KCET FOOD

12 California Cheeses that Everyone Should Know

One may think of Europe when one thinks of great cheese, but over the past few years California dairy farmers have been stepping up their game, and the Golden State is now home to a wide range of truly excellent cheeses, from cows, sheep and goats. Some of the best are listed below — what are you favorite California cheeses?

Foggy Morning, Nicasio Valley
Tangy and sharp, this spreadable cream cheese-like cow cheese is especially nice on toast with a drizzle of honey or your favorite jam. Its texture is slightly crumbly, but melts on the tongue.

Bandage Cheddar, Fiscalini Farms
For those who like a distinct cheddar, this is a gem. Its geode-like interior has all of the flavor you would expect in a small production farmhouse cheddar. The best part? Finding an occasional pocket of blue mold among the craggles and crannies.

Mezzo Seco Jack, Vella Cheese Co.
This is the godfather of California cheese. A staple among cheese stores up and down California, Vella’s Mezzo Seco is coated in cocoa powder before being sealed in wax. Its firm body is similar in density to a young parmesan and makes for an excellent grating cheese over soup, salad or pasta.

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The Best California Cheese

Though one doesn’t need a reason to celebrate the western world’s favorite dairy product, today is in fact National Cheese Day. A day to eat all the cheese!

Cheese is something of an unusual product: the fermented milk of cows (and buffalo, goats and sheep) that’s curdled and just brimming with bacteria. Delicious, nutritious bacteria!

Weird though it may technically be, cheese is an absolute delight, in all its many forms. Dairies are something of a mini-growth industry at the moment, and California has become home to some excellent varieties and brands of local cheese. Here are some of our favorites. Let us know about yours in the comments!

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