UNITED STATES, COW AND SHEEP’S MILK
PERSONALITY: A flutter of rich milk with electric flavor.
Like its namesake, Hummingbird is a bright, delicate cheese with a slightly avian shape—in fact, it may be the only cheese in America that’s made in an oval format. At one week, it has the consistency of cheesecake with gentle citrus and vanilla notes; at three, it turns runny and pungent, like a well-ripened Robiola (page 107). Either way, it’s a glorious summer cheese, perfect for toting to an outdoor concert with a baguette and some bubbly.
Cheesemaker Kristian Holbrook invented Hummingbird when he moved to Pennsylvania from Tennessee to make cheese at Doe Run Farm in Chester County. The rolling landscape and coastal plains of eastern Pennsylvania made him think of Lombardy, the seat of Robiola country, and he guessed that Philadelphia’s Italian population might enjoy a taste of something homey. He was right. Hummingbird has been a big hit with the Italian Market crowd that shops at the original Di Bruno Bros. on 9th Street. In 2011, Hummingbird took home a gold medal from the American Cheese Society, a big honor for a little bird.
Good matches: Try pairing Hummingbird with flatbread or Semolina Crackers with Sea Salt (page 100) and Balsamic Poached Figs (page 182). Tart cherry preserves or sliced pears and honey also work beautifully.
Wine/beer: The cheesemaker recommends a dry hard cider. Prosecco is also lovely, as are wheat beers and Belgian ales, particularly Unibroue’s La Fin du Monde.