A Salute to American Cheese

American cheese no longer means tasteless, orange pre-wrapped slices. Almost every region of the U.S. boasts talented artisan producers, making it easier than ever to buy local. Here are some of the up-and-comers that stood out at this year’s American Cheese Society competition, held in Burlington, Vt. Look for them in your local specialty food shop or check them out online.

Bonnieview Farm: Farmstead raw sheep’s milk cheeses; Ben Nevis is an aged wheel with a natural rind. From Craftsbury Common, Vt.

Cobb Hill Cheese: Farmstead raw cow’s milk cheeses; Ascutney Mountain, an alpine-style cheese aged eight to ten months; and Caerphilly, aged three to four months. From: Hartland, Vt.

Estrella Family Creamery: Farmstead cow, goat and mixed-milk cheeses, in inventive styles. Caldwell Crik Chevrette is a mixed-milk cheese with a washed rind. From: Montesano, Wash.

Meadow Creek Dairy: Farmstead cow’s milk cheeses from raw milk; Grayson is a superb washed-rind cheese resembling Taleggio. Appalachian is a two-month-old wheel with a natural rind. From: Galax, Va.

Nettle Meadow Goat Farm: Farmstead goat and mixed-milk cheeses with cow’s milk. Look for Kunik, a bloomy-rind, mixed-milk, triple-cream cheese. From: Warrensburg, N.Y.

Pug’s Leap Farm: Farmstead bloomy-rind goat’s milk cheeses, such as Petit Marceau, Pavé and Buche. From: Healdsburg, Calif.

Tumalo Farms: Aged farmstead goat cheeses, many flavored or seasoned. Look for Pondhopper, washed with beer; and Fenacho, seasoned with fenugreek. From: Bend, Ore.

Willamette Valley Cheese Company: Farmstead sheep and cow’s milk cheeses from Tillamook veterans. Perrydale (aged mixed-milk wheel) and Farmstead Gouda. -Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.