Both of these cheeses are edible the way a wine can be quaffable: put it on a platter with a knife and guests will flock to them for their nutty flavor and creative edge.
Barely Buzzed
Barely Buzzed, the blue ribbon winner of the American Cheese Society in 2008, is produced at the Beehive Dairy in Utah, one of the only dairy farms in that state. The rind of this cow’s milk cheese is rubbed with a blend of espresso and lavender, flavors that permeate gracefully to the core of the cheese as it ages. The cow’s milk flavor is rich enough (sharp and nutty, like an aged Comte) to not get overpowered by the coffee and lavender, which give the cheese a deep roasty flavor.
Tomme Brulee
The Tomme Brulee cheese comes from the Basque region of France, at the foot of the Baigura Mountain tucked into the far southwestern corner near the Spanish border. This tomme (meaning “cheese") is made from ewe’s milk in small batches. The ewe’s milk has a floral, chalky flavor (not unlike goat’s milk) that marries perfectly with the flavors the brulee method imparts. At the end of the cheese’s maturing period the rind is singed with a naked flame, imbuing the cheese with nutty, roasty complex flavors, and giving the cheese it’s name: Tomme (cheese) Brulee (burnt). If you enjoy this cheese, I also recommend Midnight Moon by Cypress Grove Chevre, a goat’s milk gouda with a very similar flavor profile.
Both cheeses are available at Andrew's Cheese Shop in Santa Monica. Enjoy!
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