 5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. The label 'American cheese' gets a bad rap because of plastic-wrapped singles. Though some may argue the processed cheese slices are the necessary ingredient for the best grilled cheese sandwich, it's safe to say you won't see those slimy suckers flopping onto the cheese plate du jour any time soon. But American cheese - American-made cheese, that is - isn't as flimsy as its made out to be. And fromager Dimitri Saad says it's about time our cheese plate is proud to be an American. Five American-Made Cheeses to Try Right Now: Dimitri Saad It's creamy and tangy, getting denser as it ages, with a little kick from the bourbon. This cheese is a great start to your cheese plate. Paired with cider-poached apples or pears, it’s the perfect combination to celebrate autumn." 2. Moses Sleeper, Jasper Hill Farm There are two sides to the business: the farm, which milks Ayrshire cows and produces five cheeses; and the Cellars - a 22,000 square foot underground facility with seven vaults where cheeses from several farms are aged and cared for until perfectly ripe, then packaged and shipped out. It is the first of its kind in the United States. Named after a Revolutionary soldier from the area, Moses Sleeper is a soft-ripened, cow’s milk cheese with a bloomy rind (like Brie). Aged for three to six weeks, it is buttery and savory. Milder when younger, the vegetal, mushroomy flavors become more pronounced as it ages. Paired with a crunchy yet sweet caramel popcorn, Moses Sleeper is bound to please even the most tentative guest." 3. Bossa, Green Dirt Farm Bossa is a small, round, surface-ripened cheese. Washed in a brine solution, the white mold, which would result in a bloomy rind, is removed and replaced with the B.linens bacteria, resulting in an orange-colored rind with a distinctive aroma and flavor. Musty and a little pungent, the result is an unctuous and gooey cheese with more meaty and savory flavors. Washed sheep’s milk cheeses are rare, even in Europe, and this one is delicious. Paired with roasted mushrooms, the still soft yet more intense Bossa will prepare your palate for the stronger end of the cheese plate." 4. Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Cabot Creamery Made from the milk from a single herd, the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar is a 35-pound wheel wrapped in cloth and aged for 10 to 14 months. Firm and crumbly, it has more nutty, butterscotch and caramel flavors than other bandaged cheddars. Paired with a whole-grain beer mustard, or even a nut brittle, this cheddar is a tasty transition from the pungent washed-rind to the spicy blue finale." 5. Rogue River Blue, Rogue Creamery Upon his return, he designed a building which successfully recreated the atmosphere of the limestone caves of Cambalou where Roquefort is aged. The result has been a string of award-winning artisan blue cheeses. The Rogue River Blue is arguably the best example, having won Best-of-Show at the American Cheese Society Competition in 2009 and 2011. This cheese is made with late-season milk produced after the autumnal equinox. At this time, the cows graze on grasses renewed by cooler temperatures and make milk that is richer and higher in butterfat. After maturation, the cheese is wrapped in Syrah grape leaves from Carpenter Hill Vineyard which have been macerated in Clear Creek Pear Brandy. Available for a limited time each year, get your hands on this cheese while you can. Paired with pear butter, or some apple chips, this blue cheese will complete any cheese plate and end the meal on a high note." Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down. |
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Excellent list, but how can you make a list of great American cheese and neglect Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam?
I had some of the clothbound cheddar from Cabot last week. It is amazing!! We had some for snacking and then I made a baked cheddar bacon mac and cheese which was fabulous as well.
Cougar Gold from the Washington State University's creamery is my favorite.
Yes to Rogue Creamery (and also Humbodlt Fog). Another one I have enjoyed very much for it's delicious sharp goodness and texture is Rumiano's dried Monterey jack. Normally jack cheese is spongy and can be unappealing as such, but the dried wheels take on a depth and richness which is just fabulous, with a nice peppery rind as well. You can also grate it and sub for parm, romano, etc...
