I was going to a small Solstice Eve dinner. Of course, I would bring the cheese. I wanted cheeses that would be perfect for summer – either fresh or, if aged, at their peak. So I was off to Central Bottle and Provision to consult with David, my favorite cheesemonger. Central Bottle always has an everchanging inventory of great domestic and international cheeses. David is always seeking out interesting new cheeses, bringing in the best that he can procure from his purveyors. And he always offers many samples – questioning me about cheeses I’ve purchased in the past to determine what I might like of his current stock. I taste, I judge, we move on to the next. For my Solstice cheese plate, I wanted to present the trinity - cow, goat and sheep. After a bit of back and forth, an exchange of cheese-world news and gossip, I had my three.
- “O’Banon“, pasturized goat’s milk, Capriole Farmsead Goat Cheeses, Greenville, IN. These people were at the forefront of the American cheese renaissance. They’ve been making O’Banon for over 20 years. Originally called Banon after the classic French goat cheese, they changed the name to O’Banon when the French cheese was given DOC status. Aside – The French are quite sensitive about proprietary names – witness the brouhaha, including legal action, over the use of the word “champagne”. The new name honors a family friend who died unexpectedly. Due to FDA regulations, the milk for this cheese is pasteurized since it is aged for less than 60 days. The cheese is visually stunning. After molding, the cheese is wrapped in chestnut leaves that have been soaked in Woodford Reserve Bourbon and secured with rafia. When the rafia is cut, the leave unfold like the petals of a flower – how appropriate for summer. The leaves and boubon lend a vegetal tang to the cheese. The texture is ethereal – this is the lightest goat cheese I’ve ever eaten. This cheese has now earned a place on my Cheese Honor Roll.
- “Bouree“, raw cow’s milk cheese, Dancing Cow Farmstead Cheese, VT. Fom the beautiful Champlain Valley of Vermont comes this raw milk washed rind cheese. Since the cheese is aged for a minimum of 80 days, the milk need not be pasteurized. I first had this cheese last August at the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival where I had the opportuniy to meet the Dancing Cow cheesemakers. Theirs is a “back to the land” story. Having been around for the first “back to the land” movement, it’s gratifying for me to see the interest in and commitment to good agriculture continue and, more importantly, grow. At Dancing Cow, the cows are pastured and feed on grass from spring to late fall; the flavors of the pasture coming through in this cheese. The paste is supple and meaty. A substantial cheese for the summer.
- “Frere Fumant“, raw sheep’s milk, 3 Corner Farm, Shushan, NY. I usually don’t eat smoked cheeses. I always feel that in some back room, someone with a bottle of liquid smoke and a paint brush is “smoking” the cheese. So I was surprised when I liked this cheese so much. Of late, the cheesemakers at 3 Corner Farm have been able to introduce their cheeses to the Boston market and the reception has been more than positive. This is an aged cheese – hence the use of raw milk – modeled on Idiazabal, the classic Basque cheese from the Pyrenees. These sheep are pastured and grass-fed and again those flavors come through in the cheese. The paste is slightly dry and tangy with a wonderful smokiness. The cheese was a perfect counterpoint to the O’Banon. The name, Frere Fumant or “Smoking Brother” honors the monk who smokes the cheese.
My Solstice cheese plate was a winner, literally and figuratively. All the cheeses were enthusiastically received at dinner and all have received medals at the American Cheese Society competitions. Happy summer!
Enrich yourself. Visit the websites of these cheesemakers if you care about the practice of sustainable agriculture. These people are living that life. All have a commitment to the land they farm and the animals they raise. This is stewardship at its finest.
