20 culturecheesemag.com B E S T C H E E S E S 202 2
PLEASANT RIDGE
RESERVE
Uplands Cheese Company
Dodgeville, Wis.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve is one of the
most awarded cheeses in American
artisan history—an impressive feat
the first time that phrase was uttered
over a decade ago, made all the more
impressive by how long Andy Hatch's
team has managed to keep it up.
Still made with raw milk only during
summer months when cows are on
fresh pasture, Pleasant Ridge Reserve's
brine-washed rind is a welcome sight
for sore eyes on any cheese plate. We
hope it never changes.
GRIFFIN
Sweet Grass Dairy
Thomasville, Ga.
Winner of a Good Food Award and
WCA Gold, Griffin is further proof
of Sweet Grass Dairy's ascendant
cheesemaking prowess. To make
it, they start with the blueprint of
a French farmhouse cheese, then
wash the raw-milk curds in Terminus
Porter from neighboring Gate City
Brewing Company. The resulting
wheels have an earthy rind, rich
yellow paste, and flavors of malt and
hops, perfect for nibbling beside a
beer or melting on burgers.
PRUFROCK
The Grey Barn & Farm
Chilmark, Mass.
If you long to be on Martha's
Vineyard but can't quite figure out
how a ferry works, this multi-award
winner is the cheese for you. Crafted
with the pasteurized milk of cows
that munch the island's saltwater-
lashed grasses and washed in a
briny bath, Prufrock exudes coastal
glam. Technique from Normandy
and Ireland collides with American
ingenuity for a sticky orange block
that tastes like tropical fruit and sour
cream when young, and meaty jerky
when ripe.
PRUFROCK + SPICY CHUTNEY
The boldness of Prufrock begs for something
strong to stand beside it. Deepen its mystery
with spicy chutney or onion relish and wash it
all down with the yeasted peppery profile of a
Belgian farmhouse ale.
Photos:
Prufrock
by
Molly
Glasgow
