Thomasville Tomme

Thomasville Tomme cheese

I have to preface this blog post by saying any complaint I'm going to share has nothing to do with Thomasville Tomme cheese itself or the company that makes this lovely product. My criticisms are directed at the store where I purchased the cheese, and it's not the first time I have been disappointed by this large chain store. It may not be worth mentioning, though, other than to say that when a cheesemonger tries to sell you old moldy cheese and claims that's how the cheese is supposed to look, take a look at the cheese maker's website before you put down any cash and end up with something well past its prime. More often than not, you will find a description of how the cheese is supposed to look, smell, and taste, and while mold occurring on cheese usually isn't anything too terrible, in this case, Thomasville Tomme isn't supposed to have it. In fact, Sweet Grass Dairy suggests cutting away any mold that happens to develop after the cheese is exposed to oxygen, so if anyone tells you that the mold on this particular type of cheese is not just acceptable but desirable and intended, don't trust her. 

Cut away any mold that develops.

 

On a brighter note, and bright is a great description of this cheese, Tomasville Tomme is a beautiful everyday cheese with a lot of versatility. While it smells like a standard Swiss cheese and has a strong nutty flavor, there's also a wonderful earthy and mushroomy aftertaste, reminiscent of the flavor one finds in a bloomy rind. It's very good. My reaction to eating this cheese is like the second "woo" in this video, displaying genuine appreciation without swooning, jumping up and down, or falling over backward. Every time I eat it, I think, "Wow, that's a really nice cheese." 

Thomasville Tomme is a nice everyday cheese

 

As far as flavor goes, there are notes of straw and grass without any funkiness or dankness. Because the milk used to make this cheese comes from cows that feed primarily on grass, the flavor is fresh, full, and rich with a hint of butter and sweetness. The various subtle notes make a lovely combination.

In a previous post, I discussed tomme-style cheese. In brief, these cheeses are traditionally lower in milk fat, are less acidic, and have a rustic natural rind. Thomasville Tomme is no exception, though I prefer this to many tomme-style cheeses I have tried. There's just something more intriguing about this cheese. It's not bitter or chalky, and it's not dry. In fact, it has an unctuous, beefy interior without being truly oily.  

 

The interior of Thomasville Tomme is beefy.

Like traditional tomme-style cheese, Thomasville Tomme is made from raw milk sourced from the same farm, and animal rennet is used. It's aged approximately 60 days. Unlike many larger companies, Sweet Grass Dairy focuses on sustainability. According to the Sweet Grass Dairy website, Founders Al and Desiree Wehner moved from conventional dairying to a more natural method. They wanted to allow their cows to eat grass. These barn-free dairy cows in Georgia produce milk year-round. 

It's not surprising that Thomasville Tomme has won several awards including first place at the American Cheese Society Competition in 2002, and, more recently, a bronze award in the World Cheese Competition in 2021. 

Although this cheese can be used in cooking, it really shines as a table cheese. Its flavor is more pronounced at room temperature. Pair this cheese with rye bread and dried meat or sausage, seed crackers, green grapes, apricots, roasted nuts, candied pecans, or sun-dried tomatoes. Cube it and add it to a fresh spring salad with Champaign vinaigrette, or add it to a club sandwich.  

 

Grenache pairs well with Thomasville Tomme.

 

Serve Thomasville Tomme with a California Merlot, Pinot Noir, Madrain, Gamay, Grenache, Chardonnay, or a Sauvignon Blanc blend. You can also try it with a Chenin Blanc or even Chanpagne. Those at Sweet Grass Dairy suggest a hoppy Pale Ale if beer is more your thing, but you can also try it with a Doppelbock. 

 

 

Bloomsdale

Bloomsdale cheese is lovely and bright

Some time ago, I enjoyed an interesting goat cheese from Baetje Farms. I won't leave that one unaddressed, but more recently, I stumbled upon a different cheese from the same company and decided to review the two out of order. Bloomsdale, the one I tried more recently, is a wonderful find but not always available in your local supermarket. Fortunately, you can purchase it directly from the source on the Baetje Farms website.

Inspired by the renowned French goat cheese Valencay, a pyramid-shaped little product that's coated in ash, Bloomsdale is a wonderfully intriguing cheese. Considering the location of Baetje Farm near the Forche du Clos Valley where French settlers landed after coming down from Canada in the 1700s, it's not surprising their flagship cheese was inspired by one of the great goat cheeses of France. 

