Cheese With A Brooklyn Point Of View

Washed-rind cheeses (basted with brine, spirits or other liquid as they mature) are a fairly recent addition to the repertories of artisanal cheesemakers in the United States. These cheeses tend to be funkier and stinkier than other types, and are often high on the lists of connoisseurs.

Now, Whole Foods markets in the Northeast have come up with one of their own. The raw cow’s milk cheese, in plump four-inch disks made by Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., is washed with Sixpoint Brownstone Brown Ale, from Red Hook, Brooklyn. It was developed by Chris Manca, the specialty products coordinator for the markets’ Northeast division, who named it Point of Origin. Its grassy aroma, with a whiff of malt, does not announce its presence boldly. The sticky rind is beige and deepens in color as it ages; the satiny ivory cheese within is mellow, with a sweetly tangy bite. Not ready for Époisses? This is the cheese for you.

Point of Origin holds up in the refrigerator extremely well, even cut, but should be allowed to come to room temperature before serving. The company plans to develop other Point of Origin cheeses with different washes.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: New York Times