Raymond Hook, cheese consultant in New York City pairs a full-bodied Spanish albariño from Paco and Lola winery (read review) with a double-cream cheese from a dairy in Georgia.
Elegant wine, say hello to elegant cheese. Sweet Grass Dairy — founded by Al and Desiree Wehner, and now owned by their daughter Jessica and her husband Jeremy Little — has been hand crafting cheese for 10 years. The cow’s milk source comes from their family farm, located not too far the creamery. Their Sweet Grass Dairy Green Hill, a rich, white, bloomy-rinded double-cream cheese, is handmade in small batches. The green apple flavors, soft acidity and tart finish of the Paco and Lola Albariño are made for this kind of cheese.
Sweet Grass raises primarily Jersey cows and follows the New Zealand-style rotational grazing philosophy, where the cows are moved from pasture to pasture to keep the land and animals “in balance”. There are no barns on the farms — the cows all live in pastures and never experience hormone or antibiotic use. They are able to grow 95% of the feed for the cows — lush green grass grows plentiful year around because of the climate and location — but they do give them some grains in the milking parlor. Green Hill cheese has twice been awarded the Blue Ribbon at the American Cheese Society’s judging, in the open cow’s milk division.
This cheese is available at all Whole Foods Markets.
