Sampling Sunday

I love Whole Foods. This would be no surprise to those that know me. I really like to cook. I like to try new foods. I like fresh veggies. But none of these are the reason that that Whole Foods makes my heart pitter patter.

For me it's all about the cheese counter. The amazing variety of cheeses has me so wrapped around this store's finger that when ever I am in the area...I make time to stop by and pay my respect. 

3 Reasons I love Whole Foods for their cheese:

1. You can sample it all. Each and everyone of them. This, I tell you is a way better way to decide which ones you should actually buy. I used to buy just from the look of cheese which doesn't tell you anything.

2. The cheeses are broken up into small packages. By breaking them up into smallish sampling size packages - even the most expensive cheeses can still make it to your cheese board.

3. In my store, samples are served on my favorite cracker. If you haven't had a chance to try out 34 degrees crisp bread...give them a try.



They are so light and delicate. But they are also strong enough to with stand not only cheese - but a few toppings as well.

This week we are trying out Derby Sage and Capricho de Cabra Pepper. While both have a greenish hue (Happy St. Patrick's Day) they are very different cheeses. One is a young goat's cheese and the other a semi-hard cheddar.

A creamy, flavorful goat cheese produced from Murciana goats, which produce milk high in fat and protein to give the cheese its amazing creaminess. The Capricho is dense and gives a burst of flavor with a sweet finish.  Available in plain, green peppercorn and herb.

Source 

According to wikipedia - Murciana goats are from the Mediterranean coast of South Eastern Spain. 

According to the gal at the Whole Foods cheese counter:

This a very new goat's cheese as in it was only aged for a month or so. This is what create the creamy texture. It is available at Whole Foods in plain, pepper and herb varieties.







Sage Derby (pronounced Darby) is a semi-hard cheese from Derbyshire, England. It is flavored with sage leaves (or sage extract in some versions), giving it somewhat of a minty flavor. Sage Derby often has a green, marbled look to it. It is made from cow's milk and is matured 3 to 6 months.

Sage Derby was first made in the 17th century. It was eaten most often during special times of the year such as Christmas, though now it is available year-round.

There is a very wide variety of quality in different Sage Derby cheeses. Originally fresh sage was added to the curds during production. Today, many manufacturers add sage extract or dried sage leaves, and color their cheeses with spinach juice. The flavor will vary depending on what process has been used.

Information Source



What cheese should we try next?