Name: Crowley Clothbound Colby
Producer: Crowley Cheese
Milk: Raw Cow
Age: 3 months
Price: $13.99/lb
After hearing about the great new shop Saxelby Cheesemongers and their dedication to only selling cheeses from small American producers, I couldn't resist stopping by.
Though the selection is small, each cheese is obviously hand picked. From Jasper Hill and Cato Corners to Twig and Woodstock Farms, they represent the top quality of American cheesemakers and there's not a single one I wouldn't be proud to serve. They even have quite a few which the big shops in town don't carry. Among them is the Clothbound Colby. The cheese is produced by Crowley, but aged in Jasper Hill's caves.
This process of having a separate affineur has been used for years in other countries, producing such "superstars" as Herve Mons and Rolf Beeler. It's great to see some American producers getting into it.
Wrapped in cloth while aging, Clothbound Colby has a distinct grassy flavor that is sweet with mild acidity and low saltiness, making it an excellent snacking cheese or starter for your cheese plate. It's texture is a bit harder than you average colby and, thankfully, lacks the rubbery quality present in so many cheeses of this type.
Wine options are pretty open with this one. A dry white like Pinot Grigio would be excellent, but you'd do just as well with a red that is low in tannins such as a Beaujolais.
Because of its milder flavors, I wouldn't recommend cooking with it, since that would destroy many of its subtler flavors. Instead, serve with some hearty wheat crackers or layer it with bitter greens for a quick sandwich.
Clothbound Colby is available for $13.99 at Saxelby Cheesemongers. Do yourself a favor and visit!
Ah, but do they have the Cowgirl Creamery's Red Hawk? For all you cheese heads out there, it's a must. One thing to look out for is that this is a cheese that starts out pretty mild but interesting, then seems to get stinkier by the MINUTE. While I generally like a stinky cheese, I like this one better fresher. Whenever I bought it in California near where it is made I loved it. In New York, it's a little hit or miss. I recommend asking what day it arrived before you buy.
I don't remember if they had Cowgirl. The Red Hawk is awesome though..if not a bit pricy, even among the other smaller producers (at least where I work). If you're looking to buy one, I'd suggest getting one still wrapped in it's original packaging (which will have the Cowgirl logo on it). In that, it's still allowed to breath a bit.
Though, technically, no cheese should be wrapped in plastic wrap, I'd found the wash-rind cheeses, like the Red Hawk, suffer the most. A tight wrap traps all those funky odors in and they often build up the instant they're out of the cool fridge.
oops! the cheesemonger goofed. the colby is aged just 3 months... a mere toddler in the cheese world. just wanted to get the accurate information out there... don't want any slack from the guys up at Jasper Hill!
It's really expensive and problematic to ship soft cheeses to NYC from California, especially for a small proprietor like Anne Saxelby. That's why the Cowgirl stuff is so uneven and why she's carrying mostly local Northeastern cheeses.
If you're a soft, stinky cheese fan you should head to Saxelby Cheesemongers and try Hooligan from Cato Corner in Connecticut (Anne worked at Cato corner, once upon a time) or the divinely gooey Filibuster from Vermont producer Lazy Lady farms. The Hooligan, which is a soft but not runny washed rind, is closer in character to the Red Hawk.
Also, Anne is about the friendliest cheese lover you'll ever meet, and if you tell her what you're looking for she'll be sure to cut you tastes of her inventory and help you find what you need to sate your cheesy cravings.
Sorry about the age mistake! I copy my header templates from the previous week's and must have forgotten to change it. Thanks for the correction. I don't have access to change the post, but if Maxwell sees this, hopefully he can change it.
Even for bigger operations, getting the Cowgirl stuff is very spotty and hard ;)
Best of luck to Anne and all of Saxelby's! I really had a great time there and definitely plan on going back soon.