UNITED STATES, GOAT’S MILK
PERSONALITY: Off-the-grid Brie made by an intrepid dairy goddess.
La Petite Tomme is just what it sounds like: a little cupcake of goat cheese that’s lush and oozy in the center, at least when it’s ripe. It has a mild aroma and a very delicate taste that evolves with each bite. Hay, sweet grass, and mushrooms poke through, creating a complex and sumptuous treat from Vermont.
This cheese is just one of many unusual creations from Laini Fondilier, a back-to-the-lander who runs an organic creamery supported by solar and wind power. Her cheesemaking operation started with one Nubian goat back in 1987, after Fondilier spent two years apprenticing cheesemakers in France. Since then, she has upped her herd to about forty, built two underground cheese caves, and released at least a dozen wildly beloved selections that often reflect her politically driven sense of humor: Barick Obama, Condisend, Bi Partisan, Biden his Time, and Fil-A-Buster, to name a few. If you want a glimpse of life at Lazy Lady Farm, pull up the website (lazyladyfarm.com), where you can see a complete list of critters and view every aspect of the dairy, from the barn to the cheese room. There’s a lot of TLC going into every wheel, a good reflection of the small-batch cheesemaking spirit that’s taken hold in the United States.
Good matches: Find some impeccable bread, preferably made with wild yeast, and then eat La Petite with abandon. Berries pair well, so does raspberry jam. For a study in contrast, sample it with Humboldt Fog (page 74).
Wine/beer: Pour a summery white or something bubbly. Wheat beers and lambics love this tomme’s wild side, and so does hard cider.
SPAIN, GOAT’S MILK
PERSONALITY: A head-turning blonde on a lemon cake bender
Traditionalists will point to France as the seat of goat cheese glory, but the caprine beauties coming out of Spain deserve special attention, Leonora in particular. Put this gooey delight on a cheese plate and your friends may think you are serving up a heavily frosted dessert. Leonora looks like baked Alaska. It comes in a rectangular cake with a meringue-like rind made of Geotrichum, a mold that’s used in making Camembert. Here, it lends a hint of white pepper to an otherwise cloud-like lemon bomb.
Leonora is probably the one gooey goat cheese your Aunt Doris will like because it’s mild and creamy. It comes from a farmstead producer in León, the northernmost province of Spain. In early spring, the lady goats devour the first tender greens that come into view, drawing the loveliest of flavors into their milk. Look for hints of citrus zest and wildflowers in this cheese. Then curl up on a deck chair and dream of rolling hills and long siestas.
Good matches: Serve this decadent wedge with berries, cherries, kiwi slices, honey, or jam. If you need an after-dinner cheese for the Easter table, Leonora can take down any lamb cake.
Wine/beer: Because this cheese is fairly acidic with a twinge of pepper in the rind, you’ll want a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a Grüner Veltliner. If you prefer beer, reach for a saison.