Say Cheese: A Guide to Organic Cheese
Find tasty organic cheddar, mozzarella, muenster, feta and more for your next meal.
May/June 2006
By Natural Home Staff
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Photo Courtesy Thistle Hill Farm
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Organic cheeses are popping up on store shelves in a surprising variety of flavors. There’s a cheese for every occasion: a quick lunch, a gourmet picnic, an elegant party. Whether it’s from a small family dairy or produced on a large scale, certified-organic cheese is from cows and sheep that eat organically grown feed and are raised under healthy conditions without antibiotics or growth hormones. Here are some of our favorites.
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Raw Milk Farmstead Cheddar
Maker: Neighborly Farms of Vermont
Taster's Notes: Complex cheddar that's slightly sharp without being overwhelming. Slightly crumbly texture reveals a hint of butter flavor.
Other Cheese by Neighborly Farms: Colby, feta, herbed cheddars, Monterey Jack
Red Hawk (soft-ripened)
Maker: Cowgirl Creamery, California
Taster's Notes: Earthy, full-flavored, triple-cream cheese that's aged six weeks and washed in brine that tints the rind red-orange.
Other Cheese by Cowgirl Creamery: Mt. Tam (brie-like), Pierce Point (with herbs), St. Pat (in nettle leaves)
Muenster
Maker: Organic Valley
Taster's Notes: Creamy and rich, sweet and nutty, this orange-rinded cheese is everything a Muenster should be.
Other Cheese by Organic Valley: Feta, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, Swiss, Colby, Monterey Jack, grated Parmesan
Montasio five-month aged (Asiago-like)
Maker: Samish Bay Cheese, Washington
Taster's Notes: Subtle blend of delicate flavors in a mild, but complex, cheese. For a sharper taste, try the 15-month aged Montasio.
Other Cheese by Samish Bay Cheese: Gouda (aged and herbed), Mont Blanchard cheddar
Mozzarella
Maker: Horizon Organic
Taster's Notes: With just a touch of salt, this mild cheese is great for cooking. (The shredded variety is oh-so-convenient.)
Other Cheese by Horizon Organic: Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss, cheddar, shredded Parmesan
Tarentaise (Swiss Alp style)
Maker: Thistle Hill Farm, Vermont
Taster's Notes: This firm cheese, aged at least five months, is smooth, nutty and mild with sweet caramel and maple undertones. Created according to French and Swiss Alp tradition.