We’re fortunate at the Queen Anne Farmers market to have three amazing cheese vendors. Each offers distinct products, but all three craft their cheese without any additives, preservatives or antibiotics. Below, take a virtual tour de fromage . . . then, this Thursday, take a real tour! July 16th is Cheese Day at the Queen Anne Farmers Market. Sample away! A cheese purchase gets you a ticket to enter our drawing for a $50 market basket.
Photo by Lorna Yee, The Cookbook Chronicles
Monteillet Fromagerie hails from the verdant Walla Walla valley to bring us their artisan sheep and goat cheese, adding Queen Anne as their ONLY farmers market on their weekly Seattle trip to supply fine restaurants such as Tilth. Their fresh chevre (always 48 hours fresh) is divine. Try the Wasabi Pickled-Ginger Chevre on grilled fish. Fresh sheep and goat cheese is great on its own, in salads, salted on a cracker, or in a velvety, delicious dessert mousse, as featured in the Bing Cherry Compote and Sweet Chevre Mousse recipe by Betty Chef Brittany Bardeleben. Try the Larzac, a soft ripened goat cheese that’s tender in texture with a subtle, nutty flavor and a delicious edible rind, on warm beets and in salads. For a truly regal treat, try “the king,” LeRoi: a petit chevre, soft-ripened, cellared for two weeks and crowned with pure gold dust. Finally, both Joan and Jean-Pierre Monteillet know a lot about wine, so don’t hesitate to inquire about pairings (but beware of tears of joy).
Photo by Lorna Yee, The Cookbook Chronicles
Mt. Townsend Creamery out of Port Townsend creates ripened cheeses from local cows’ milk. Named for the rock formations that dot the Pacific coast, Sea Stack cheese is rich, buttery goodness, coated in vegetable ash that makes for a stunning presentation. The prize-winning Trailhead is rustic and nutty, and Cirrus is buttery, like a Camembert.
Photo by Lorna Yee, The Cookbook Chronicles
Golden Glen Creamery brings Gouda, Cheddar and cheese curds aka squeaky cheese (as well as glass-bottled milk and luscious heavy cream) from the Skagit Valley. They batch-pasteurize instead of ultra-pasteurize to retain great taste in all their dairy products. Try their new Queso con Salsa Cheddar, or their popular Sun-dried Tomato and Basil cheese. Sorry folks, they’re still sold out of their “Old Gouda,” but have a bit of my fave, the slightly creamy young Parmesan left. All these cheeses are kid-friendly, and you can make your own “poutine,” Skillet-style, with french fries, gravy and cheese curds!
As Joan Monteillet likes to say, “what a friend we have in cheeses.” Bon voyage on your Tour de Fromage!
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