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About our Cheese
We make all of our cheese by hand with raw milk from our 40 cows, mostly Jerseys, on our small Connecticut farm. We never use growth hormones, sub-therapeutic antibiotics, or animal-based feeds, and our cows graze freely so that they have happy lives with a rich diet of fresh pasture grasses.
All the rinds are natural and have natural surface molds that are integral to developing the full flavor of the cheese. We age and care for the cheese in our underground cave, ripening all varieties to their peak of flavor.
Good cheese starts with good milk, and our happy, healthy cows produce the best milk we could ask for! The flavor and fat/protein components change slightly throughout the season as the cows' diet changes. Accordingly, we produce firmer textured cheeses like our Vivace and cheddars in the summer months, while we focus on the creamier cheeses in the winter. Some cheeses like the Dutch and the Bridgid's Abbey are good year round, but customers may notice seasonal variations in taste and consistency.
Our cows graze outside from approximately May 1 - October 31. The cheese made during these summer months may offer extra health benefits. Research suggests that pasture-fed milk has increased levels of Omega-3 fatty acids and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), both of which have been shown to help prevent cancer. Since our cheese is raw, it includes natural enzymes that make it easier to digest. (These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.)
Our farm and cheese plant are licensed in the state of Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture and the federal Food and Drug Administration inspect our facilities and sample our milk and cheese regularly to ensure food safety.
"World-class... some are wonderfully spicy and pungent. All it takes is one bite of their most popular offering, the Belgian-inspired Bridgid's Abbey, and you'll swear off bland, pasteurized cheese forever." - Town and Country magazine, October 2001
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Types of Cheese
- Bridgid's Abbey
Our popular Trappist-style monastery cheese with a smooth, creamy consistency. Bridgid's Abbey has been our best seller for years - its irresistible rich, mild taste is ideal for all-day eating for breakfast, sandwiches, or snacking. It melts well, performing excellently in quiche, toasted cheese, or over vegetables. Bridgid's Abbey varies in consistency somewhat from summer to winter - the winter batches are very creamy, while the summer milk yields a slightly firmer and chewier texture. Aged 2 - 4 months.
- Bloomsday
A hugely successful mistake! We created this recipe out of necessity when a different batch did not go as planned, and we love the result. Named for Joyce's Ulysses, the Bloomsday is drier textured than many of our cheeses with a fabulous nutty flavor and addictive lingering aftertaste. Bloomsday is a perfect addition to any cheese plate and it makes a delicious sandwich or grilled cheese. Currently we are selling these at 6 - 8 months old, when the bite is medium sharp. We also offer a limited quantity of Aged Bloomsday at one year old, with a sharper and more intense finish. Watch for our "Anniversary Edition Bloomsday" to be released every June 16th!
- Hooligan
AWARD WINNER! Hooligan is our signature "stinky" cheese that many food lovers consider to be our best variety. Hooligan was awarded the top prize in the Outstanding Dairy category from Gallo Family Vineyards 2005 Gold Medal Awards, and it was selected by both Saveur magazine and Slow Food USA as one of the top American cheeses. Made in 1.3 lb wheels, Hooligan is a ripe washed-rind cheese with a soft creamy interior and a gorgeous orange rind. Hooligans are bathed twice a week in brine to encourage the growth of pungent, surface-ripening bacteria. The Hooligan melts beautifully for a fabulously stinky toasted cheese (a bit like raclette). Sold whole in small wheels with basket lines on the rind.
- Despearado
Hooligan washed with fermented pear mash and Pear William eau de vie from Connecticut's Westford Hill Distillery, the Despearado is stronger and riper than the traditional Hooligan with a hint of pear on the aftertaste.
- Drunken Hooligan
A seasonal cheese that's available from approximately November through January, Drunken Hooligan is washed with grape must and young red wine from Colchester's Priam Vineyard. Not quite as pungent as the Hooligan, but ripe and fruity and very distinctive.
- Drunk Monk
Hooligan rubbed in brown ale from Connecticut's Willimantic Brewing Company, the Drunk Monk is pungent and ripe with a slight hint of peanut butter on the aftertaste.
- Dutch Farmstead
Moderately creamy and medium mild with a slight nutty undertone and a rich, round, well-balanced flavor, the Dutch Farmstead is our variation on Gouda. Consistently one of our favorites, the Dutch was recognized both Saveur magazine in 2005 and Slow Food USA in 2003 as one of the best American raw milk farmstead cheeses. Ideal for sandwiches or with crackers and wine, the Dutch has a little more heft than the Bridgid's Abbey, giving it appeal to customers across a wide range of tastes. Melts well. Aged 2 - 4 months.
- 6 Month Old Dutch Farmstead
Much stronger than its younger sibling, the 6 month old Dutch Farmstead is still creamy but also nutty and more complex. Many tasters pick up hints of cheddar, while others find a slightly smoky finish. A fabulous full-flavored cheese.
- Dairyere
A firm Alpine-style cheese with a washed rind, a medium sharp bite and a hint of pungency. First made in 2006 and available to our farmers' market customers on an intermittent basis, Dairyere has recently become one of our favorite cheeses - while we still don't have it every week, we are making more and more in hopes of meeting the growing demand! Inspired by cave-aged Gruyere and Comte, the Dairyere is delicious at six months old, and it develops to a whole new level of complexity by the time it is one year old "Aged Dairyere."
- Vivace
(Vee vah' chay) Like a combination of Gruyere and Italian Provolone, our Vivace has a chewy texture with a zippy bite and aromatic finish, making it a delicious, well-rounded cheese. Vivace is an excellent wine cheese, and it also melts beautifully in cooking - try this in French onion soup! Made with vegetarian marzyme rennet. Aged 4 to 7 months.
- Vivace Bambino
Our young Vivace is sweet, chewy and moist, a medium mild cheese with a flavor like Swiss Emmental. It is excellent for sandwiches, antipasto, or melting. Made with vegetarian marzyme rennet, Vivace Bambino is aged 2 to 3 months.
- Molto Vivace
This aged version of the Vivace has transformed into a sharp, dry cheese with a tremendous bite. It is assertive with a delicious combination of fruitiness and nuttiness that balance the tongue-tingling aftertaste. A spectacular addition to a cheese plate, Molto Vivace is firm enough to grate. Aged 10 months or more. Limited availability.
- Womanchego
Inspired by the classic Spanish sheep milk cheese Manchego, our cows' milk Womanchego is aged 3 to 4 months. The flavor is medium strong and a touch sweet with hints of fruit and nut. Firmer and more acidic than its Spanish cousin, our Womanchego is delicious on sandwiches, with wine, or melted.
- Wise Womanchego
Our "more experienced" Womanchego is sharp and assertive with quite a bite! Aged 8 months or more - perfect with wine or fruit on a cheese board. Limited availability.
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Print the list of currently available cheeses >>
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