As a lover of cheese, I find that I am constantly on the lookout for the next best cheese. Cheese that is different, unique and perhaps, unheard of. I realize that I cannot be selfish with my findings, so I will share a couple of my new favorites with you! As a side note, these cheeses are so new to us that we don't even have an image of them to share. Don't worry, they're coming soon!
Beehive Cheese Company: The Beehive Cheese Company is located in Utah and owned by 2 men who quit their day jobs of real estate and software to make great artisan cheese. They use products that are native to their state and produce fantastically clean and flavorful cheese. My all time favorite is Barely Buzzed--a semi-hard cheese that is packed full of surprises. Rubbed with a mix of coffee and lavender grounds that are diluted with oil (so that they won't seep into the cheese, rather, they stay on the surface), this cheese imparts a bold coffee taste with hints of caramel and butterscotch. The accolades on Barely Buzzed are impressive--it took 1st place in 2007 and 2008 at the American Cheese Society Annual Competition under the Flavored Cheddar category. I serve this cheese for dessert along with Columbia Winery's Chardonnay, because the buttery profile of the wine pairs well.
Rogue Creamery: Based out of Oregon, Rogue Creamery is one of my all time favorite cheese companies. They specialize in blue cheeses (winner of the Best Blue Cheese in the World by the World Cheese Awards located in London in 2003...a first for a US cheese) which rival France's famous Roquefort Cheese and cheddar cheeses infused with uncommon ingredients. There are 2 cheddars that I am especially fond of: Lavender and Chocolate Stout. The Lavender Cheddar is made with organic French lavender and the flavor imparts a sweet note on the mild cheese. The floral flavor isn't overwhelming; rather it lightly lingers on your palate. I prefer not to pair this cheese with wine but instead with Vanilla Bean Dry Soda.
As for the Chocolate Stout Cheddar, it has been infused with real chocolate, chocolate malts and Rogue Chocolate Stout Ale (a microbrewery in Oregon that shares the same name). This leaves the cheese with a light brown marbling and a taste that is unlike no other. I find that this cheddar starts out bittersweet (from the Ale) then finishes with a sweet chocolate note. This cheese is best complimented by an ale or stout. . .but I prefer to pair it with a robust, fruity wine. Any viognier will do, but the one I like best is Sobon Estate's Viognier.
I hope you will enjoy these cheeses as much as I do! And if you find the next best unique cheese, feel free to let me know--I would love to try it out and share it with others. Happy eating!