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.