April 2025

Camembert Ferme de la Tremblaye

Normandy, France

“Fermier” signifies farmstead production, where the cheese is made on the farm using milk from the farm’s own cows. A well-known farmstead producer of Camembert Fermier is La Ferme de la Tremblaye, known for their organic production and the use of milk from their own herds of Jersiaises and Prim Holstein cows. 

The paste is soft and creamy, and the rind is bloomy white, caused by a white fungus called "penicillium candidum”. This cheese is gold medal winning, hosts a classic French profile, scallion and cream, earthy. 

Persillé de Rambouillet Blue

Ile-de-France, Paris

For goat cheeses with blue mold, convention calls for the word persillé, because the interior looks like it’s sprinkled with parsley. A whole Persillé de Rambouillet weighs about 2-1/2 pounds and is thoroughly cloaked in vegetable ash. The interior is off-white, lightly marbled with blue veins, lush and spreadable.

Janet Fletcher of Planet Cheese calls this goat stunner “moist and mellow, as luscious as French butter, and with a nutty, toasty scent reminiscent of Saltine crackers”. It’s also described as salty/sweet, with vegetal, wet hay & caramel tones. Even a bit gamey, with white pepper. Let me know what you think?

Brillat Savarin

Burgundy, France

The French gastronome and politician Brillat-Savarin is the namesake of this buttery French triple-crème cheese. Its delicate, bloomy white rind contains a velvety paste with the texture of whipped buttercream. With notes of sweet cream, strained yogurt, and savory button mushrooms, this rich cheese is a decadent treat when enjoyed with Champagne and fresh berries or on a warmed baguette.

Tomme Brulee (Beillevaire)

Base of Mount Baigura in the heart of the Basque Country

As this natural rind sheep's milk cheese matures in the cave for 3-4 months, the rind becomes thicker and harder (but not as thick or hard as parmigiano-reggiano), and the flavors of the cheese become stronger with sweet, fudgy and nutty accents. The texture of the ivory cheese is incredibly smooth and silky, perfect for melting or just enjoying. 

Near the end of maturation, the surface of the rind is burnt with a torch (like a fine Creme Brulee), giving the cheese complex and slightly smoky notes, and gives you ever more reasons to find ways to use the rind - once you have eaten all the silken inner cheese.

Stompetoren Grand Cru Gouda

North Holland

Aging for 18 months in a facility with high humidity creates this robust tasting gouda chock full of caramel and toffee notes all while retaining a rich creaminess on the palate. Though is texture is rich, tyrosine crystals are scattered throughout giving that pleasing crunch. This is a perfect snacking cheese enjoyed alone to revel in the nutty sweetness or with a hearty bread to balance the richness.

Pair with caramel, whiskey or nutty sparkling wine.

Red Dragon

Wales

By World War II, cheese production in Wales had nearly ceased; run out of business by large cheesemaking factories in England. Fortunately for us, there has been a revival of old ways by a new generation of cheesemakers. Now, they are creating other fine cheeses such as Red Dragon, also known as Y-Fenni. This smooth, firm, tasty cheddar is made with Welsh brown ale and mustard seeds. Red Dragon is a buttery and spicy cheese with plenty of bite.

Suggested adult beverage pairing: Brown ale or full bodied red wine

Suggested food: Charcuterie, apple or try it as a grilled cheese sandwich

Moser Mini Screamers

Dotzingen, Switzerland

Dubbed a “Screamer” because everyone screams when they taste it, the Moser Screamer triple crème is a cows milk cheese with 72% butterfat, giving it a decadent creamy flavor. Made in the Bon Cas Dairy in Dotzigen, Switzerland, it is a pasteurized cows milk cheese with a delicate thin bloomy rind, and a very rich buttery center.

Moser Screamer pairs well with Sparkling white wines.

Soumaintrain

Bourgogne, France

Soumaintrain AOC is a French farmhouse cheese made with raw cow's milk in the Bourgogne region. This soft, washed-rind cheese undergoes a brine and Marc de Bourgogne wash during its production. It is Epoisses’ little sister; not so bossy and a lot less stinky.

Quinta

Point Reyes, California

Quinta is a soft-ripened, bloomy rind cheese, inspired by the very famous, seasonally-made Vacherin Mont d’Or . The interior texture is silky-smooth and the rind is fluffy, yet slightly firm with a Bay leaf embedded on the top.

Handcrafted at this Petaluma creamery from the highest quality pasteurized cows’ milk, each wheel is wrapped in Spruce bark that has been infused with the essence of CA Bay Laurel, which is indigenous to the region and ever-present on their farm in Point Reyes (all woman & family owned). Quinta is meant to be enjoyed at room temperature in a single sitting by removing a portion of the top rind and digging in with a small spoon or cheese spreader.

Try this cheese baked in a ramekin: 350 degrees, 12-15 minutes. When warmed, the essences of the bay leaf and birch bark belt are released and magical.

Serve with ham, cornichon, apple for an easy and impressive fondue alternative.

Alp Blossom

Bavaria, Germany

Now made in Germany at Hofkäserei Kraus, comes everyone’s favorite flower covered cheese, Alp Blossom.  Paying tribute to the Alpine environment that helps shape and flavor the milk used in production, this cheese is coated in a diverse combination of dried flower petals, herbs, and spices that grow out in the pastures surrounding the dairy. 

Utilizing raw, unskimmed milk, the already present floral and herbaceous notes of the cheese are further drawn out by the addition the rind.  Not just photogenic and beautiful, Alp Blossom has deep flavors and prominently stands out on any cheeseboard.

Mack & Cheese is located at 410 NE Third Street, Suite 7 upstairs above La Bella Casa
Hours: Thursday - Saturday 12pm - 5pm