American cheese comes of age

I talked today to Ron Cardoos of Green Harbor Associates, recently back from the American Cheese Society event  in Austin, Texas. He raved about the event — more than 1,300 cheeses to taste. And we marveled at the success of Shy Brothers Farm Hannahbells which won a medal along with many Vermont successes. But one milestone we discussed was the beautiful Cabot clothbound cheddar, which I tasted just the night before on my friend Judy Mattera back patio. This cheddar rivals any of the British greats, and tastes as much like ordinary cheddar as Kraft singles tastes like aged Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cabot clothbound cheeses aging

Ron said that now Grafton Cheese was getting into the act, with the Kehler brothers of Jasper Hill Farms and their affineur (cave aging) program as the midwife.

I say “Bring it on.” If the big companies join in the with the smaller outfits to improve cheese in America, we’ll all be better off. America’s dairies and agricultural can support good cheese — and American consumers are ready, I think, to buy into that. If France is impossible to govern (as Charles deGaulle said) because it has 246 cheeses, think how many the US might produce? Cheese for all, and all for cheese!