Regarding the flat-topped Valencay, the story goes that Napoleon was angry when he was presented with this pyramid-shaped fromage and insisted the tops be truncated. Apparently, his failure to take control of Egypt came to mind when he saw the cute little dairy product with its pointy hat. The formerly perfectly shaped pyramid reminded the French leader of his defeat, so, in a rage, he demanded that the tops of this cheese be leveled. It seems that for a brief time, France became the opposite of the Pointed Village, and since then, other cheesemakers have also leveled the tops of petit cheeses that would otherwise look like mini royal Egyptian tombs.  

Bloomsdale has a flat top

Sharp top or not, the minor change in shape didn't affect the wonderful flavor of the product back then and certainly hasn't in more recent times. Bloomsdale is a lovely and vivid mold-ripened goat cheese. Inside the bloomy white rind that's rolled in pine ash and salt lies an interior that's similar in texture to some fresh goat cheeses, only it's slightly drier and cakier overall while still very creamy on the tongue. It has a dense mouthfeel without any feeling of it being heavy. The aging process increases and deepens the sharper and tangy notes but doesn't overpower the rich mushroom and earthy flavor. A sharp tang sneaks up on you and is more of a potent aftertaste that lingers, and there's a hint of salt to balance all the flavors. The more the cheese ages, the softer and runnier it becomes, and the more pungent the flavor becomes. 

It's not surprising that Baetje Farms has won many awards for their cheeses, over 70 national and international titles with Bloomsdale bringing home top honors multiple times!

Over time, Bloomsdale becomes softer.

On the Baetje Farms website, they state: 

Our cheese-making facility is built to produce small quantities of cheese coupled with state-of-the-art aging facilities that produce exact temperature and humidity conditions. We use very fresh rennet and cultures that are imported from France and Denmark. The first cheese plant was added onto the barn in 2006 and a second addition in 2011 to meet demand.  Who knows, we just may be added on again soon!

Serve Bloomsdale with Waterwheel crackers, crostini, or a standard sliced baguette. You can add it to a simple salad with vinaigrette or place it alongside fresh grapes, sugared fruit, or dried apricots. Other accompaniments include toasted walnuts, honey, sundried tomatoes in oil, or crudité. This cheese works exceptionally well in a sauce for cooked meat or as a topping on a hamburger. It's even better with meats as the cheese ages. 

As far as beverages, pair Bloomsdale with Reisling, Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, a bright rose from Provence, or Pedro Ximenez. If beer is more your thing, try it with SeaQuench Ale or a Belgian-style Saison.

Try a rose with Bloomsdale. Photo by Vincenzo Landino

Hika Bay

Hika Bay cheese on display.

Wisconsin is known as the number one cheese-producing state in the United States, and a whopping 90 percent of the state's milk supply goes into making cheese. Saxon Creamery by lake Winnebago is about a 40-minute drive from Hika Bay which sits on the shore of Lake Michigan. These two idyllic locations in Wisconsin are where one could sit back and daydream. Hika Bay cheese, named after the bay, just happens to be an affordable dreamy semi-hard cheese exclusive to Whole Food Market. It's one of several kinds of handcrafted goods made at Saxon Creamery using milk from cows that graze on a variety of grasses and plants throughout the year. The plant-dominant diet affects the bovine's milk, which, in turn, contributes to how the cheeses made with this milk taste. In this case, it adds a creaminess and fuller flavor to an otherwise mild product.  

Saxon Creamery creates lovely cheeses

While there's nothing overly fancy about Hika Bay, this cheese consists of a lovely mild buttery paste that's supple and elastic with a slightly muted zing that sneaks up on you without knocking your socks off. Even the aroma is buttery. As the cheese ages, the tang becomes more pronounced. Though any sharpness is soft, it livens up the flavor without distracting from the milder milky and nutty undertones, and despite its mildness, it's a memorable creation. Hoka Bay is described as a Gouda-style cheese, but the flavor is more like a combination of Alpine and mild cheddar with just a hint of sweetness. An ad for Whole Foods boasts that this award-winning cheese is one of the top 16 in the world, but this article in the Green Bay Press Gazette makes no mention of it. Either way, it's worth a try, as it's a subtle but intriguing cheese.

Hika Bay goes well on sandwiches and makes for a great snacking cheese. Pair it with pretzels, cornichons, walnuts, fresh red grapes, rustic bread, or Dijon mustard as a dip or accompaniment. This is a cheese that's wonderful in baked dishes. Add it to hot sandwiches, bakes noodle dishes, potato gratin, or egg dishes. While the washed rind is edible, avoid the outermost part of it that's tough. Unfortunately for vegetarians, the rennet used in the making of this cheese is traditional. 

