Welsh Cheddar (Caerphilly) by 5 Spoke Creamery About $4 for a 6 oz. slab at Zabar's. 5 Spoke cheeses are made in New York State. Besides being known for his local, raw milk cheese, Alan Glustoff, the cheesemaker, is also recognized in the kosher cheese world; his cheeses are all kosher, and those for sale in individual pre-wrapped packages bear the Kof-K Dairy hechsher. They are not cholov yisroel. This caerphilly has far more character than most I have tasted in the U.S. from England. It has a long-lasting flavor profile that changes colors as it goes along. It starts out creamy and bright, and then turns into a sharp flavor that reminds me (in a good way) of a tire. Then I taste some floral notes and the creamy, milky flavors come back with a bit of nuttiness, and then a bite at the end. It is one of the few kosher raw milk cheeses on the U.S. market. Also, the milk comes from Holstein cows that graze freely in the pastures. The paste shows signs of pressed curds. It is just a little crumbly, but mostly it slices well and gets creamy very quickly. Welsh Cheddar photo and http://5spokecreamery.com/Welsh_Cheddar.html
Wensleydale $10.99 lb. at Whole Foods. $2.40 for a small wedge. From England. It is covered in a nearly translucent thick green wax. It is light cream-colored and extremely flaky. It has more flavor than some other Wensleydales, but it is bitter and has a stronger animal flavor. This cheese is based on the recipe that can be traced back to the Cistercian monks. It has a supple, crumbly moist texture. The flavor suggests wild honey balanced with fresh acidity. It is sharp, crumbly, and dry. The flavor is almost metallic. I like this better than some Wensleydales, but it is still weird. It definitely needs to come to room temperature. The aftertaste reminds me a little of that yak cheese with an animal flavor. It is growing on me. I like the acidic tang and weird finish.
Wensleydale, Borough Market $10.99 lb. at Central Market, $3.68 for a good wedge. Pasteurized milk, vegetable rennet. This cheese doesn’t look anything like the white Wensleydale I’ve seen at other times. It is straw-colored with some blue veining. The rind looks like bark with some cheese-cloth still stuck to it. This is an excellent cheese! It is mild, but has a good mouthfeel and it still has a lot of flavor. It cuts well and would be a good snacking cheese. It is a little bit dry, very cheddary, not too salty, a little bit of mold, aged taste, and the flavor lasts a long time. It didn't go well with red wine.
Whiskey Cheddar Cheese
$9.99 lb. at Central Market, $3.00 for a medium slab.
It has malted whiskey in it. It
comes in black wax. It makes my
mouth burn and my ears itch. My
tongue is really burning. It is
semi-soft, really fatty, straw-colored, and crumbly.
It tastes bitter and musty, kind of like dirt.
It so soft and crumbly, it’s falling into my lap.
I can taste the whiskey in it.
Winchester Gouda Jalapeno
$11.99 lb. at Central Market, $2.28 for a nice slab.
It is semi-hard, slightly crumbly, and tangy from the cheese and the
peppers. It’s yummy.
The cheese isn’t rubbery like the Monterey Jacks and some other softer
cheeses with peppers in them. It’s
really good, aged, yet fresh-tasting. It
tastes like pimientos. This is my
favorite pepper cheese ever. I
don’t think the peppers are too overpowering.
There is still a good sharp cheese flavor in there with a nice sharp
cheddar finish. I’d definitely
buy this for a big party.