Our Cave to Co-op for March 2023 is Forerunner from von Mt. Mansfield Creamery, Morrisville, Vermont.
Stan Biasini and Debora Wickart are the cheesemakers of Forerunner, a raw milk Havarti aged for three months in their caves. It features a full-body flavor with buttery notes and is perfect for melted cheese on burgers and more.
With the creamery four miles from the farm, Stan transports their milk to the creamery on cheese-making days. Debora milks the cows and still ships to St. Albans Cooperative. They make small batches of cheese only 8 to 12 times per month and are increasing production according to demand. They milk registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss cows that are on rotational grazing in the summer months and fed grain and hay during the winter.
Mt. Mansfield Creamery started in June of 2009 and they make cheese year around. Debora 
milks about 30 cows per day and receives awards for the quality of milk she produces. Stan, a Paul Smith’s College graduate, has put his chef days behind him to concentrate on their cheese recipes. The cheese facility is in the heart of Morrisville, in the old United Farmers Creamery building. Not only did they renovate the building, but they also built their own cheese cave in the basement. They wash and brush the rinds to keep them thin to ensure their products are one hundred percent edible.
The Ultimate Queso Dip
Ingredients
2 T butter, cubed
2 T all-purpose flour
1½ cups milk
1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, and ground cumin
10 oz Forerunner cheese, shredded (2½ cups)
1½ cups pico de gallo, drained
Tortilla chips
Directions
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until light brown. Gradually whisk in the milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil; cook and whisk for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in the Forerunner until melted.
2. Remove from the heat. Stir in pico de gallo.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.
Asparagus and Forerunner Quiche
Ingredients
8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
5 large eggs
1 cup Forerunner cheese, shredded, plus additional for garnish
1 cup whole milk
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9″ pie plate with nonstick spray. Place phyllo sheets, one at a time, into pie plate, and brush each layer with butter. Tuck edges of
phyllo into pie plate; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cheese, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper.
3. Place half of the asparagus in the bottom of the pie plate, trimming to fit. Top with egg mixture and remaining asparagus. If desired, top with additional shredded cheese.
4. Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray and gently place over quiche. Bake 40 minutes, remove foil and bake 10 – 20 more minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool on a wire cooling rack and serve warm.
