The Pairing: Wrangeback + The Chook

by Sophia Stern

We only have one Swedish cheese in our case, which makes it pretty easy when customers say “I had this one cheese… it was so good…it’s from Sweden”. Bingo, it’s Wrångebäck. This Alpine-esque cheese is a fan-favorite. It features an addictively creamy texture and a buttery, umami flavor similar to Gruyère and Comté. Wrångebäck is balanced with a bright, acidic quality, making for a smooth finish. A sparkling red is the perfect pairing to handle this this beefy, creamy, bold Swedish cheese. We’ve chosen The Chook Sparkling Shiraz from Australia as a semi-sweet and spicy balance to this rich, savory cheese. 

Wrångebäck isn’t just delicious, it’s Sweden’s oldest and most historic cheese. Officially, Wrångebäck dates to 1830, but some version likely goes back to 1225, when the farm it’s made on now was established by monks. Known today as Almnäs Bruk, the farm is located on the western coast of Lake Vättern, the second largest lake in Sweden. Production of Wrangeback thrived from the 1800’s to the mid 20th century. However, World War II halted the making of artisan cheese in Europe. A move towards industrialization reallocated the milk from Almnäs Bruk for commercial use. It wasn’t until 2008, when the fourth generation family owner decided to restart making Wrångebäck. With the help of 82-year old cheesemaker, Hans Stiller, the original recipe and methods of Wrångebäck were reinstated to Almnäs Bruk. 

Today, Almnäs Bruk is a thriving farm and historic estate with extraordinary respect towards the land. The diverse landscapes are maintained with attention to the species that call the farm home. Grasses are allowed to grow tall so the birds can nest and thrive. The cows eat feed made from the land they live and graze on. The cattle breeds are varied and unique, some rare and saved from extinction by the Almnäs Bruk team. They enjoy changing landscapes, from open pastures to ancient forests. The cheesemakers preserve their hard-won terroir by thermalizing the milk, instead of pasteurizing, saving the microorganisms that make Wrångebäck so unique and delicious. 

Enter The Chook, a sparkling Shiraz from south Australia. This New World wine is full-bodied, showing off the ripeness and intensity for which Australia's Shiraz’s are known. Notes of dark berries, tobacco, and cola bounce around this bottle. It’s standard to pair alpine-style cheeses with reds, but since Wrångebäck is so rich, so dense, so creamy, The Chook's bubbles offer a relief. The sweetness in the wine eases the beefier, savory qualities of cheese, making Wrångebäck extra addictive. This pairing screams to be featured around a BBQ. The wine is fun and cola-like, while the cheese is perfect alongside some grilled meats or ideal melted on a burger.

The Pairing: Cabezuela + Mauny Cremant de Loire Brut

by Sophia Stern

It’s rare we get a pairing right on the first try. We tend to go back and forth between several bottles before finally settling on what hits just right. But now and then, we open our first pick, take a sip and a bite, and it’s perfect. Thus is the story of this week’s pairing. We’re featuring La Cabezuela Tradicional Semi Curado and Château de Mauny Crémant de Loire Brut, a delightful duo that helps each other shine. 

Like many stories we feature on this blog, Cabezuela begins with people in search of something meaningful and long-lasting. In 1991, couple Juan Luis Royulea and Yolanda Campos Gaspar decided to leave their communication and journalism careers for something different. They bought and effectively rescued Quesos La Cabezuela, an old creamery in the Guadarrama mountains outside of Madrid. To revamp the creamery, Juan and Yolanda turned their attention to the native breed of goats living in the area. The hearty, rugged Guadarrama goats were approaching extinction, but by exclusively using Guadarrama goat milk from local shepherds, the Cabezuela creamery revitalized the goat population, preserving the traditions and history of the land. 

Though the creamery makes a handful of cheeses that reflect the land and preserve the local history, we’re highlighting the Tradicional Semi Curado, which we just call “Cabezuela”.  This style of cheese, semi-firm and super creamy on the palate, dates back to at least 1750, when the Guadarrama goats were originally used for cheesemaking. Continuing the cheesemaking traditions into present day, the goats still graze on the mountainside pastures, eating thyme, acorns, heather and diverse grasses which impart a herbal and distinctly unique terroir into their milk. Guadarrama goats only produce 2 liters of their milk a day, about half as much as other goat breeds. The uniqueness of the land and the limited milk supply make Cabezuela a cheese we’re truly lucky to see in our case. 

