Our Cave to Co-op for November 2024 is Reverie — a raw cow’s milk and natural rind cheese — from Parish Hill Creamery, Westminster, Vermont
Parish Hill Creamery produces seasonal, hand-made, raw milk cheeses inspired by traditional Italian cheese. Peter Dixon brings over 30 
years of cheesemaking experience, and he is joined by his wife, Rachel Schaal, and sister, Alex Schaal. The creamery is the culmination of Peter’s years making cheese, teaching classes, solving problems, and imagining possibilities.
Peter, Rachel, and Alex love making cheese. They make it traditionally, simply, as near to home as possible, and with the highest-quality ingredients and results.
Parish Hill gets milk from Elm Lea Farm at the Putney School, just up the road from the creamery, and the milk is the result of healthy animals grazing lush pastures. Protein and fat are balanced ideally for the cheeses produced, and the cheese changes subtly throughout the season, reflecting the growth and maturation of various pasture plants.
Their starter cultures are made from the milk of four individual cows. Helga, Abigail, Clothilda, and Sonia were chosen for their health, components, and disposition. As a result, Parish Hill makes mother cultures that are truly an articulation of their milk, and the resulting cheese is a revelation of that milk, the cows, the pastures, the water, and the land.
A traditional, semi-hard Toma, Reverie, has a bright milky flavor and slight tang when young, becoming sharper and more robust with allium notes. Wild molds are encouraged, and the rind resembles gray stone. It is aged at least 5 months.
Smashed Baby Red Potatoes with Ancho Chiles & Reverie
Ingredients
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded
3 lbs baby red potatoes (about 1 1⁄2″ in diameter)
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup grated Reverie
1⁄2 cup plus 1 T chopped fresh Italian parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
1.Place chiles in small bowl; cover with hot water. Let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain; chop. Transfer to mini processor; process to coarse puree (or finely chop chiles). Measure ¼ cup puree and set aside (reserve any remaining puree for another use). (DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
2.Bring potatoes to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 16 minutes. Drain. (DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
3.Heat oil in the same saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup chile puree and garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add potatoes; stir to coat. Using back of wooden spoon, smash potatoes until largest pieces are about 1″ cubes. Stir to heat through. Stir in cheese, 1⁄2 cup parsley, and cilantro. Transfer to bowl, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve.
