I recently enjoyed a taste of Clothbound Farmhouse Cheddar from Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont. This cheddar is made in the traditional method from raw milk of the purebred Brown Swiss cows raised on the Shelburne Farm (giving it “farmhouse” distinction). The Clothbound Farmhouse Cheddar has been hand-wrapped and aged for more than a year in cheesecloth. It has a sharp flavor and a lovely pale gold color. It sells for about $24 per pound. This cheese can be ordered directly from the Shelburne Farms General Store at shelburnefarms.org/ or from igourmet.com/.

I recently discovered this luscious triple cream pasteurized cow’s milk cheese from the Ile-de France region.  It is a subtle cheese with a gentle mushroom flavor.  It pairs well with a sparkling wine.  It can be found at Oxbow Cheese Merchant and sells for about $22.50 per pound.

This is a fantastic soft-ripened cow’s milk cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery in Port Townsend, Washington.  The milk is from a single herd of crossbred Holsteins.  It has been aged for 28 days.  The rind has been ashed.  It was one of our favorites from our recent cheese club shipment from Raymond & Company.

This is a very flavorful cheese made from raw cow’s milk by Estrella Family Farm in Montesano, Washington.  The rind has been washed in apple brandy, and the cheese has been aged for 90 days.  It has a full, rich taste.  I found this cheese at Raymond & Company in Glen Ellen, California.

This is a naturally rinded blue cheese made from whole raw milk, primarily morning milk which is lower in fat.  It is produced in Vermond by Jasper Hill Farm.  It is aged for 4-6 months.  It has a crumbly texture and rich flavor.  It sells for $24.50 per pound.  It pairs well with a Late Harvest Semillon, a Muscat or a Sauterne.

This is a cow’s milk cheese that comes from the Dauphine area of France, just north of Provence.  It is very creamy, mild, acidic and salty.  It is best when aged about six weeks.  It pairs well with a nice Gigondas wine.

This flavorful cheddar is made from unpasteurized milk from Holstein cows in the English countryside using traditional methods.  It is aged on wooden boards for at least two years while being turned periodically.  It sells for $28.50 per pound.  This cheese is quite complex in flavor and can stand up very well to a large Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is a pasteurized cow’s milk cheese made by Zuleta Dairy in Equador.  It has been aged for a minimum of 4 months.  The orange color comes from annatto seeds.  This cheese is similar in color to the French cow’s milk cheese, Mimolette.  It can be difficult to find.  Locally, it is carried by Napa’s Oxbow Cheese Merchant.  It sells for $28.50 per pound.

This is a soft-ripened goat’s milk triple cream cheese.  It has been enriched by adding cow’s milk creme fraiche to the curd during the cheese making process.  It is made by cheese maker Soyoung Scanlan of Andante Dairy in Petaluma, California.  It is sold in half-pound rounds for $20 each.  It is an exceptional cheese.  Suggested pairings are Champagne, Chenin Blanc, Sancerre, and Sauvignon Blanc.

This is a triple cream cow’s milk cheese from Burgundy.  It has 75% butterfat.  This cheese is soft-ripened with a bloomy white rind and a pale yellow, butter-like pate.  It is very mild in flavor and creamy.  It sells for $20/lb.  Suggested pairings are Champagne and sparkling wines.