Hika Bay has a tough outer rind

Beverages that pair nicely with Hika Bay include Gruner Veltliner, Torrontes, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Ruinart Rose, or Malmsey. A Pilsner or Winter Sparkling Ale also goes well with this cheese. 

A variety of white wines and sparkling wines pair well with Hoka Bay Photo by Thomas Martinsen

 

Montealva

 

Montealva Cheese

 

It's hard to believe that in all the years Cured on Pearl Street in Boulder has been open, I had never been inside until a snowy day in March 2022. Despite the bitter-cold weather and just a few minutes after opening time, the place was hopping. There were people in line, waiting for their morning coffee and others getting ready to order sandwiches or other goodies. Before I got too far inside, I got distracted by the wonderful selection of chocolates, jams, and pantry items. Everything is presented beautifully, but when I eventually looked ahead, the cheese counter in the corner called to me as if a celestial light were shining upon it. 

Cured sells some wonderful cheese

The cheese section is where a limited selection of semi-soft, semi-hard, and hard cheeses sit atop an elegant gray counter. Upon closer inspection, it was obvious that Cured carries a variety of unique and unusual cheese from all over the world, and the cheesemongers there can tell you everything you need to know about each. The professional to whom I spoke was very, very knowledgeable and friendly, always a plus. He knew not just what each cheese tastes like but interesting little details about where and how the cheeses are made and aged. Initially, I went in thinking I would buy a super fancy product that I spied on their website, but it was temporarily unavailable. I hope to review that one another time once it's back in stock. There are some wonderfully intriguing selections from which to choose, so, moving to plan B, I opted for an interesting goat milk variety from Spain. 

 

 

Payoya goats in Andalusia, Spain

Montealva 

For over fifty years, the craft of cheesemaking has been shared throughout the Aguilar family in Southwest Spain. Using milk from a herd of over 450 Payoya goats -- a breed that almost went extinct but is, fortunately, still surviving in the beautiful but rugged Sierra de Cadiz region -- brother and sister, Pedro and Isabel, continue their family tradition as affineurs in the town of Torrecera, Jerez. There, they create an extraordinary award-winning cheese called Montealva. This beauty was first introduced to the United States about eight years ago and has become well recognized internationally for its lovely flavor and its beautiful cotton-white interior. 

Some rinds you can skip consuming

 

Inside the darker decorative rind -- rind pattern is an art form in and of itself, and the woven-grass pattern on Montealva is similar to that of Manchego -- that looks and smells (and tastes, though it's not recommended to go there with this type of rind!) like it has been rolled in dirt lies a supple paste that's bright and full of flavor. There is a strong barnyard smell that escapes the moment the wrapper is opened, but once the cheese is exposed to air, the musky, stinkier aroma dissipates. 

The flavor of this charming cheese is mild with more pronounced notes of citrus and a zingy tang that sneaks up on you without overwhelming your taste buds. Imagine a mild cheddar with a bit more spring in its step, one that makes you turn and take notice. The texture is creamy and smooth but slightly crumbly. Closer to the rind, the taste is more earthy, but the bulk of the interior is fruity, buttery, and sweet with just a hint of salt and nuttiness, a combination of flavors that some might call umami. The more it ages, the more the goaty flavor emerges.

 

Montealva is a lovely, uplifting cheese

 

Keeping with the tradition of cheese made by their ancestors, the Aguilar family makes sure that Montealva remains all-natural and free from any artificial colors or preservatives. This semi-firm cheese made from pasteurized goat milk is aged two months and pairs beautifully with light toast, Spanish olives, apples, honey, marmalade, dried apricots, or fresh figs. It can be used on sandwiches to liven them up or added to baked pasta or tomato dishes. Try it in an arugula and pear salad with a creamy balsamic dressing or grated over scrambled eggs for an uplifting breakfast sure to wake you up and brighten your day. 

As far as beverages, this cheese almost demands a fino sherry but pairs nicely with a Spanish rose, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling Cava, or a fruity Syrah. If beer is more your pleasure, Saison is a good option, as is a wheat beer.

Fino sherry pairs well with Montealva

Cheese Board Ideas

When it comes to cheese, finding the exact number of different varieties around the world is nearly impossible. There are so many! New varieties continually emerge while others are discontinued. Some estimate that there are close to two thousand types of this dairy product, and when it comes to cheese, people have strong opinions about what kind is best. A favorite of one person might be unappealing to others. Not everyone is down with the sour notes of Pont L'Eveque or Petit Munster, for example. However, creating a lovely cheese board that has the potential to please even the fussiest cheese connoisseurs is easy when you follow some guidelines from professionals in the industry. 

