Cheese of the Day: May 25 – Rush Creek

Washed Rind Thursday: Rush Creek Presented by ACS CCP® Erin Clancy:

Last day for washed rind Thursday and today we look at the lovely Rush Creek reserve. Ohhhhhhhh this cheese! We wait patiently all year long and then we see some pop up around Thanksgiving. I don’t know about you, but the moment I see one I buy one. Though meant to be shared I will not judge if you take the top off, grab a spoon, and dig in. Hey, people do it with ice cream all the time why can’t we do this with cheese?

Rush Creek Reserve is made from September to November. It is designed to show off the richer texture of Upland’s hay-fed milk and the delicate ripeness of a soft, young cheese. Rush Creek Reserve is made with raw milk, and is aged side-by-side with Pleasant Ridge, sharing the environment in order to acquire Upland’s characteristic savory flavors. Rush Creek Reserve is inspired by the French Vacherin Mont d’Or, and is bound in spruce bark, which gives shape to the soft round and imparts a sweet, woodsy flavor to the cheese. Combined with the savory flavors born from the rind, this gives the custard-soft paste a deep but delicate richness, reminiscent of beef broth or finely cured meat.

Rush Creek Reserve needs to be stored cold and served warm. Keep it in the refrigerator in its original packaging and bring it out to room temperature, unwrapped, for at least an hour before serving. Or, wrap the cheese in tin foil and place it in a 250 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Once warm, the paste will soften under the rind until it is the consistency of custard, at which point the cheese is ready to be eaten. To serve, remove the top rind by cutting around its perimeter and peeling it away to expose the paste. Spoon the silky interior onto potatoes, dip into it with bread and fruit, or enjoy the luscious texture and deep flavors on their own. The rind itself is delicious and should be tasted alongside the cheese to add another dimension of flavor and texture. (All above information is straight from the source)

Here’s a cool video to watch. It’s an episode of Wisconsin Foodie about Upland’s and all about Rush Creek. It’s really cool! A bit dated (2011) but the information is still completely relevant:
http://wisconsinfoodie.com/2012/01/30/uplands-cheese-la-merenda/

Below are some links about Rush Creek and interviews with Andy specifically about the cheese:

https://culturecheesemag.com/cheese-library/Rush-Creek-Reserve
https://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/library-of-cheese/rush-creek-reserve
https://madisonessentials.com/Article/2016-11/Rush-Creek
http://heavytable.com/talking-rush-creek-reserve-with-andy-hatch/