Grafton Village Sage Cheddar

Sage Cheddar at the Grafton Village Cheese Company Website

Here's a very interesting cheddar from Grafton Village Cheese of Vermont. They're not kidding when they say it's both flavored with sage AND rubbed with sage oil. The sage flavor is intense - honestly, I would be fine with a tiny bit less sage-iness. You can barely taste the lovely cheddar under all that sage. Still, it's a delicious and intriguing cheese. The flavor is quite warm and inviting.

For how strongly and specifically flavored it is, the Sage Cheddar is also open to pretty much anything - you could definitely put together some exciting and unexpected flavor combos with this cheese. Have a taste and then let your imagination run wild; it will be a delightful addition to any meal or snack.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Bergenost

http://www.yanceysfancy.com/natural_cheeses.htm

Bergenost is a "Norwegian style" triple-cream cheese made by Yancey's Fancy of New York. It has a mild yet full flavor that is like a cross between Havarti and Monterey Jack. Its texture is like Havarti as well, but a tiny bit firmer. It's very good on sandwiches, or eaten sliced with various nibbles. Don't serve it with anything too intense - it would be very nice with some raw vegetables or fruit and crackers.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Mondrian

http://www.fromartharie.com/products/khdejong.html

Mondrian is a "Swiss type cheese", and I'm not sure what that means in terms of how the cheese was made, but that's exactly how it tastes. It is also a Dutch cheese, but I think that K.H. DeJong cheesemakers are U.S.-based, so I guess I'll classify it as both.

So, Mondrian is a pale cheese filled with large holes, like Jarlsberg. It tastes like Swiss cheese, but stronger and sweeter. It's also very nutty. I like that it has a slightly softer texture. It's a good cheese for sandwiches, and it would also go well with fruit, nuts, etc.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Kerrygold Aged Cheddar with Irish Whiskey

http://www.kerrygold.com/usa/product_cheddar_whiskey.html

I treated myself to two new cheeses for the Fourth of July. I suppose it would have made more sense to pick two American cheeses, but... I didn't.

The first cheese I tried is this cheddar with Irish whiskey from Kerrygold. Cheese and whiskey you say?! I know, it is an unexpected combination. I've tried plenty of wine- and beer-infused cheeses, but never a whiskey cheese. I was most pleasantly surprised. The texture of this cheese is superbly creamy; it melts in your mouth.

The first thing you taste is a lovely, sharp, aged cheddar, but then you notice the warm, rich, "sitting in the library by the fireplace" flavor of a nice whiskey seeping in. It's delicious. Not really a summer cheese, though. I picture it being perfect on a cold winter night, served on a little platter with some strong cured meats, and of course some fine Irish whiskey to drink with it.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

German Tilsit

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=089S

I'll just quote iGourmet directly here:

"Tilsit was invented by homesick Dutch immigrants trying to recreate Gouda. Due to various factors, they were unable to recreate their beloved cheese. What they did create was a brand new cheese they named Tilsit."

That's a nice way of saying that they FAILED. Tilsit is a failed cheese experiment that somehow became popular in Germany, and I cannot begin to imagine why. From iGourmet again:

"Tilsit has a mildly pungent aroma..."

OK, that's just flat-out untrue. Tilsit is not "mildly pungent". It smells like a truck full of rotting garbage left to bake in the sun. No lie. It is the second-worst-smelling cheese I have ever smelled. And the taste in no way makes up for it. It tastes like a crappy, stinky, garbagey gross cheese. Do not invite this cheese into your home. I like German cheese, but they made a huge mistake with this one.

RATING: 1 out of 5 stars

Butterkäse

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=759S

Butterkäse! Isn't that a great name? It's another German cheese, my favorite German cheese in fact. I love a cheese that tastes like it sounds, and Butterkäse does not disappoint; it's buttery as hell and delightfully mild. It definitely tastes like a young cheese, sort of bright and sunny. It will make you want to frolic through a meadow, with its sunny, cheery flavor.