Thanks for the article. Any list has limits, so thanks even more for the intelligent responses that suggest alternatives. I always view this kind of article as merely the starting point to some other great ideas.
There are many, many amazing, wonderful cheeses made in America these days. If the four others on this list are as good as the Rogue River Blue, then this is a good list of just five of the many great American Cheeses.
Well, believe it or not, there are many great cheeses being made in Alabama and Georgia, including prize winners in national and international tastings. Southern living had an article a while back and we ordered several and they were all fantastic.
Yes! Like Belle Chevre goat cheese in Alabama....
You have totally missed out on NorCal cheese – Truffle Tremor by Cypress Grove (actually anything by Cypress Grove like Humboldt Fog) is pretty freakin cheesetastic. And I'm a California Badger who spent time living in France and Spain, so really I should know. And to Jeff, if you think WI is played out- then you must be a Buckeye and for that I feel VERY SORRY for you :)
Humboldt Fog is AMAZING! Glad someone else loves it too.
Humboldt Fog is my favorite cheese in the world. Hands down. They also missed out on Cowgirl Creamery cheeses! Where's the NorCal love??
Was just at an artisan cheese festival in Nashville last weekend and there are some fantastic cheeses coming out of Asheville, NC. A local fresh pasta shop here, Lazzarolli's, pairs the Rogue River mentioned here with figs in a ravioli stuffing. One of the best things I've ever eaten.
Mississippi State University produce excellent cheese as well as muscadine wine.
The cheese are probably delicious. Muscadine wine is a muddy, musky tasting mess no matter where it's produced.
I'm prepared to be suprised,, but I always thought Wisconsin cheeses were mass produced and average. Great for mac and cheese and so forth but not for an artisnan cheese plate. I'll try some not available in the regular supermarket if anyone will suggest some. Love the upstate NY cheddars and the Humboldt Fog goat.
What about Velveeta?
This list blows reindeer
Not Velveeta, Cheez Whiz! The suggested pairings these people came up with made me gag. A good cheese and caremel corn? Their taste buds have move from their mouth to you know where.
I blow reindeer and Rocket Man.
At least two if these cheeses are less than $25 a pound. There are amazing cheeses beyond the cheddar realm. Try them!
American Cheese? I didnt know such a thing existed? Why do we have to put 'American' before the word Cheese? Is it to try an pull the 'cheese cloth' over people's eyes when we have just stolen cheese from around the world and passed it off as our own? ps. you can't call cheese Cheddar unless the milke used to produce it has come from South West England's Cheddar Gorge, i am asking the EU to put a stop to the bastardization of the word Cheddar immediately. I am visiting Brussels to discuss this topic today. Long live English Cheese
I'm just glad we finally have a market for all these great American cheeses.
Speaking of cheese and not mentioning Wisconsin is similar to talking about the "THE BEST BUILT AMERICAN CARS" and forgetting about Detroit, or revealing the dirtiest cities in the US and failing to mention New York. You don't get it! To the author of this article. did you do ANY real research at all or did you simply rely on the free samples you requested from the various dairies and cheese stores? Did Wisconsin not send you enough free cheese? We can send more if it means you will attempt to ACTUALLY put a little thought and research into this article. I could send you some homemade cheese that is better than 3 of the cheeses you mentioned, and I am not even a cheese maker. Do you need free cheese there buddy?
Wow someone is getting quite riled up over cheese. I think an earlier poster's explanation is a good one. Perhaps Wisconsin cheese was left off because this isn't a list of the best american cheeses, but cheeses people should try. You can interpret that as "lesser known" cheeses.
Or you could just accept that people have different opinions, and the article wasn't even claiming these 5 were the best american cheeses...Either way, you should just chill out a bit.
Have some class. You didn't have to blast the author, you could have just informed us about specific cheeses in Wisconsin. Is this how you talk to people around you? Just because you post on the internet doesn't mean that the rest of perusing boards benefits from snitty attacks.
Find me a list of dirtiest cities in the US where NYC is even in the top 10. Go ahead, I'll wait.
