Guest Blogger: Jill from Cheese & Champagne

December 9, 2008
Sometimes, my job is way too easy, and not just because I get to eat lots of cheese!

One of my favorite newly-discovered foodie blogs is
Cheese & Champagne, so imagine my delight when I saw that blog co-owner and Wisconsin native Jill Lewis had written a lovely entry about our Clothbound Cheddar! She agreed to let us re-post, and we were only too happy to do so. Be sure to stop by cheeseandchampagne.wordpress.com for more adventures in cheese! 


Being a Wisconsinite, I love my cheddar. Sharp, mild, aged, young - I love them all. I don't limit myself to Wisconsin cheeses, even though I do take special pride in my home state's offerings, because then I'd miss out on gems like Cabot Creamery and Jasper Hill Farm's Clothbound Cheddar.

cheese1.jpgCabot Creamery and Jasper Hill Farms cave-aged clothbound cheddar

How can two cheesemakers take credit for this cheese? In the words of a song from one of my childhood Sesame Street LPs, "Co-operation makes it happen!" Cabot Creamery gets the cheese started, but it is then cave-aged in Jasper Hill Farm's cellars. The result is a mild yet full-bodied cow's milk cheese that has a comforting presence on your palate, even long after you've swallowed your last bite.


cheese2.jpgA classic combination

I usually enjoy my cheddar with apples, but I don't think the Granny Smith apple I had on hand was the best match for this cheese's subtle sweetness. I'd like to try it with my favorite, the Gala, or a Honeycrisp when the variety is in season. (Honeycrisps were developed in Minnesota, by the way.) Normally, I have my cheddar and apple as a mid-day snack at work, which means I'm not savoring them with a glass of wine, but Liz Thorpe, the wholesale manager at Murray's Cheese, recommends a medium-bodied Chardonnay.

Cabot Creamery only produces a limited amount of Clothbound Cheddar each year, so act fast! If you have trouble finding it in your local cheese shops, mail-order may be the way to go. Cabot recommends checking with Murray's Cheese or Artisanal Cheese for availability.

Comments (3)

I love champagne!

I eat my cheese with apples too. Add a pretzel chip for a nice crunch, too!

Thanks for the kind words about our blog, and for featuring Jill's review. It's great to see cheesemakers blogging and I'll be sure to visit often to see what's new at Cabot. Cheers!

Thank YOU and Jill, Colleen. We are thrilled to have stumbled upon Cheese & Champagne!

All my best,
Jen

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