Château de Mauny Crémant de Loire Brut is the ideal wine to handle this cheese. Hand-picked in the Loire Valley, this 80% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay sparkling beauty is bright and refreshing. The clean bubbles of the Crémant break through the richness of the Cabezuela and the floral, peachy notes balance the funkier qualities of the goat milk. On the flip side, the savory notes in the cheese bring out an intrigue in the Crémant which otherwise reads only crisp and floral. This pairing satisfies and shines. Most importantly, the cheese is a delicious reminder of the connections between quality food and tradition, and how they are revived by each other. Enjoy this pairing knowing the food you eat preserves history. Or with honey. Whatever you prefer. 

The Pairing: Mt.Tam + Domaine l'Idyle Cruet

by Sophia Stern

Just north of San Francisco, cows graze on grassy cliffsides overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Mount Tamalpais looms in the distance. Beautiful Red Woods and Cypress trees grow nearby. Here, Cowgirl Creamery creates some of the countries most famous cheeses, including the beloved Mt Tam. For some of you, Mt Tam is a familiar favorite. If you aren’t acquainted, this soft little cheese is a delicious, triple-cream made with cow’s milk in the North Bay. Fluffy, buttery, and so delicious, Mt Tam will please your entire Easter crew. This batch of Mt Tam is young and delicate, so for the pairing we’ve gone with the easiest-going white we could think of: light and delicious Domaine de l'Idylle Savoie Cruet from France. This wine lets the Mt Tam shine and goes beautifully with all the asparagus, quiche, and spring things around your Easter table. 

Cowgirl Creamery began with college friends Sue Conley and Peggy Smith. They’d been introduced to the California food scene on a trip to the Bay in 1976 when food revolutions like Farm-to-table and the Back-to-the-land movement were taking off. After several decades in prestigious food careers, Sue and Peggy came back together to create Tomales Bay Foods, a foods business championing Californian agriculture and local food traditions. Their business featured a small cheese making operation that bore Mt Tam and other iconic cheeses before becoming the most well known aspect of their business. Made with pasteurized milk from cows foraging on the costal pastures, Mt Tam is earthy, slightly salty, and so decadent. It’s a reflection of the unique landscape of the northern California coast. Although they have many cheeses, Mt Tam is definitely the most iconic and with good reason. It’s buttery and rich, while still being pretty easygoing and fresh as spring air. 

To let the Mt Tam shine, we’ve gone with the Domaine de l'Idylle Savoie Cruet. Made of 100% Jacquère, a typical Savoyard grape variety, this wine has a light floral aroma and subtle notes of pear and citrus. Grown in some of the best clay and limestone soils in all of Savoie, sunny days and cool nights create this mature and crisp wine that’s easy on the palate. This bottle offers the Mt Tam just enough acidity and fruit to make the cheese all the more craveable. Although delicious enough, Mt Tam also shines with sweet, sour and spicy spreads. Our favorite is the American Spoon Sour Cherry Preserve, but honey or jam do the trick. If you like it spicy, pick up a hot jam or our one of our new chili crisp products and dab it on. However you enjoy your Mt Tam, we hope this week’s pairing will bring you spring feelings for Easter weekend, even if the weather does not. 

The Pairing: Bayley Hazen Blue

by Sophia Stern

Bayley Hazen Blue is definitely a monger favorite. Not only is it sweet, earthy and creamy, but Bayley seems to always fit right in. If someone’s looking for a delicious blue to snack on, Bayley Hazen hits the spot. If someone wants a blue for salad, steak, or dessert, Bayley is the way to go. If someone needs a blue they’ll love, but their blue-adverse relatives will still enjoy, Bayley swoops in to save the day. So this week, we’re leaning in to the versatility of Bayley Hazen Blue and pairing with three different beverages. For a light and fruity option, we picked BrightCider by 2 Towns CiderHouse. For a non-traditional pairing, we chose the Mountain Standard IPA from Odell Brewing. For a classic, decadent experience, we pinned Warre’s Otima 10-year Tawny Port. 

