THE CHEESE: Grafton Village Mixed Signal raw cow and sheep milk cheese, Grafton, Vermont
AVAILABLE AT: The Loyalist Market, $29.99/pound

THE STYLE: The cheese is smoked prior to aging the 16 to 18-pound rounds at Crown Finish Caves for five months.

FLAVOR PROFILE: This cheese is very smooth, not crumbly like more aged cheddars. The addition of sheep’s milk gives it a meaty umami. It tastes of smoked paprika and olives, with a sweet aftertaste. It texture is like solid nutty butter.

HOW TO ENJOY: Serve sliced on a tomato sandwich, or grated for mac-and-cheese, on a cheese board with roasted almonds and dried apricots.

WINE PAIRINGS: Creamy white like California chardonnay, demi-sec chenin blanc, Beaujolais.

EXTRA READING: The Grafton Village Cheese Company was founded in 1892 as the Grafton Cooperative Cheese Company to convert surplus milk from local dairy farmers into cheese. In 1912, the cheesemaking factory burned down, and the community had no cheese facility until 1962 when the Windham Foundation restored the factory and brought cheesemaking back to the community. The Foundation is dedicated to promoting the rural communities of Vermont. The profits from Grafton Village Cheese go back into the Foundation to further its commitment to keep rural Vermont alive and thriving. 

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