A note about terminology. There are people today who use charcuterie board and cheese board interchangeably, when, in fact, they are not the same thing. Though it's now acceptable to use the former when referring to the latter, traditionally, "charcuterie board" -- charcuterie being the French term related to prepared and cured meat products -- was used specifically to describe serving trays that are meat forward. As one might expect, a cheese board puts cheese on center stage.

Both eating and presenting cheese to guests should be enjoyable activities. Whether it's a large or small board, much of the joy of creating a specific array comes from being thoughtful about the selections of both cheeses and accompaniments. Entertaining can provide a great opportunity to introduce others to your favorites, but 

keep in mind the tastes of your guests. If you don't know, don't assume. 

The prudent way to go about selecting cheese for guests is to opt for at least one that's a classic, something that nearly everyone is sure to like.

Cheese boards can be presented before or after a meal or as part of a buffet-style fare. Typically those served after the main dish are considered a replacement for dessert or a course served right before dessert. These are usually smaller with fewer options than a standard cheese platter.

Photo by Mgg Vitchakorn - Un petit gout de fromage

Before you run to the store and start buying items for your cheese board, look for inspiration either online or in books. If you really want to indulge, spend some time getting lost on the Cheese Sex Death website and follow Erika on social media. In her newly published gorgeous and informative book, Cheese Sex Death, A Bible for The Cheese Obsessed, she suggests in The Book of Plating chapter the following when considering how to go about putting it all together:

 

1. Curate an Array of Delicious Things: Look for a variety of textures, colors, and flavor profiles. 

 

2. Bring It All to Room Temp: As always, temper both Cheesus and Her accompaniments before serving. [As the fat in cheese starts to warm up in temperatures around 68 degrees, the flavors become more pronounced. The texture also changes and becomes creamier, but limit the time cheese stays at room temperature to four hours.]

 

3. Plate with Purpose: Arrange each body from mild to strong, place their favorite accompaniments nearby, and give everything its own utensil. 

 

4. Enjoy Yourself: Plating is an act of worship, so set aside enough time so you can enjoy the process and express yourself.

 

Book by Erika Kubick - Cheese Sex Death - A Bible for The Cheese Obsessed

Getting more into specifics, when Elizabeth Chubbuck of Murray's Cheese was featured on the Today Show in 2020, she also suggested going from "mild to wild" when assembling a cheese board. Most agree that a selection of three to five cheeses is optimal, depending on the crowd you plan to serve. 

Using Elizabeth's suggestions, start with a soft, mild cheese such as fresh chevre or fresh mozzarella. Next in line would be a semi-soft cheese like as Brie or Red Hawk, cheeses that are guaranteed to please almost everyone, followed by a semi-hard variety such as Lamb Chopper or a nice Gouda. Add in a hard, sharper cheese like raw milk Manchego or Cave Rebel, and that leaves one more selection left, a walk on the wild side. In this spot, anything goes, from a wonderful blue cheese to a truffle cheese to a stinky favorite. Don't be afraid to ask your local cheesemonger for advice or suggestions, and take the time to learn which cheeses are best for cooking or served heated, and which shine at room temperature.

While variety is encouraged, cheese selections can also be themed and more uniform. Some ideas for themed presentations include a board consisting of local cheeses, cheeses from a particular country, seasonal selections, or items that are associated with a particular holiday. No matter what cheeses you choose, it's nice for guests to know what they are consuming. Cheese board labels are a great addition to your display. 

Once you have selected your cheeses, look for complimentary accompaniments. Items to consider are sliced bread or crackers, dried or fresh fruit, pickled fruits or vegetables, cured meat or pate, nuts, chocolate, jams or honey, dips, and crudité. Be thoughtful about the arrangement and the flavors. Some pungent herbed or flavored breads and crackers might not be a good match for cheese. Citrus fruit can also be a challenge because of the strong acidity that can overpower more subtle cheese flavors. A way to get around this is to broil or grill fruit slices or use a marmalade instead. Most other fruits don't need much preparation and complement cheese well, enhancing certain notes while contrasting the savory profile with a sweet one. As much as the board should look pretty, it should also be balanced, and items such as fresh fruit should never be placed on dry ingredients like crackers or bread because the juices will cause either to become soggy. 

