Cabot Clothbound Cheddar is, in my opinion, the best American cheese collaboration. The cheese is made by Cabot Creamery, aged in the Jasper Hill Cellars, and the milk is sourced from the award-winning Kempton Farm. All three partners superbly play their role in this cheese's "taste of place" character.

Cabot Creamery is a cooperative owned and operated by its members. It has four facilities throughout New England and Upstate New York. In their collaboration with Jasper Hill Farm to support their "taste of place" mission, they committed to single-sourcing the milk from a farm with deep roots in Vermont. George and Patty Kempton have raised 5 children and 7000 dairy cows since starting their dairy farm in Peacham, VT in 1962. The Kempton Farm is part of the co-op that forms Cabot and supplies a large amount of high quality milk for the creamery's premium cheeses. So naturally, when Jasper Hill wanted single-source milk for their Clothbound Cheddar, the Kempton Farm was the obvious choice.

The production of this cheese, that won "Best in Show" at the American Cheese Society Awards in 2006, resulted in Jasper Hill earning the credibility to get the financing to build a multi-million dollar cheese-aging facility underground in Greensboro, VT.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar is easy to love. It is made in the tradition of large format English Cheddars weighing in at 32 pounds and wrapped in bandages. The young cheese is covered in lard and an additional layer of cloth is added. The cheese ages for 10-15 months in a specially calibrated vault in the Cellars, where they are constantly brushed, turned, and monitored for quality. This cheese is not only a cornerstone for the Jasper Hill farm but also for American artisan cheese making. It's character is a result of tradition and innovation coming together every step of the way.

Clothbound has a signature tang and caramel nuttiness with a rustic crystalline texture that becomes creamy on the palate. It has a savory-sweet balance that makes it perfect for many occassions. Whether it's eating out of hand as a snack, served with charcuterie and jams, or melted on a burger, Cabot Clothbound should be a staple in everyone's home.

WHAT GOES WITH MY CHEESE

Because of its versatility, Cabot may be served in many ways. I love to cook with it. Use in a mac and cheese mix with Gruyere and Emmenthaler. Also, melt it over a burger or grilled chicken breasts. On a cheese plate, serve it with apple jam or honeycomb, roasted nuts and Lesley Stowe's Raincoast crisp crackers. I love the cranberry hazelnut flavored ones, but they are all excellent. A little pricey but worth it for their uniqueness and how well they pair up with cheese.

Due to it's complexity and sweet-salty flavors, Clothbound works beautifully with a broad range of wines and beers. However, in order to keep up with Jasper Hills "taste of place" mission, this cheese is a perfect match with Woodchuck's Apple Cider. For a more tart contrast, try the Woodchuck's Granny Smith.

If beer just isn't your thing and you prefer wine, again, try this cheese with almost ANYTHING....except for real fruity light bodied wines like Rieslings or Sauvingon Blancs. The caramel and nut flavors in the cheese along with its creaminess overpower these wines. However, a complex Chardonnay should stand up to this quite well.

Lucky for us, this cheese is so approachable it is easy to find. It is available at most Costcos in 1.5-2lb cryovacked chunks. Most cheese shops should be carrying this cheese or you may always order it from the Jasper Hill website. Any good cheesemonger should be able to source this cheese. It is distributed all over the country. Oh! and for you lactose intolerant babies, this cheese IS lactose free.

As for the cider, wine and accoutrements you may have to use your imagination a little bit and explore what's available locally. Woodchucks cider should be available anywhere with a half-decent beer selection. You may have to special order the Granny Smith flavor but it will be worth the wait for the treat. In the meantime, enjoy what all their websites have to offer.

Cheese name: Cabot Clothbound Cheddar

Producer: Cabot

Where: Vermont

Size: 32lb wheel but available in a variety of cuts

Cheese category: Semi hard cheddar

Milk: pasteurized cow's milk

Special attributes: lactose free

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS

Jasper Hill Cabot Clothbound

Cabot Creamery/ Kempton Farm

Woodchuck Cider

Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisps

Endearingly referred to as "a pudgy little washed-rind" and named after Vermont's beautiful Lake Willoughby, this cheese was first made at Ploughgate Creamery. Production of this cheese stopped after a fire burned the creamery and Jasper Hill, naturally, continued to produce and develop it.

This cheese has a succulent and buttery interior texture which makes for a delicious balance to it's earthly peat, onion and roast beef aromas. On the inside it is soft and sticky becoming creamier with increased ooziness as it ripens. The rind is lightly washed in the cellars during affinage. However, it does not becomes totally oozey or soupy. Willoughby is aged in the Jasper Hill Cellars for 3-6 weeks and released basically when it is ready. It reaches its peak at about 9 weeks but may still be consumed upto about 12 weeks after production. This cheese does become very ammoniated when it is overripe. When you get strong ammonia aromas and flavors, throw it out.

Jasper Hill does a really good job at labeling their cheeses with production dates for consumers to use as a guide for when to eat. Cheese continues to ripen (mature) as it gets older. This means the flavors and aromas will become more pronounced, but it will not make you sick. Using expiration dates on the label from the sellers as a guide for when to consume is not always recommended. Always follow the producers guidelines for cheese, whenever it is provided.

WHAT GOES WITH MY CHEESE

I love serving Willoughby with charcuterie but especially the Piccante Prosciutto from La Quercia. It is covered with fennel, red chilli and sea salt during it's curing stage. This lends the cheese a spice and flavor kick that complements it's earthly qualities beautifully.

In general I prefer to serve washed rind cheeses with savory foods. I find their "funk" works especially well with briney, pickled and salty foods like olives, pickled veggies and cured meats. If you can't find the La Quercia prosciutto, serve with a dry spicy salami and cornichons.

The most natural and perfect drink to serve with Willoughby is a funky Saison (farmhouse ale). If you can get your hands on Anna from Hills Farmstead, it is the absolute most heavenly match. This beer is made about 1 mile up the road from the Jasper Hill Creameries in Greensboro, Vermont. However, any Saison should work.

If beer isn't your thing and you prefer wine, try Willoughby with an off-dry Riesling from Alsace, France. The wine's fruit minerality and the cheese's earthy richness contrast and complement each other in all the right places.

You should be able to find Willoughby at most Whole Foods Markets throughout the country. However, any good cheese counter and cheesemonger should be able to source it. You can always visit the Jasper Hill website and order it directly from them. You should check out the Jasper Hill website for information on what they do. If you don't know them, get to know them, NOW! They are doing some great cheese work in Vermont.

Cheese name: Willoughby

Producer: Jasper Hill Creamery and Cellars

Where: Greensboro, Vermont

Size: 8oz

Cheese category: soft washed rind

Milk: pasteurized cow's milk

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS

Jasper Hill Farm

Hill Farmstead Brewery

La Quercia