B E S T C H E E S E S 202 2 culturecheesemag.com 45
BREBIS AND
RAMP SPREAD
Blackberry Farm
Walland, Tenn.
When the foragers at
Blackberry Farm harvest
sought-after ramps in early
spring, it's only natural
that their cheesemakers
pair them with sheep's
milk, another highly
seasonal ingredient that's
abundant at the same time.
The rustic, savory flavor of
the wild leeks melds with
this rich and tangy fresh
cheese—an ACS First Place
winner—boosting its earthy
qualities to create a spread
you'll want to dollop on
anything and everything.
HUDSON FLOWER
Old Chatham Creamery / Murray's Cheese
Groton, N.Y. / New York, N.Y.
In Corsica, France, fresh, delicate rounds of Fleur du Maquis
are coated in local herbs, berries, and flowers to bring out
the flavors of the botanicals on which the animals graze. In
New York, affineurs at Murray's use a similar technique for
this WCCC Best of Class winner, coating young wheels made
with sheep's milk from Old Chatham Creamery with a blend
of herbs found in the region. Rosemary and hops offer piney,
resinous notes, while lemon thyme and chervil amp up the
brightness of fresh sheep's milk.
CROZIER BLUE
J&L Grubb Ltd. / Cashel Blue
Fethard, Ireland
This rich, sweet wheel gets its name from St. Patrick's Crozier,
a silver relic in the shape of a shepherd's crook said to be
carried by the saint—a fitting name for a sheep's milk cheese
made in Cashel, where the relic is kept. Crozier, a WCA
Super Gold winner, is the only sheep's milk blue produced
in Ireland, with a creamy texture shot through with blue
marbling and a briny profile that has notes of toasted nuts.
Photo:
Ramp
Brebis
by
Paige
Miller
