Sarabande - Cheese Course

by Max Shrem, Posted Nov 17th 2009 @ 4:00PM

Photo: Vermont Cheese Council.

When it comes to American cheese, shapes and sizes can be deceiving. Smaller cheeses that come in the shape of a pyramid or disc (think Valençay or Selles-sur-Cher) are often associated with goat's milk cheeses. However, there are several American cheesemakers, like Cowgirl Creamery, that are defying these expectations by producing an array of cow's milk cheeses, including Inverness, in the shape and size of French chèvres.

Sarabande, a raw cow's milk cheese from Dancing Cow Farm in Vermont, is an astonishing example of this innovation. In a pyramid shape reminiscent of a Valençay, it shares more similarities with Taleggio and Langres.

"We have low production pastured cows that don't give a lot of milk, say 30 pounds a day average, but they give a very rich, flavorful milk," says Karen Getz, who co-owns Dancing Cow Farm with her husband, Steve. "We make cheese every day from warm, straight out of the cow milk [...], because milk is very fragile and starting with fresh milk each day allows the flavors of the pastures to shine."

The long complex finish of Sarabande is loaded with multiple flavors that make it entirely distinct from the more citrus grassy tastes of a Valençay, and unlike that French cheese, Sarabande's taste is not lightly floral. Instead, it's both beefy and fruity. Describing the flavor is like giving an itinerary of the senses. It starts off with a pungent slightly meaty smell, similar to a Taleggio. Then, its funky aroma gives way to an exquisite bright savory sweetness that slowly melts on the back of the tongue. The flavor can be attributed directly to the cow's milk.

The taste and texture of Sarabande have less to do with its Valençay-like shape and size and more to do with its milk and aging process. Its taste is directly related to its thick buttery texture that becomes milky on the palate. Sarabande's creamy texture is like that of Grayson from Meadow Creek Dairy. And, like Grayson, it is also a washed rind cheese. As the cheese ages in the Getz's cave that they built in 2005, it's brushed with a saltwater brine that creates not just the light-orange rind, but also its distinct milky flavor of nuts and grass.

Since Sarabande's taste does not correspond to preconceived notions of smaller pyramid-shaped cheeses, it can be considered a cheese iconoclast. And, for this reason, it makes sense that it would be named after the Spanish dance that was at times illegal due to its wild sensual moves.

"In France it may not be illegal to put cow's milk into a Valençay mould but we've been told by a french cheese maker that it is just not done," Getz says. "I think the paste of the cheese fits the sensual description mostly because it can get really oozy and seem sinful to eat." Nevertheless, while Sarabande may not meet one's immediate expectations, there's no doubt that its full flavor more than make up for it.

From Tastings Gourmet Market & Artisanal Cheese Center in Maryland to Farmstead in Rhode Island, Sarabande can be found at several retail locations along the east coast. The wide range of flavors and the unctuousness of the cheese make it ideal for any cheeseboard when entertaining this holiday season. Just remember not to be fooled by appearances!

Filed Under: Cheese Course
Tags: america, cheese, CheeseCourse, sarabande, Vermont Cheese, VermontCheese

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-25-2009 @8:54AM TheDairyShow.com said... I had this cheese at the Vermont cheese festival and thought it was fantastic. It really does have a fantastic creamy consistency and great funky washed rind flavor. I am always looking for it in the cheese shops in NYC.
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