Spanish almonds, and Jamon Serrano. Made in La Mancha in central Spain, aged for 6 months.
Gaperon
A cute dome of a cheese, about the size of a flat-bottomed grapefruit, covered in a bloomy rind and strips of raffia to tie it all together during again. Beneath the white rind is a springy, semi-soft, ivory-colored paste dotted with coarse-ground peppercorns and flecks of garlic. The cheese itself is mild, but the spices add a nice heady quality, making for a superb snacking experience. Pasteurized cow's milk; made in France.
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