Our Cave to Co-op cheese for December 2017 is St. Albans from Vermont Creamery, Websterville, Vermont.
A uniquely American take on the French St. Marcellin, St. Albans takes its name from the town of St. Albans, Vermont, and recalls the Creamery’s longstanding partnership with the St. Albans Co-operative Creamery, longtime producers of their high-quality cows’ milk. St. Albans is Vermont Creamery’s first non-GMO Certified cheese as well as their first cheese made with 100 percent cows’ milk.
Hand-shaped and aged for eleven days, these delicate cheese disks are packaged in sturdy ceramic crocks and wrapped in a breathable, perforated film. Even after packaging, St. Albans unique, wrinkled rinds continue to develop; the paste of the cheese becomes soft and spreadable, while the flavor becomes more robust. The crock serves as an ideal vessel for baking; warm St. Albans in the oven for a decadent, silky fondue and serve with sliced baguette or roasted fingerling potatoes.
St. Albans is a delicious cheese to share this holiday season, and a great way to support our region’s artisan cheese makers and co-operative farmers!
“Within it’s tender white rind, it’s pure satin with deep flavor.” —The New York Times, October 24, 2016
RECIPES
Baked St. Albans with Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Spoon molten St. Albans over crisp herb seasoned potatoes in this simple yet decadent dish.
Ingredients
2 lbs. fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
Seasonal herbs, we love rosemary or thyme
Finely chopped Maldon sea salt
Vermont Creamery St. Albans cheese
Directions
1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, herbs, and salt. Toss to coat.
3. Bake for 20–25 minutes until cooked through. With 10 minutes of bake time remaining for potatoes, add the crock of St. Albans onto the baking sheet.
4. Once potatoes are lightly brown and cheese is molten, remove from oven and serve immediately by spooning cheese over potatoes.
Baked St. Albans
Think outside the crock: Pile a spoonful of jam and a sheet of puff pastry atop St. Albans and bake for a fresh take on the traditional cheeseboard.
Ingredients
1 Vermont Creamery St. Albans cheese
1 tablespoon of jam, we used a raspberry jam
1 package of pre-made, frozen puff pastry, thawed
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spoon tbsp of jam onto the top of St. Albans. Remove one package of thawed puff pastry, cut a small square slightly larger than the crock. Wet the underside edges of the dough with a little water, then gently lay the dough over the cheese, pressing down on the edges to seal in the jam.
3. Place on cookie sheet or baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is lightly brown and crisp.
4. Serve immediately with a sliced baguette.
