Vegetarian-Suitable Cheese
The Lady brought home another Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and with The Man, the three of us sat on the deck, enjoyed the evening and snacked on tasty pieces of Smoked Flagship. This week the cheese kiosk at the Hawthorne Fred Meyer has a $3 off coupon for the three Flagship cheeses they sell: Original Flagship, Flagship Reserve and Smoked Flagship. She served it with 34° Sesame Crackers and bell peppers she picked from The Man’s garden. I opted to go with the naked cheese while The Man chose the crackers and peppers with his cheese.
Smoked Flagship is the one year aged Flagship that is cold-smoked over apple and cherry wood. The result is a robust, nutty cheese with smokey taste from the hardwoods. This cheese was winner at the 2010 American Cheese Society Competition which The Lady and I attended last month… well The Lady attended and I reported from the Cheese Bunker located somewhere in the suburbs of Seattle because the Seattle “No Pets” Sheraton denied me entrance… sheesh… but I digress.
Like The Man and his Blue Cheese Jones, I have never met a Beecher’s Handmade Cheese that I didn’t like and my Beecher’s cheese streak remains intact with Smoked Flagship. This is one delicious cheese and I hope one that will become a regular in the cheese drawer.
I give Smoked Flagship 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).
Serving Suggestions: On a cheese platter with a few nuts and a little apple butter and you’ve got a terrific pairings. With a little schmear of mus musculus tartare, you’d have a perfect feline dinner. With a dry jack, you could make a smokey fondue.
Wine Pairing: The Lady served this with a California Merlot and the two flavors were well suited… at least that’s what The Lady claimed. I don’t drink wine so I can’t swear it’s a great pairing.
Beer Pairing: Broken Halo IPA from Widmer Brothers
Source: Cow Milk
Awards: You Betcha, as Sarah Palin likes to say
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