You didnt have to wait long Spanky, did you?
"A list of the most filthiest cities in America has been compiled by Travel and Leisure magazine"
1. New Orleans
2. Philadelphia
3. Los Angeles
4. Memphis
5. New York
6. Baltimore
7. Las vegas
8. Miami
9. Atlanta
10. Houston
Hmmm – what do you know?
Your screen name have been ADHD_in_WIS. I agree with the nice people above: chill.
If you can imagine a different perspective, it's good that the article didn't include Wis cheese. Most people already know it exists and that it's good cheese. I was happy to learn that all "America cheese" isn't individually wrapped and mass produced by Kraft.
I can't believe you guys didn't mention Cypress Grove's Humboldt Fog.
That is another one I would put on my list for sure.
How about an article on how we can afford these wonderful cheeses. I'll never be able to taste any of them.
You should do a little looking around the web and order the BEST cheese in the USA from a Wisconsin cheese store. They will ship anywhere, and our prices in this state ( for cheese anyway ) are a really good deal. We do not feel being snooty and charging like its gold will make our cheese taste any better to you, because its teh best already!
Here is just one example. AWESOME cheddar starting at $5.95 a pound and going up depending on age!
http://www.carrvalleycheese.com/artisanal-and-american-originals-cheeses/cow-milk-cheeses/
They aren't THAT expensive.
Everything is expensive when you're on a ramon noodle diet.
Beecher's Flagship Reserve Cheddar from Seattle. It blows every single other cheddar out of the water.
+1 for the Flagship. Best American cheese I've tasted. Definitely my favorite cheddar.
Just mentioning it is making me hungry. I'm actually going out right now to get some :)
Are any of the cheeses named available at lest than $30/lb? Didn't think so. Why isn't San Francisco style dry aged Monterey Jack on the list? Too affordable? Not Yuppie enough?
NYS has some splendidl extra, XXXXX sharp cheddar but it is hard to find. We used to get it at the Waterwheel Cheese House just west of Saratoga. Recently I've become a huge fan of California's Cowgirl Creamery's Red Hawk, although all of their cheese that I've had is wonderful.
The best & tastiest cheese is the Government cheese I get every week.
disclaimer: I don't live in Wisconsin. There are 49 'Master Cheese Makers' in the US, and all of them are in Wisconsin. Most of the best cheeses you won't find in retails stores. Sold primarily to East & West coast restaurants and to Europe. Tour the state to find the best – among which are Marieke' Feoenegreek Gouda, Carr Valley 10-yr old cheddar. Too numerious to mention. Then take a detour over to Faribault, MN, cheese caves for a fabulous bleu – St Pete's Select.
For those who want stinky cheese, try Liederkranz. It's back after an absence of 25 years!
Carr Valley Cheese (Wisconsin)...some of the best I've had...and I've had cheese from all over the world. Though one of my favorites is the Shephard's Blend, most of the blends–sheep / goat / cow–are award winning!
The Cabot Clothbound – mmmm.
Beechers is from Seattle, my all time favorite!
Although some of these sound great, award winning, whether it's for restaurants, authors, foods or anything else, is so overused as to be meaningless. If there are enough categories every entrant gets an award.
Great list but incomplete without DINAH's from Kurtwood Farms, Vashon WA
look for sally jackson wa state goat cheese
Good list, but the glaring omission here is Tillamook extra sharp cheddar, as well as their smoked cheddar.
If you ever smelled the air in Tillamook, you'd never touch one of their cheeses again.
Wisconsin's absence from this list is an automatic credibility killer.
Why? I'm sure there are tons of American cheeses that weren't mentioned. If you post an article, you can write all you want about Wis cheese, but who do you think is going to find it informative? As stated above, most people already know Wis cheese exists and that it's good cheese. Some of us would rather read about things we don't already know. It's often referred to as learning.
