Cypress Grove Cheese: A Premier Cheesemaker in California
Wake up early along the coast in Humboldt County, California, and you’re likely to experience the thick fog that blankets the homesteads and rolling hills of the communities there. This fog inspired cheesemaker Mary Keehn's first and most famous cheese, The Humboldt Fog.
Located at the northern end of the California Cheese Trail is the Cypress Grove Goat Dairy and Creamery. It is here that the staff practices the art of delicate cheese alchemy.
Cypress Grove Cheese: Background
Mary officially opened the doors to Cypress Grove Creamery in 1983. They have been making award-winning fresh, soft-ripened, and aged cheeses ever since. All but one of the cheeses is goat’s milk.
In 2010, Cypress Grove built their goat dairy, where the health and happiness of the herd are primary. The diary had been Humane Certified by the American Humane Association with a 100% score.
Perhaps the best introduction to Cypress Grove is through the Tastiest Trio, a collection of three of their best-selling cheeses. You will try each Cypress Grove cheese in this collection: the infamous Humboldt Fog, the Midnight Moon, and the Purple Haze.
Photo Courtesy of Cypress Grove Cheese
Purple Haze
Fresh goat cheese, also known as “chèvre,” is soft and often spreadable at room temperature. Cypress Grove makes several of these cheeses using the freshest possible ingredients containing various flavors.
The Purple Haze is produced as a disk combined with lavender and hand-harvested fennel pollen. This distinct combination has received many awards, including First Place from the American Cheese Society in 2017.
We paired this funky chèvre with persimmons, balsamic glaze, a fennel bulb, and Gluten-Free Norwegian Crispbread we picked up from Trader Joe’s. This combination was an easy, light meal full of flavor and was perfect with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc on date night. We couldn’t have been happier with the way it came together.
Midnight Moon
Made in the style of a Dutch Gouda, Midnight Moon is a dense, buttery, and hearty aged goat cheese. Tiny protein crystals form during aging, giving this beautiful cheese a delicate crunch. Cypress Grove won Best in Class at the 2020 World Cheese Championship Contest with this production.
Next time you are looking for an appetizer guaranteed to impress, here’s an idea for you: slice a sourdough baguette, brush with oil and lightly toast the pieces. Then, you can build the most delicious crostinis using a sliver of Bosc pear (or an apple of your choice), a part of Midnight Moon, and a bit of pancetta.
We topped these tasty crostinis off with a caramelized onion jam that we found at Whole Foods Market and a sprig of fresh thyme.
Humboldt Fog
Any introduction to Cypress Grove would be incomplete without a mini wheel of the Humboldt Fog. This award-winning soft-ripened goat cheese has won awards since the 1990s, including the Gold Medal at the World Cheese Awards not once but twice! Take a bite, and you will see why.
Each wheel of Humboldt Fog has an edible vegetable ash layer in the center. The mushroomy rind surrounds a gooey creamline, and the cheese ages as a paste in the middle.
The Humboldt Fog is guaranteed to be the star of every cheeseboard. However, it is also versatile enough to be used in various recipes. It is a true culinary delight to be crumbled over a salad, melted down in a horseradish sauce, or as part of a crème brûlée.
One of our favorite pairings is with fresh honey. We like the raw honeycomb available from Savannah Bee Company.
Contact Information for Cypress Grove Cheese
Learn more about Cypress Grove by visiting their website at www.cypressgrovecheese.com.
To find additional pairing ideas, visit their Perfect Pairings page. They also have a significant recipe selection online.
Want to purchase Cypress Grove cheese and have it delivered to your doorstep? Click here to visit their online cheese shop. Cypress Grove can also be found in grocery stores and cheese shops nationwide.
Follow Cypress Grove on Instagram @cypressgrovers.