Although my country's cheeses have made remarkable strides in getting away from the rubber Wisconsin supermarket cheeses I and most North Americans grew up on, as well as becoming better at passing the true artisinal products around, I am not often rendered speechless by the quality of what I taste--I like goodness, and I expect goodness, but for greatness I look to France. However, the Jaspar Cellars Vermont Ayr, whatever that means, that I just sliced up for our cold breakfast plate has me just that--speechless with admiration. It is the best American cheese of it's type I've ever had, and I'd put it up against any French cheese including the cheese it most resembles to my eye, France's tomme de savoir. It's a so-called hard cheese with that dusty brown cave-aged exterior and came from a wheel that would have been just about 3" tall. Next to the rind, the cheese is transluscent before segueing into a creamy pale gold shade of dark off-white. There are a few tiny air holes, and in the mouth the cheese is creamier than most cheeses that look like it would be. In flavor, it's rich and deeply nutty in a gruyere-like way but less sweet as well as more rounded and elegant. It leaves a fine aftertaste that goes on and on. I will forever be unable to visit Whole Foods in Seattle and not come home with a piece of this--wow, just wow.
Carl, no wonder you're so happy there.