I with the Wisconsin crowd on this. There is an international cheese competition every year held in different coutries, WIsconsin based cheese makers are well represented every year. The Wisconsin cheese artisans make cheeses with the same care and craftsmanship as any european cheese maker.
Also having milked a cow in Wisconsin, I know happy cows come from Wisconsin, NOT California.
I think that when most people in the US think of American cheese, outside of the processed sort, they think of Wisconsin. The state is renowned for the excellent cheeses it produces. My impression of the author's intent was to introduce us to unusual and lesser known American cheeses. I do not take it as a slight to Wisconsin, but really a nod to the fact the quality there is already well known.
Thank you to the authors for introducing some of the unexpected. My own addition would have to be the artisan cheese from Landaff Creamery in NH which is also aged in the Cellars at Jasper Hill. I am not an expert or anything but it is one my favorite locally produced items!
For all of you cheese connoisseurs out there, there's actually a small creamery in the state of Washington that makes great cheese! It's a creamery run by the school [Washington State University] whose proceeds go to funding the School of Food Sciences, scholarships, and student-run jobs. I used to work for direct marketing at their annex and people from everywhere ordered it and had some strange loyalty to it – we even had quite a few loyal customers from wisconsin <3
if you want to try it here's a link to their website! http://public.wsu.edu/creamery/
The place is called Ferdinand's and it's the home of Cougar Gold, the best American cheese made, period.
Its a little strong and a bit salty. I wouldnt ea itt on anything. The cheese seems like its meant to be eaten just as is.
Point Reyes Blue is the American cheese for me.
I saw a whale at Point Reyes...has nothing to do with food.
I'm always open to trying new cheese, especially those recommended by others. For those who know great cheeses, please name-drop here. Provide enough info for me to find it (a cheese maker can probably be found with a keyword search). Give your cheese at least as much visibility as the author's recommendations.
The rougue creamery's spin on the green grass making the cows produce more butterfat is funny. Heat causes cows to chew the cud less making less butterfat. They produce more butterfat in winter and spring too.
Yes, which is why they say the cooler temperatures after the Autumn equinox make milk with higher butterfat.
"made with late-season milk produced after the autumnal equinox. At this time, the cows graze on grasses renewed by cooler temperatures and make milk that is richer and higher in butterfat"
My favorite is fermunda
How about ericholder cheese? It may look creamy, but it's full of indigestible bits ...
Hey CNN, you forgot an amazing dairy right in your back yard! Sweetgrass dairies and their cheeses have been a staple at many Atlanta restaurants for quite a while now!
Having grown up in Wisconsin and now lived in various states around the U.S., I can still say that the best American cheeses I have had have come from small, independent cheesemakers in Wisconsin. This is actually offensive to me that this list doesn't have even one Wisconsin cheese.
There's a creamery operated at Washington State University, I used to work for direct marketing there and a lot of people from Wisconsin say it's the best cheese they've ever had. It's called the cougar gold. I'm not saying Wisconsin cheese is sub-par, but I think you'd like to try it!
Ferdinand's – the makers of Cougar Gold, the best American cheese made, period.
Beechwood Cheese is some of the creamiest and hottest cheese I've ever had! They have like 30 flavors. I think its screamin mimi or extreme heat...Great curd days too!
clearly you hate wisconsin Chef Z too bad
No, I don't hate Wisconsin. But I have tried countless varieties of cheese from around the country that are far better than many of the cheeses I have had in Wisconsin.
I agree David!!!! JUst think about the 8 year old cheddar you guys missed for just one example. Wisconsin rules all others get in line
Any one that automatically refers to Wisconsin when talking about cheese needs to expand their palate and try some of the other amazing cheeses made in the USA. I would put the Rogue Blue against ANY Wisconsin cheese ANY day.
I agree, everything in Wisconsin is played out. EVERYTHING....
Pssh, hipster.
Any American cheese list that does not include the great state of Wisconsn is clearly flawed.
Are you speaking of those unattractive Wedge Hats?