Butterkäse is great for any cheese-related need - it's interesting enough to serve at a party, yet mild enough to eat on sandwiches, burgers, grilled cheese, or whatever.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Bruder Basil

http://www.cheese.com/Description.asp?Name=Bruder%20Basil

I only recently got into German cheese. I never really thought of Germany as a big cheese country, but I have found that there are quite a few unique and tasty German cheeses.

Bruder Basil is a smoked cheese, and I have never particularly enjoyed smoked cheeses, but this one is definitely an exception. The smoky flavor is lush, complex, elegant even; it reminds me of high-quality pipe tobacco, a delightful taste if ever there was one.

The texture is what you'd expect if you've ever eaten a smoked cheese before. They seem to be uniformly springy and sort of rubbery in texture, I'm not sure why that is. It should go well with just about anything you feel like eating.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Tuxford & Tebbutt English Mature Cheddar

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=2247S

Do you like cheddar cheese? Have you tried this particular cheese? If you haven't, your cheddar experience is woefully incomplete.

Tuxford & Tebbutt mature cheddar is white, dense, and coated in chic black wax. It is incredibly sharp and rich. One paper-thin slice and your head will nearly explode with the intensity of the flavor. It is like sharp cheddar times ten. It's creamy and velvety. It is by far the best cheddar I have ever tasted in my life.

It is brilliant in a cheese plate and goes great with red wine. You could also use it to great effect in cooking, if you're willing to cook with such pricey cheese. Tuxford & Tebbutt has a great reputation in the cheese world; the iGourmet link above gives an overview of their history and high standards. Now, go out and get some of this cheese. You won't regret it.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Fromage D'Affinois de Brebis

http://cheeselibrary.com/fromage_daffinois_de_brebis.html

Fromage D'Affinois de Brebis is a GREAT sheep cheese. If you've never tried sheep milk cheese before, start with this one. But make sure you are getting the "de Brebis" variety with the cute little Ewe on the label - there is at least one other variety of Affinois cheese made from cow's milk.

The texture of this cheese is ultra-soft and gooey - as it sits out and comes to room temperature, it will start to run, so make sure you contain it somehow. It smells totally sheep-y, but not bad. ("sheep-y", to me, suggests a sort of musky, earthy smell, not unlike a strong mushroom.) The rind has an interesting texture too, and is fun to eat.

Brebis tastes really awesome and complex, and I assure you that you will love it. It's kind of salty, yet buttery, creamy, nutty, and almost meaty even. There's definitely a strong aspect of what white people call "umami" in this cheese. Glop it on to some crusty bread and thank me later.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Saint Andre

http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/cheese/cheese-details-5640.asp

What can I say about Saint Andre? It's a triple-creme cheese with 75 percent milk-fat. That means that it is like butter encased in a delicious moldy crust. It's a very good cheese, and almost disturbingly buttery. Its texture is so, so rich. Velvety, really. This is not a cheese you should eat every day.

It tastes like brie, yes, but more sophisticated. It goes well with crusty bread, fruit, whatever you want, really. Wikipedia warns: "Saint-André is so fatty it can make a white wine taste sour and metallic: a crust of baguette and a light beer or simply a slice of pear are often suggested as better complements." Damn! It's so fatty that it can ruin a glass of wine! That's one fatty cheese.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Mimolette

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimolette

Mimolette is a really cool-looking French cheese. As you can see, it looks almost exactly like a cantaloupe. It is also a very, very vibrant orange. Its flavor and texture vary with age, but I have only ever seen it available in the aged variety.

I don't really care for Mimolette's texture. It's very hard, but not crumbly as much as intensely chewy. The flavor is interesting, though. It's a very strong, bright taste that I imagine would go better with beer than with wine. If you plan on serving cheese at your next party, Mimolette would be a good choice since it's cool-looking and has a pretty unique taste/texture combination. As for me, it's not my favorite, but I don't hate it or anything. Also, its crust is made by cheese mites, which is neat.

RATING: 2 out of 5 stars