It's an hour till the kickoff of the XLV Superbowl, a head to head match between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers! So I thought we needed to have a Pennsylvania vs Wisconsin cheese takedown today. For Wisconsin's contestant, I thought we would play Airco, a mixed milk cheese composed of cow, goat, and sheep's milk that has been hickory smoked at Carr Valley Farm. Carr Valley is most well known for its aged cheddars primarily but has been a Wisconsin cheesemaking institution dating back four generations. They sure know their cheese at Carr! Today's contestant is semi firm in texture with a nice hint of sweetness mixed with just the right amount of smoke. Airco adopts the best nuances of sheep's milk cheese with its classically nutty buttery qualities and the citrus grassy tang of goat's milk cheeses and the fabulous round mouth feel of cow's milk cheese. A winner from the midwest! Does it have what it takes to beat out Keswick Creamery's Wallaby? I don't know about that.....but we will see...
Keswick Creamery does not date back for generations, but that doesn't mean it can't tango with the cheeses of Carr Valley. Keswick Creamery is based in Newburg, PA. They have had jersey cows since the mid 1970s, but didn't get into the business of raw cheese production till 2001 and boy have they gone to town in their cheese experimentation, with a full repertoire of fabulous cheeses! Today's contestant is a natural rind aged raw cow's milk cheese known as Wallaby. Why Wallaby? Well it is named in honor of a cow dear to the farm's heart. This semi firm cheese has a hints of earthy mushroomy-ness with a bright crisp finish and creamy lactic overtones. Surely a crowd pleaser, this is a very versatile cheese, designed to please.
So who will take the prize? The generations old cheese making institution or the newer youngster? The Steelers or the Packers?
We will just have to wait and see won't we?
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