Culture Magazine

42 culturecheesemag.com B E S T C H E E S E S 202 2 ARINA MATURED FrieslandCampina Bodegraven, Netherlands Arina is a semi-firm, silky-smooth Dutch goat gouda. Zijerveld makes an entire line of Arina cheeses that vary in terms of the herbs and spices added to the curds and the length of time the wheels are aged. The product that got the attention of the ICDA judges is aged 17 weeks, compared to Arina Young and Arina Old which are aged six to eight weeks and more than 35 weeks, respectively. The medium maturation point of Arina Matured makes it a very versatile cheese. CABRA AL GOFIO Grupo Ganaderos de Fuerteventura, S.L. Fuerteventura, Canary Islands This approachable, semi-firm cheese is made from pasteurized Cabra Majorera goat's milk using a traditional method of coating the rind in gofio, a roasted grain (mainly wheat or maize) flour found in the Canary Islands. Available in the US primarily through Queens, New York–based importer Forever Cheese, its flavor is milky and mild with subtle hints of corn and a sweet finish. TRUFFLYN GOATS CHEESE Harvey & Brockless Ltd. London, England United Kingdom–based fine foods purveyor Harvey and Brockless produces its popular Ashlynn soft-ripened goat's cheese at its dairy in Worcestershire called the Cheese Cellar. In Trufflynn, which won a Super Gold at the WCA, cheesemakers swapped Ashlynn's ashen center line for a thin strip of truffle paste. The lemony sharpness of buttery Ashlynn picks up an earthy, umami tone in this related, but unique, new cheese. BILLY BLUE Carr Valley Cheese La Valle, Wisc. A winner of national and international awards since 2006, this four-month aged goat cheese has a creamy, ivory-colored paste shot through with Penicillium blue-green veins that give the final product a slightly crumbly texture. Its fresh but assertive briny flavor is balanced by the goat milk's savory nature; the combination is reminiscent of a feta, but with a blue twist on that theme. Photos: Billy Blue by Desiree Duggan

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