Yours in Cheese

The best cheese I put in my mouth, Saturday 2/18/12

You guys. YOU GUYS. Go get this cheese. Seriously. Stop reading right now and go. get. this. cheese.*

Soyoung Scanlan is a cheese maker running her own company, Adante Dairy in Petaluma, California. She primarily makes goat’s and cow’s milk cheeses, all named after musical terms.

Like the Wabash Cannonball, Bel Canto is an ash-ripened goat cheese. The similarities end there. This cheese is chalky, fresh, and has a nice acidity to it that is well balanced with the earthiness of the rind. It is delightful from start to finish.

When we tasted this on Saturday, eyes rolled in the back of heads and cries of “Oh my god, you have to try this,” echoed throughout the store. Any cheese that can get tenured cheese mongers this excited is something to behold indeed.

*Bel Canto is made exclusively for Pastoral, so you’ll just have to come to Chicago and stop by to get some. Trust me, it will be worth the trip.

I went to a wine tasting at NotaViva vineyards in Virgina a few years ago. The winemaker is both a musician and music afficionado. In addition to food pairing suggestions his wines come with music pairing suggestions. I would love to eat this cheese with a flight of his wines, particularly the “Cantabile” Cabernet Franc and “Ottantatto” Viognier, which I recall to be my favorites.

Yours in Cheese,

Linds

_________________________________

I hope to make this a regular feature to guide you guys to the cheeses I think you’ll find the most interesting and delicious. Alternate titles are welcome, throw ‘em in the askbox.