We brought up a wheel of Gruyere that had been aging in our “cellar” for 8 months. When we originally recieved the cheese it was already at least a year old. To our surprise and pleasure the aging brought out the flavors of spring grasses and sunshine that I associate with a spring Comte. We liked the results so much that we may put aside another one for next year.
In our most recent shipment of cheese we got in a few wheels of Moses Sleeper from Jasper Hill Farm. It is a small 1.2 pound wheel of sweet, unctuous heaven. It is made from pasteurized Ayrshire cow’s milk and aged for 2 months. I tasted this cheese last year when I was in New York and brought a wheel back in my suitcase to share with my fellow cheese mongers at the store. It has just become available to us via normal shipping routes.
In other cheese news, Janet Fletcher is offering cheese and wine classes in Napa. They will be held on the first Thursday of the month starting in May. For more information check out her website at www.janetfletcher.com. Click on Cheese Classes.