Cypress Grove Creamery... my first (cheese) crush
Before I became a cheesemonger, obsessed with washed rinds, triple cremes, and blues blanketed in liquor-soaked leaves, I was a tennis instructor… with a mad crush. Enter
.
Instead of hanging around the clubhouse after my Saturday lessons, I would impatiently head straight for my local cheese shop, tennis dress and all. All for a solid slice of my addiction at the time… Cypress Grove’s Truffle Tremor. I would try different cheeses outside my comfort zone as if to train my future palate. But in the end, I would leave will a slab of heavenly, fluffy Truffle Tremor to “treat ma self” and a bottle of (usually a Pinot and whichever dark chocolate I had hiding in my drawer ? after a long day of pounding the hardcourt. It was heaven on earth I tell you!!!
I have always been an adventurous eater but have always appreciated the texture and approachability to the cheeses that come out of Cypress Grove Creamery. There is something to be said about cheeses that bring instant smiles to the faces of those who are trying Lamb Chopper or Midnight Moon for the first time. As a cheesemonger, it was a great way to turn hesitant and picky cheese eaters into budding turophiles, which always made my day. There is absolutely something for everyone in the Cypress Grove Creamery line: Ms. Natural. Bermuda Triangle, Lamb Chopper, Midnight Moon are always crowd pleasers. But love the slightly more robust and aged Humboldt Fog and Truffle Tremor.
So… what do you pair with such an incredibly delicious, stand-alone or “independent” cheese like Truffle Tremor?
I absolutely loved this cheese with crunchy, salty fried Fava beans and sweet, Sherry-soaked Figs from Spain! Such a perfect explosion of sweet and salty, anchored by the earthy, mushroomy tang of the Tremor.
At
, I am constantly inspired by pairings all around me. A nice barleywine cuts through the richness and earthiness of the Tremor, as well as a lovely chocolatey S’mores stout (from
) was surprisingly tasty. If nothing else, you can’t go wrong with a Pinot Noir or Port. FYI, Port and cheese were made for each other!
I highly recommend that everyone should play with the variety of Cypress Grove’s amazing cheeses and tell me what your favorite ways to eat, pair, and incorporate Cypress Grove cheeses into your meals at
. I find motivation and inspiration in hearing what others love to eat so let me know what you think! Cheers to cheese!
La Femme Fromage Beer and Cheese pairing event w/
and
in Redlands, CA.
