The Grey Barn (Chilmark, Massachusetts) is
celebrating its 10th year of cheesemaking and
releasing a new raw-milk washed-rind square,
the aptly named Bon Anniversaire, to honor the
milestone. "We're doing a lot with Grey Barn," says
Stephanie Ciano of World's Best Cheese, a major
distributor. Ciano admires the creamery's Bluebird
(aged three months) and Bluebird Reserved (aged
six months), both certified organic, raw-milk blue
cheeses that have garnered a lot of buzz.
Jasper Hill Farm (Greensboro, Vermont) continues
to innovate in its efforts to boost the region's rural
economy. Its latest project—in partnership with
goat-husbandry experts Ryan Andrus and Annie
Rowden—is Bridgman Hill Farm, a new goat farm
and creamery on the site of a defunct cow dairy
in neighboring Hardwick. The collaboration has
yielded Jasper Hill's first mixed-milk cheeses, using
Jasper Hill cow's milk and Bridgman Hill goat's
milk. Highlander, inspired by French and Swiss
raclette, is off to an impressive start, winning its
class at this year's World Championship Cheese
competition. "It's an exciting cheese," says Laura
Downey of Fairfield Cheese Shop and Greenwich
Cheese Shop in Connecticut. "There's not a lot of
raclette in general and to have something in mixed
milk fills a nice spot in the cheese case. Plus, it's raw
milk." Downey occasionally does raclette events in
the shop and says customers who have enjoyed the
version with Highlander are surprised it's part goat's
milk. "All our cheesemongers are super into this
cheese," reports Downey. "If you asked them their
favorite, they would all say that."
Downey's customers are also embracing Eligo,
a new mixed-milk Taleggio-style cheese from Jasper
Hill with a pudgy texture and mild-to-medium
flavor. Bridgman Blue, the third cheese from this
partnership, is a raw, mixed-milk version of Jasper
Hill's popular Bayley Hazen. "We've been loving it,"
says Hernandez. "It looks similar to Bayley Hazen
but the flavor is more robust."
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CHEESE FOCUS
Jasper Hill Farm
Eligo and
Highlander (below)
The Grey Barn
Bluebird
The Grey Barn
Bon Anniversaire
PHOTOS JASPER HILL FARM
PHOTOS THE GREY BARN
