Goat Chèvre in Olive Oil (Kennebec)
- Producer
- Kennebec Cheesery
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Maine
- Size
- 2.5 in x 2.5 in
- Weight
- 5 oz chèvre in 8 oz container
- Website
- www.kennebeccheesery.com
- Milk
- Goat
- Treatment
- Pasteurised
- Classification
- Soft
- Rennet
- Microbial
- Rind
- Flavor Added
- Style
- Fresh
- Flavor
- Flavor added to rind
Kennebec Cheesery is run by mother-daughter team Jean Koons and Linnea Koons Morrison. Originally from New Zealand, both Jean and Linnea were raised on farms. They moved to the U.S. about 15 years ago, settling into the property in Maine that had belonged to Jean’s husband’s family for several generations. Now they produce small batches of cheese each day, using milk from their herd of approximately 28 goats, sometimes also using organic Jersey milk from a neighbor’s farm.
Kennebec Cheesery’s classic and most popular chèvre comes in two ways: in small rounds or in cubes marinated in olive oil. To produce the fresh cheese, milk is heat-treated and cooled down to 75-80 degrees before culture and rennet are added. The inoculated milk then sits for 24 hours as the curd forms. The following day, curd is scooped into molds, where it sits for another two days, being flipped periodically, then is salted and moved to the refrigerator. Finally, on the fifth day, rounds are cut into cubes and placed in their containers with a marinade made of herbs and extra-virgin olive oil that’s imported from Italy.
Tasting Notes
Kennebec Cheesery Chèvre is smooth, creamy and lightly salted, with a fantastic spreadable texture. In this cubed version the generous helping of olive oil becomes part of the textural and olfactory experience, with flavors offering only a touch of spice.
Marinated cubes are sold in the following flavor combinations: Basil, Pine Nut and Garlic; Herbes de Provence; Rosemary, Garlic and Peppercorn; Sundried Tomato and Chili Pepper.