In order to prepare a successful cheese arrangement, start with the largest items first and then add the accompaniments and garnishes last. In her book mentioned above, Erika has excellent advice when it comes to presentation. Make sure meats and fruits are offered in manageable bites. You can roll sliced meat or fold the slices into triangles. There's also the option of being more creative with your display by making meat flowers. Finishing touches can include brûléeing the top of cheese, or adding herbs, nuts, edible flowers, or other toppings to accentuate the cheese. You can get really creative with this, and as Erika suggests, enjoy yourself. Creating and sharing a cheese board should be something that makes your heart sing. 

Sample Cheese Board with A Focus on Milder But Interesting Cheeses:

The Cheeses

Chavrie Plain Goat Cheese 

Hartwell 

Midnight Moon

Sparkenhoe Red Leicester

Epoisses 

Bread And Crackers

Sliced Baguette

Carrs Wheat Crackers

Water Wheels

Meats

Prosciutto 

Pate de Campagne

Accompaniments 

Cornichon

Marcona Almonds

Coconut Dark Bark

Balsamic Reduction

Strawberries

Dried apricots

Tart cherry spread

Serving Utensils

Small Spoons (Cherry Spread, Balsamic Reduction, Nuts)

Cheese Knife (Hartwell)

Spreading Knife (Soft Cheese, Pate, Epoisses)

Mini Tongs (Cornichon, Fruits)

Other Additions and Decorations

Brulee Blood Orange Slices 

Edible flowers

Beverages

Wine

Beer

Sparkling Water

Willoughby

Willoughby is an elegant wash rind cheese by Jasper Hill. The original recipe was created by Marisa Mauro, owner and operator of Ploughgate Creamery in Vermont, a company known now for its small-batch artisanal cultured butter. You can check out some of the unique butter flavors here. Shortly after a fire at the Ploughgate creamery in 2011 caused production of Willoughby to cease, Marisa accepted Jasper Hill's offer to continue to develop the recipe. The result is another gourmet winner.

Upon opening the Willoughby wrapper, the smell of barnyard immediately escapes. When anyone suggests that this is a "gateway" to wash rinds, I beg to differ. It's mild but not nearly as mild in aroma or flavor as something like Red Hawk, the true gateway cheese. The more robust scent and taste shouldn't scare cheese samplers away, though. It's a nicely balanced and wonderful little round. The flavor is not overwhelming and doesn't punch you in the face, but it has a bite to it. On the funk-o-meter scale with 10 being a cheese that smells like old socks left in a teen's gym locker far too long with a flavor that raises eyebrows and 1 being Red Hawk, this rates as a 3.5, not too potent and not too mild. 

Inside the slightly sandy light pink-orange rind that's washed with Montanaro Vermouth di Torino, is a soft, creamy paste that holds its shape when cut. The interior is incredibly smooth and melts in your mouth. It's really lovely, as are many cheeses from Jasper Hill. The company does an outstanding job of collaborating and working with local dairy farmers to create intriguing artisan cheeses, Harbison being one of my all-time favorites. Like many other wash-rind cheeses, the outer layer offers flavors that are earthy and stronger than what's inside. 

Nearly everywhere I looked, I saw descriptions copying those on the Jasper Hill website suggesting that Willoughby emits an aroma of roasted beef and onions and has notes of peaches. If I concentrate really hard and imagine myself in a peach orchard, I can sort of force myself to detect a hint of peach while nibbling on this cow milk product, as there are some hints of fruitiness, but, for the life of me, I don't get the smell or taste of roasted beef and onions anywhere. I just don't, nor did my cheese-tasting companion. Still, I like the creative description considering that the cheese is beefy in a way, only that's more in terms of texture. It has substance and character. 

What jumps out are notes of straw and butter followed by a sharp tang finish that hits the back of the mouth. The potent tang might mask more subtle flavors initially, however, the nutty notes reminiscent of raw hazelnuts (minus the bitterness of the skin) and fresh cream shine through in the end. A bit of saltiness enhances the cheese overall. I wouldn't say that Willoughby is overly complex, but it has nice layers of flavor. This is a cheese that will please nearly everyone. 

The plump little round that's made with traditional rennet goes well with pain de champagne, cured meats, stone fruits, cornichons, walnuts, and even crackers with honey. Heating mellows the stronger edge of the cheese and enhances the nutty flavors. Though it's not an ideal cooking cheese, it could be successfully used in a potato gratin or with other cheeses in a fancy mac and cheese. 

As far as pairing beverages with Willoughby, you can't go wrong with Gewurztraminer, Riesling, or Malbec. It pairs equally well with Blanc de Noir, Jurancon, Rose, Sangiovese, and Viognier. You can also try it with a scotch or red ale, cider, Calvados, or a good stout.