Bayley Hazen is an award-winning cheese from Jasper Hill farms, who’ve been rocking the domestic cheese game for the past two decades. In 1999, in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, brothers Andy and Mateo Kehler, along with their wives, Victoria and Angie, bought a run down dairy farm that hadn’t seen cows for over forty years. The Kehler family, who’d spent summers in Greensboro, wanted to create sustainable, fulfilling work in a place special to them. Today, Jasper Hill is one of the biggest names in domestic cheese and a star on the global stage, winning international cheese awards since 2012. Though Jasper Hill is famous for many cheeses, Bayley Hazen stands out. Modeled on traditional British blues, Bayley is fudge-like, with nutty notes and aromas of grass. There is no peppery kick, making Bayley flavorful, but mellow and easy to enjoy.

If you’re in the mood for a bright, refreshing pairing, try the appropriately named BrightCider from 2 Towns out in Oregon. Only using apples from the Pacific Northwest, this semi-dry, cider is fruit forward and easy-going. On the other end, if you want a funkier, earthy option, go with the Colorado's Mountain Standard IPA from Odell Brewing Company. Mountain Standard is a middle ground between juicy, sweet East Coast IPAs and piney, citrus forward West Coast IPAs. Like Jasper Hill, Odell is a standout domestic producer. They have pioneered much of the craft beer renaissance we still see today. Finally, if you’re looking for luxury, go with a classic and pair Bayley with Warre’s Otima 10-year port. From the Douro Valley, the highest quality wines are selected to age in seasoned oak casks until perfect. The port’s burnt sugar notes meld with the Bayley’s nutty, sweetness, while the acidity in the tawny port cuts through the cheese’s rich paste. Indulge in the multitudes of blue cheese and pick up all three pairings, or go with the one that speaks to you. No matter what, Bayley Hazen Blue will always be there for you.     

The Pairing: Carpenter's Wheel

This week we shine a light on the lesser-understood art of affinage, as it relates to the production of artisan cheese here in the US, by featuring a cheese, named Carpenter’s Wheel, born out of a collaboration between FireFly Farms Creamery, in Accident, Maryland, and the affineurs of Crown Finish Caves, located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Nestled amongst the northern Appalachian mountains, on a small farm towards the western tip of Maryland, FireFly Farms Creamery sources fresh goat milk, daily, from a small selection of local dairies, and transforms the milk into small, 6 wheel batches of large-format goat milk cheese, stamped with the same traditional hex pattern, or carpenters wheel, as the one hanging from the farm’s main barn. At this point of the cheese’s production, work on the farm is finished. Wheels of cheese then make their journey to Brooklyn, where they’ll mature for the next 6 months, living in an environment of near 90 percent humidity, and at a steady temperature of around 55° F, in the former lagering tunnels of the old Nassau Brewery, now used for aging cheese by Crown Finish Caves.

Having won the Super Gold award for a similar cheese, Belle Vita, while competing at the World Cheese Awards in 2010, making quality artisanal cheese wasn’t a new concept for FireFly Farm Creamery. The problem they encountered following their recognition, was a lack of space for aging their cheeses on the farm, and as a result, were forced to discontinue production of the award winning recipe and focus on smaller, younger cheeses.

Almost ten years later, FireFly formed a collaboration with Crown Finish Caves to age wheels of Carpenter’s Wheel in Brooklyn, with the first batch of cheeses arriving in late March, 2020, in what would turn out to be the start of a global pandemic. The timing was certainly problematic, but now, more than 2 years later, the fruits of their partnership are now stocked in our cheese cases, and our mongers are excited to share them with you!

Recognized for its mild tang, and smooth, earthy paste, we’ve paired Carpenter’s Wheel with the Flora Prosecco from Col di Luna Winery, hailing from the Veneto region of northern Italy. The wine’s high level of acidy, combined with a generous burst of bubble, promote the cheese’s sugars, leveling and cleansing the palate. With a floral nose, and fruity notes of unripe peach and pear, the Prosecco effortlessly navigates the cheese’s complexities and leaves you wanting more.

