46 culturecheesemag.com B E S T C H E E S E S 202 2
OCOOCH MOUNTAIN
RESERVE
Hidden Springs Creamery
Westby, Wis.
Brenda and Dean Jensen run Hidden
Springs with old-school farming
practices, using draft horses to pull
equipment, eschewing chemical
inputs, and raising 500 East Friesian
and Lacaune sheep on pasture. This
care and respect for tradition shows
through in cheeses like Ocooch
Mountain Reserve, named one of the
World's Top 20 Cheeses at WCCC.
Aged out to six months, this
Alpine-style wheel has a dense texture
and intensely nutty, savory flavor
reminiscent of a sheep's milk Gruyère.
SHEEP MILK FETA
Briar Rose Creamery
Dundee, Ore.
Some think of feta as a utilitarian
cheese, exiled to salad bars and
dusty tubs of supermarket crumbles.
Briar Rose's sought-after, multiple
award-winning, highly seasonal feta is
different, made with traditional sheep's
milk rather than the cow's milk that's
more commonly used in the US. It's
subtle and complex, offering notes of
strawberry, orange blossom, and honey,
along with the characteristic briny
profile and creamy yet crumbly texture
we love in this iconic style.
DIRT LOVER
Green Dirt Farm Creamery
Weston, Mo.
This creamy, dreamy button highlights the lusciousness of sheep's milk—and the
power of time to alter a cheese's character. When young, Dirt Lover is buttery and
citrusy, with a hint of mushroom from its ash-coated bloomy rind. As it ages, the
interior of this ACS First Place American Originals winner gradually softens, taking
on a spreadable texture and meaty, fungal flavor notes.
DIRT LOVER + MEYER LEMON MARMALADE
The most intriguing pairings are those that both
complement and contrast—and this combo is a textbook
example. The bright acidity of the marmalade cuts through
the creamy, tongue-coating paste while the floral, zesty
sweetness amps up the cheese's delicate citrus notes.
