Featured Cheese - March 2015

St. Nectaire hails from the Auvergne region of France, which is almost right in the middle of the country. Auvergne, which was once covered with active volcanos, has a demanding climate. In the winter the land is covered with deep snow. And when summer comes, it brings high temperatures. Although this sounds grueling, the weather is not only ideal for wine-making, but also for cheese-making. St. Nectaire cheese smells like a very ripe nectarine. It has a fruity aroma, rich texture and a sweetness of flavor we’ve not found in any other cheese.

This creamy cheese is made with incredibly rich milk, producing a voluptuous center. Because the wild grasses and flowers flavor the milk, each has a unique flavor, influenced by the flora of a particular time and place. Its silky texture and nutty, whipped cream flavor make it particularly good with a light champagne.

Carr Valley Cheese has been making cheese in Wisconsin for over a century and they’ve become one of the finest specialty cheese manufacturers in the States. Mobay is their unique take on France's Morbier. A semi-firm cheese, Mobay is rustic yet mild, and comprised of two halves separated by a thin line of grape vine ash: a bright and tangy side of goat’s milk cheese, and a sweet and grassy side of sheep’s milk cheese which balances perfectly. Together they pair beautifully, offering an almost grape-like finish, but are also wonderful separate, which makes this cheese perfect for your cheese board due to the variety of flavor profiles.