The Pairing: Robiola Bosina

by Sophia Stern

In Piedmont, right where the mountains meet the hills, isolated villages have produced fresh, creamy cheeses, referred to as Robiola, since at least the 15th century. Robiola is a traditional Italian cheese, classically made with the milk of goats grazing on the hilly countryside. Because Robiola is usually only a few days old, the cheese has a reputation for being extraordinarily runny and soft, with nuanced notes of Piedmont’s native grasses, herbs, and flowers. Today, a beautiful twist on the classic Robiola is lovingly and expertly crafted by a family who’s been in the cheesemaking game since 1881. Cheesemakers Caseificio dell’Alta Langa have opted to make their Robiola Bosina with cow and sheep milk, creating a buttery, sweet, luscious softie perfect for sharing with others. Robiola Bosina’s distinct square shape features a thin rind and a mild yet intriguing paste that is as silky as can be. For the pairing, we’ve gone with a Lambrusco effervescent enough to break through Robiola Bosina’s creaminess and just tart enough to balance the rich cheese without washing it away. 

Robiola Bosina is an excellent example of what happens when tradition and innovation meet. Although the cheesemakers of Robiola Bosina use modern technology, their dedication to local tradition keeps their cheese authentic and delicious. Alta Langa prioritizes small batch production, high quality dairy, and local history in their cheesemaking. They also credit the land they operate on for the excellence of their products, expressing gratitude for the steep countryside, far from commercialized areas, for keeping their traditions alive and free from contamination. Slightly unconventional, Robiola Bosina isn’t made with any goat milk. Goats don’t produce that much dairy, so Caseificio dell’Alta Langa uses their high quality sheep and cow milk supply to make their version of this Italian classic.  When Robiola Bosina is at its youngest, it’s a milky butter bomb with mild floral notes. After a few weeks, Robiola Bosina becomes a little earthier. Aromas of hay, ranging from sweet to musky, start to develop. At any stage, this cheese must be eaten at room temperature or all the nuanced flavors will be overshadowed by the fridge and the texture will be tight instead of ooey and relaxed. 

To go with this rich square of creamy goodness, we’ve picked a loveable Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna. Chiarli Vecchia Modena Lambrusco is grown in fertile mixed loam soils and made with 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara grapes, a thinner skinned varietal. This combination produces a delicate, light bodied wine with depth and intrigue. The lighter Lambrusco style pairs perfectly with the Robiola Bosina’s delicate flavors, but the bubbles keep up with the rich texture of the young, soft cheese. Pick up some of our featured Red Table salamis to go with this summery pairing to be transported to the Italian countryside. 

Tip: Don’t be intimidated by the unusual topper to this bottle. This wine uses a clamp to keep the cork on, rather than a more traditional cork cage. To open - stick the knife of your wine opener (or a strong butter knife) between the clamp and cork, then twist to pry it off. Keep your thumb over the cork while doing so to prevent unintended projectiles!

The Pairing: Coolea

by Sophia Stern

We have a lot of Goudas in our cheese case. At any given time, we have about 5-8 shiny, flat sided, large wheels of Dutch or Dutch-inspired cheese. Each one has its own unique profile, but none of the Goudas are as grassy, as savory, or as vegetal as Coolea from County Cork, Ireland. Although this Irish Gouda is not made in the Netherlands, it is made by a Dutch family living in the mountainous village of Cúil Aodha, anglicized as Coolea. To go with this Irish wheel, we’ve picked a cheerful Italian red made from 100% Barbera grapes in Piedmont. 

Coolea is a beautiful merge of Dutch cheesemaking tradition and Irish terroir. At the end of the 1970s, the Willems, a Dutch family, emigrated out of the Netherlands. They settled in County Cork, Ireland in the village of Cúil Aodha located in the beautiful Derrynasaggart mountains. There, Dick and Helene Willems decided to venture into cheesemaking, using the milk produced by their small herd of cows on their small, but picturesque farm. The Willems family drew on their Dutch heritage, making a Gouda-style cheese unlike any other cheeses being produced in County Cork and named the cheese Coolea, after the anglicized pronunciation of Cúil Aodha. Like most of Ireland, Coolea gets ample rain year round and the land is lush, diverse, and green. The cows grazing on this pasture produce a herbal, grassy milk that balances well with the usually-sweet Gouda style. Since the 70s, the cheese has taken off as an international favorite and won national recognition as one of the best cheeses in Ireland. Now made by Dick and Helene’s son, Dicky, Coolea continues to be an incredible reflection of the Irish landscape.

