New York Cheese Shopping

I didn't think about it but standing at the Whole Foods cheese counter I realized that traveling East brought an opportunity to taste a new range of local cheeses. Eager to share the region's wealth both the cheesemonger at Whole Foods and famed purveyor of Northeast regional cheese Saxelby Cheesemongers in Essex market offered tastes of their favorites from the Hudson Valley, Vermont, Pennsylvania and from the finishing caves in of all places Crown Heights Brooklyn.

 I tasted nutty Jersey girl from Cooperstown Cheese Company, Bonne Bouche from Vermont Creamery, sheep's milk Ewe's Blue from Black Sheep Cheese, award winning Tarentaisewrom Spring Brook Farm. . . and many more. But the real standout, the cheese I couldn't resist was Seven Sisters from Pennsylvania's Farm at Doe Run. Completely new to me it's a tremendously flavorful Jersey milk cheese that tastes like a cross between a familiar Alpine cheese like Gruyere and an aged gouda or parmesan. It's irresistible.

I'm taking a giant wedge home to James.