Best Petaluma Pasteurized Milk Cheese Types
Mt Tam is an American cheese hailing from California, where it's produced by Cowgirl Creamery. This soft triple-cream cheese is made from organic cow's milk with the addition of cream. It has a bloomy rind and the texture is firm, smooth, dense, and creamy.
The flavors are rich and buttery with earthy, mushroomy, and grassy hints. Mt Tam is named after the majestic Mt. Tamalpais in Northern California. It's recommended to pair the cheese with a glass of Sancerre.
Pair with
THE BEST Mt Tam Cheeses
Mélange Brie is an American brie-style cheese hailing from Petaluma, California, where it's produced by Marin French Cheese Co. The cheese is made from a mix of pasteurized cow's and goat's milk and it's left to age from 10 to 14 days before consumption.
Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is soft, smooth, and creamy. The aromas are goaty, mushroomy, and earthy, while the flavors are mild, buttery, sweet, and creamy, becoming more tangy and piquant as the cheese ages. It's recommended to pair Mélange Brie with a glass of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
Acapella is an American cheese produced near Petaluma in California. The cheese is made from pasteurized goat's milk and comes in three versions. One is a truncated pyramid that's aged to become firmer, the other one is a little round cheese, and the third one is a larger ash-coated round cheese.
The flavors are buttery and mild, with a slightly herbal aroma and tart finish. It's recommended to pair Acapella with white Burgundy.
Marin French Triple Creme is an American brie-style triple cream cheese hailing from Petaluma, California, where it's produced by Marin French Cheese. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk. Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is soft, smooth, and fluffy.
The aromas are sweet and rich, while the flavors are creamy and sweet, with a sharp finish coming from the rind. It's recommended to pair Marin French Triple Creme with a bottle of India Pale Ale or sparkling wines.
Pair with
Picolo is an American triple-cream cheese hailing from Petaluma, California, where it's produced by Andante Dairy. The cheese is made from pasteurized Jersey cow's milk and crème fraîche. Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is soft and smooth.
The aromas are sweet, while the flavors are nutty, mushroomy, and sweet, melting in the mouth. It's recommended to pair Picolo cheese with a glass of Gewürztrainer or a dry hard cider. Serve it with fresh fruit such as strawberries for the best experience.
Pair with
Largo is an American triple-cream cheese hailing from California, where it's produced by Andante Dairy. The cheese is made from pasteurized Jersey cow's milk and crème fraîche. Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is soft, smooth, and creamy.
The aromas are sweet and pleasant, while the flavors are rich, nutty, mushroomy, and sweet, with a long finish. It's recommended to serve Largo with fruit jams and pair it with a glass of sparkling wine. The name of this cheese means generous or broad in Italian, referring to a musical term or a tempo mark that should be performed slowly.
Minuet is an American cheese hailing from California, where it's produced by Andante Dairy. This triple-cream cheese is made from a mixture of pasteurized goat's milk and cow's milk crème fraîche. The cheese is mold-ripened and it has a soft, smooth, and creamy texture.
The aromas are pleasant, while the flavors are rich, creamy, sweet, tangy, bright, and clean, with a long finish. It's recommended to pair Minuet with a glass of Prosecco or Champagne.
Wagon Wheel is a semi-firm American cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese hails from Petaluma, California, where it's produced by Cowgirl Creamery. It has a natural rind and it's aged for about 2 months. The yellowish paste is speckled with tiny eyes, and the aroma is earthy and musty, while the flavors are mild, caramel-like, slightly tart, buttery, mellow, and creamy.
The texture is springy and supple. It is recommended to serve Wagon Wheel as a part of a larger cheese board.
THE BEST Wagon Wheel Cheeses
Rondo is an American soft-ripened cheese produced in California by Andante Dairy. The cheese is made from a combination of cow's and goat's milk and it's covered with herbs. The rind is natural, and the texture is fresh and creamy.
The aroma is pleasant, while the flavors are tart, lemony, and tangy. When young, it has a fresh grassiness, but as it ages, the paste develops a gooey texture with earthy hints. It's recommended to pair Rondo with a glass of Saison or Pinot Noir.
Pair with
Legato is an American camembert-style cheese hailing from California, where it's produced by Andante Dairy. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's left to age for at least 3 weeks. Underneath its mold-ripened rind, the texture is creamy.
The aromas are strong, while the flavors are full and rich. It's recommended to pair this soft cheese with a glass of dry rosé or light red wines. Serve it with homemade bread and fruit such as melon and grapes.
Best Petaluma Pasteurized Milk Cheese Producers
Cowgirl Creamery, founded in 1997 by Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, is based in Petaluma, California. The company specializes in artisanal cheeses, producing a variety of organic cheese products. Cowgirl Creamery is known for popular cheeses like Mt.
Tam and Red Hawk. This cheese producer sources milk from local dairies in the Point Reyes region, ensuring high-quality ingredients in their products.
AWARDS
International Cheese Awards - Gold
2023, 2022
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2023
World Championship Cheese Contest - Best of Class
2024
BEST Cowgirl Creamery Cheeses
Best Petaluma Pasteurized Milk Cheeses
Red Hawk is a triple-cream, washed-rind, fully organic cheese produced by Cowgirl Creamery. This distinctive cheese is known for its robust flavor, which is a result of being washed with a brine solution that promotes the growth of a bacteria-laden rind, giving Red Hawk its characteristic pungency and deep, complex flavor profile.
The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk, gathered locally from the Straus Family Dairy in the Marin County region of California, ensuring high freshness and quality. s.
AWARDS
International Cheese Awards - Gold
2022
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place
2016, 2009, 2003
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