We’ve pared this Irish delight with the Ercole Barbera. If you haven’t yet had the Ercole wines, now is definitely the time. Ercole is the ideal party wine. It’s affordable, comes in a liter, and has a screw cap for easy access. Most importantly, the Ercole line of wines are really, really good. For the Coolea, Barbera works particularly well. The Italian red lifts the rich, nutty notes in the cheese and keeps the grassy qualities front and center. We picked Ercole Barbera not only for the Irish Gouda, but because it should fit right in with the rest of your Saint Patrick’s Day feasting and festivities. While Ercole is perfect for sharing with a group, it’s also easy to enjoy alone or with a partner as the wine is only 12.5%. Try Ercole with your corned beef and potatoes or go lowkey this Thursday and just party with the cheese and wine. Either way, it’s basically spring, so say a fond farewell to the winter months with this fruity red and savory Gouda pairing. 

The Pairing: Gabietou

by Sophia Stern

When we talk about mountain milk cheese, we often focus on cheesemaking traditions in the Alps. Images of snowy peaks, ski lodges, and fondue made with Gruyère and Emmental come to mind. But only a few hundred miles southwest from the Alpine region are the Pyrenees mountains, marking the boarder between France and Spain. A multitude of incredible cheeses come from the Pyrenees region (including the beloved Ossau-Iraty), but this week we’re featuring a new-to-us stunner from the French mountains, Gabietou. Made with sheep and cow’s milk and expertly aged by Hervé Mons, Gabietou is a semi-firm cheese that literally melts in your mouth and has a thin orange and brown washed rind. We’ve paired this fan-favorite with a stunning Sancerre, which breaks through Gabietou’s richness with notes of citrus, peaches, and slate. 

Gabietou began in 2001, when cheesemaker Gabriel Bachelet, frustrated that he could not find satisfying mixed milk cheeses in his region, created his sheep and cow washed rind wonder. The animals that produce Gabietou’s milk are moved up into the mountains during the summer months. They graze on high-altitude fresh pastures full of unique flowers, herbs, and grasses which are enriched by the summer sun. As the weather starts to turn, the animals are shepherded down the mountainside to lower pastures. Through this process of transhumance, the animals eat diverse nutrients and provide flavorful, rich, nutrient-dense milk excellent for cheesemaking. Once the sheep and cow’s milk is curdled and pressed into molds, the wheels of young Gabietou are washed daily in a water and rock salt solution. The rock salt used in the brine is acquired from a nearby village’s natural springs. From the inside out, Gabietou tastes of the land it comes from. 

 To break through the rich texture of Gabietou’s paste, we’ve paired this ever-so-slightly funky cheese with a fruity and mineral Sancerre from Domaine Phillipe Girard. Along the Loire River, Phillipe Girard’s estate has been making wine since the French Revolution, but only for close family and friends. It wasn’t until the 1960s that Maurice Girard begin bottling and selling their Sancerre to the public with great success. Made from 100% Sauvignon blanc, Philippe Girard Sancerre grows in clay and limestone heavy soils, giving the wine notes of minerality. Other notes of white flowers and peaches balance the wine. Philippe Girard Sancerre works well with Gabietou’s sweet, butter, and almond flavors and tames down the slight animal note that comes from the washed rind. This pairing is a lovely example of two distinct culinary traditions, and together they are balanced and delicious. 

The Pairing: Cremont

Small and mighty is the theme of this week’s pairing, from the cheese itself to the state it comes from. Though tiny, Vermont is one of the prime locations for cheesemaking in the US. With bountiful forests and excellent soil, dairy farming has flourished and created some of the best domestic cheeses in the country. This week, we’re focusing on our first mixed-milk cheese, Cremont from Vermont Creamery. Sweet cow’s milk and cream mixed with herbaceous, tangy goat milk creates the decadent, dynamic soft cheese of our dreams. For the wine, we’ve chosen a fruity Beaujolais-Villages with enough body to hold up to the density of this Vermont gem.

