Current Featured Cheese - April 2025

Believed to date back to the Bronze Age, Fiore Sardo hails from the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia, Italy. This one of a kind cheese, which can also go by the name Pecorino Sardo, was certified Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Protected Designation of Origin or D.O.P.) in 1996. There is no mistaking Fiore Sardo once you try it.

Castelrosso is one of the most ancient styles of cheese from the Piemonte region of Italy. This venerable classic is also known as Toma Brusca, which roughly translates to “acid cheese.” The name comes from the process of letting the milk acidify slightly before cheesemaking, which brings out tart, bright flavors and creates a crumbly texture. The Rosso family has been making this cheese for over a hundred and twenty years, and their experience...

First things first. Be sure to remove the crust and grey layer underneath before eating this cheese. Supple is a great word to describe Abondance’s creamy, rich, ivory-hued paste. Its aroma is prominent and flavor intensely fruity, buttery, nutty (hazelnut), and slightly floral. Think of Alpine cows grazing at 3000-6000 feet above sea level on mountain flowers and grasses. We found a nice balance of sweetness to acidity.

We discovered this rare gem for the first time at the American Cheese Society conference and competition, and were caught a bit off guard by its flavor and texture. The Smokin’ Goat is aged just 30 days and as the name would imply, is a semi-soft smoked goat's milk cheese. Its texture is velvety and the taste is mild but flavorful. Our curation team feels that the cheese’s smokiness helps to highlight toastier notes in the goat's milk.

Aged for 60 days, this toma style cheese uses the coagulating power of dried thistle flowers in lieu of animal rennet, making this a true vegetarian cheese. This ancient technique is still used in some areas of Spain and Portugal but is rare in Italy. Like Parmigiano-Reggiano, the milk used to make the cheese is cultured with whey from the previous day’s cheesemaking.