I’m looking forward to defrosting my sourdough batard this weekend for sandwiches, but also for finishing off the Rouge River Blue we picked up in OR.
3 Likes
Red Hawk: It has already been mentioned but I wanted to give a shoutout to the Cowgirl Creamer Red Hawk. I have been eating this cheese since it was first produced in 2001. The Red Hawk cheese originated by accident when a batch of the normally mild Mount Tam took a detour into delicious Epoisse territory. I remember a quote from one of the owners about how surprised they were . You can read about the origin story on their website. The owners of the Cowgirl Creamery sold the business in 2016. Somewhere around this time the Red Hawk became almost indistinguishable from the Mount Tam. Very firm very boring. I stopped buying it for several years. Then a few years ago I saw a round in a cheese store in Berkeley. I picked it up and it was soft! Was the Red hawk back to it’s original glory? I am happy to say YES. I have been buying it on a regular basis since. The combination of intense creaminess and funk elevates it for me to a level above other washed rind cheeses. It really is something that is extremely joyous to eat. When I buy it the thing I do is toss in a slightly opened Ziplock and toss it in my wine fridge for a couple weeks just to ensure it’s fully ripe.
I also would like to give a shoutout to Four Fat Fowl creamery St. Stephen cheese. I’ve been eating it around 10 years now. It’s an excellent triple-cream washed rind cheese. Less intense and more buttery than the Red Hawk.
1 Like
Glad you brought that up, delicious, far too long since I have had it.
1 Like
true story: i put a round of Red Hawk out of the way on the counter to come to temp. in the late morning. when my partner returned from work in the evening she immediately took out the trash; “something is festering in the kitchen garbage, i had to take it out.” but that was to no avail, the stank persisted. Red Hawk strikes again.
train ride to Funky Town. great cheese.
5 Likes
This is new to me. Adding it to the (ever growing) list. Thanks!
1 Like
I love this one too - just picked up a round at Murray’s today, in fact! I believe they had Red Hawk as well - I’ll be sure to look for it next time.
2 Likes
When we lived on the UWS, Westside Market had an unusually broad cheese selection, and anything marked “manager’s special” was usually a great deal. I recently stopped by the location next to the 92nd Street Y, smaller selection, but still some interesting options at very fair prices, I might even say suspiciously low prices.
Best
1 Like
Nicasio Valley Cheese’s Locarno
is a poor man’s Red Hawk. Not washed rind but if left to “grow up” for several weeks or more from the usual green purchase age, it becomes soft-center, runny and deliciously stinky. Quite marvelous and half the price. 2/1 specials often available at Nicasio stand at Bay Area farmers’ markets.
3 Likes
I stopped into a new to me cheese shop today where they were happy to cut me 2 oz pieces of several cheeses. Clockwise from top left:
Double Dutch Gouda - cow and goat, separated by ash. The cow is the yellow part and is more pungent than the whiter goat. Delicious.
A very ripe Taleggio - cow.
Tome Fleur Herbed Chevre - goat. Very nice, the herbs are mostly tarragon.
I appreciated the detailed sales slip.
Polar Vortex from Fuzzy Udder Creamery which I bought from the cheesemaker herself at the farmers market. This is extremely tasty, 60-day aged cow’s milk cheese. She said it would be great crumbled on a steak which I intend to do.
8 Likes
Intriguing.
3 Likes
I would get it again.
The Brillat Savarin did not work in an omelet. It melted into a liquid, and the delicate flavor was sort of lost. Back to Fromagier d’Affinois for me.
5 Likes
TFTOFTT 
and good to know!
My favorite cheeses for mixing into eggs (as scrambled or onlette) are chèvre delicate, creamy. Works well with herbed or truffle variations) and plain ol’ American. It melts into a perfectly smooth sauce that just incorporates with the eggs into one decadently smooth texture.
3 Likes
I make my cheese breakfast tacos sort of like an omelet. Beat a couple of eggs with a little salt and pour them into a lightly oiled (peanut) crepe pan. Place a line of Tillamook four cheese country shredded Mexican mix across the middle. Flip the sides over the cheese and turn. Serve on flour tortillas, slightly charred over a gas flame and top with Herdez salsa casera.
1 Like