Although Vermont is now well-known for its local, artisan cheese scene, Vermont Creamery was one of the first to champion Vermont cheese. The creamery began as a collaboration between Allison Hooper, a Vermont cheesemaker who learned the trade in France, and Bob Reese, who worked for Vermont’s Department of Agriculture. Allison was one of the few Vermont cheesemakers Bob could find to supply fresh goat cheese back in the early ‘80s. Together, they started a 60 goat dairy farm. This goat dairy became Vermont Creamery, growing from 5 to 25 to over 100 employees. They were the first to sell American made Mascarpone and American made European-style butter. Today, they get their cow’s milk from the century old St. Albans Cooperative Creamery, which includes over 350 family farm members who produce milk at the highest standard. As is pretty common for high-distribution creameries, Vermont Creamery no longer hosts their own goat herd, but receives high quality goat milk from twenty farms across New England and up into Canada. 

Modeled on the soft cheese traditions Allison learned in France, Cremont is a delightful dive into cow and goat mixed-milk cheese. The cow’s milk provides sweetness that mellows out the tart and tangy goat’s milk, tampering any gamey notes that often pop up in 100% goat cheeses. The hint of cow cream creates a luxurious, smooth texture that starts fluffy and melts in your mouth as you eat it. Only aged for 15 days, this cheese is fresh and bright and deeply satisfying. Because Vermont Creamery uses microbial rennet, all of their cheeses are entirely vegetarian, too.

We’ve picked a 100% gamay grape Beaujolais-Villages to handle this rich and flavorful wheel. In one of the 38 designated villages for Beaujolais-Villages, Domaine de Roche-Guillon is made by the family’s fifth generation winemaker. The wine evokes cherries, earth, and a slight tobacco note. The wine’s acidity and dryness balances out Cremont’s decadent texture and sweet cream flavor. If you’re looking for a comforting pairing that has enough complexity to have you going back for more, this Beaujolais and mixed-milk softie is the way to go.

The Pairing: Wilde Weide

by Sophia Stern

If dates, bourbon, and gouda are not a go to trio when looking for a cheese pairing, hopefully now they will be. Together, the three offer a caramelly and decadent experience. Although it’s not uncommon to suggest pairing cheese with stone fruits (think apricots), dates are not the first stone fruit people think of.  At room temperature, Medjool dates become jammy with dark, caramel flavors and tons of sweetness. Similarly, bourbon tends to be sweet and rich, making it a great pairing for aged cheeses that can hold their own against stronger, dark liquors. However, the star of this trio is truly the gouda, Wilde Weide. Savory, slightly sweet and with a great crystalline crunch, Wilde Weide is a staff favorite that appeals to both sweeter palettes and those who prefer a savory edge to their cheese. 

We love to describe the unique circumstances surrounding a cheese’s journey into existence, but Wilde Weide’s journey is a particular joy to talk about, from calling it a “Dutch island cheese” to the singing cheesemaker. It starts, like most cheeses, with the land. Most of the Netherlands rests below sea level. People have engineered ways to reclaim land from the sea with island-like plots of land called ponders. On one of these ponders, in the middle of a lake in the southern Netherlands, Jan, Roos, and their herd of 40 or so cows live, farm, and make Wilde Weide. Because the island is technically seabed, the soil is minerally, salty, and full of sea clay, giving the plants that grow there different nutrients and flavor from the grass on the mainland. The cows graze these pastures and once they’ve eaten all the grass, Jan and Roos herd their Montbéliardes and red Friesians onto a boat so the cows can munch on a different island. Although Jan and Roos make cheese year round, only seven wheels are produced a day and the aging process takes roughly 15 months, making Wilde Weide small-batch and rare. If you want further proof that this cheese is a product of passion and love, Roos regularly makes her way to the cave and sings to her aging wheels of gouda on their wooden shelves. 

To pair with the nutty, buttery, slightly sweet Wilde Weide, we chose Bowman Brothers Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Bowman Brothers has familiar notes of vanilla, but is also oaky and spice forward, playing well with the savory notes of Wilde Weide. The pairing shines with just a few drops of spring water in the bourbon, but enjoy however you like. Try Bowman Brothers on the rocks, in a cocktail, or simply neat. And if you don’t feel up to a bourbon pairing this week, do yourself a favor and at least get a package of Medjool dates with a wedge of Wilde Weide. You might be surprised to find a new found favorite.