by Anita Skogland

The Cheese: Wildflower, Baldauf Cheesemakers, Allgau region, Germany
Where to Purchase: The Culture Shop
Price: $36/lb.

The Style: Medium-firm cow milk cheese with aromas of hay and autumn
Flavor Profile: The buttery, nutty flavor is offset by the dried herbs and flowers that are pressed into the edible rind. I tasted rosemary, thyme, and white floral notes. Aged 6-8 weeks, it is an interesting blend of flavors.
How to Enjoy: Serve with charcuterie meats, mustard, honey, pickled vegetables; grated on scrambled eggs; as a dessert with a sweet wine.

Wine Pairings: Dry (trocken) riesling, sauvignon blanc, Sauternes, gamay, merlot

Extra Reading: The cheese is made from ‘hay milk’ that comes from an ancient breed of cow called Allgauer Braunvien. The cows are fed local hay much of the year, and graze naturally in the summer. Five percent of all milk produced in Germany is made from hay, which imparts a unique flavor to local cheese. Baldauf cheese production was founded in 1862, and it uses hay milk in all its cheeses, which have interesting and unique flavors embedded in the rind.