New Moon

Producer

Chapel Hill Creamery

Country

United States

Region

North Carolina

Size

1” tall, 2” diameter

Weight

4 oz

Website

www.chapelhillcreamery.com

Milk

Cow

Classification

Soft

Rennet

Animal

Rind

Mold Ripened

Eponymously named Chapel Hill Creamery is located near Chapel Hill in North Carolina and is home to Portia McKnight and Flo Hawley together with their small herd of Jersey cows.

Hawley and McKnight had each enjoyed long careers at Whole Foods Market and decided they wanted to get closer to the source of the food that they had sold.  In the process of searching for a good milk source in order to begin making cheese, they found that they were unable to get the quality that they wanted. So, the decision was made to buy a small herd of Jersey cows and a 37-acre farm to ensure that the cows could be pasture-fed. Thus was born Chapel Hill Creamery and, in July of 2000, the first batch of cheese was produced.

Today, Portia and Flo focus on the health of their herd of 30 cows as much as the quality of the cheese that they produce.  Rotational grazing is practiced on the farm and they limit milking to March through December. The results are hard to argue with, three World Jersey Cheese Awards in 2012.

New Moon is a fresher, “newer,” button sized version of Chapel Hill’s Carolina Moon. Aged for just 10 days, rather than the 4 weeks that Carolina Moon ages for, means that New Moon has a fresh lemon-like flavor and compact paste. Its mushroom aroma comes from the light dusting of the white bloomy rind that covers that tangy paste.

Pairings

Enjoy this cheese with a Brut, Blanc-des-Blancs Sparkling wine. New Moon pairs very well with honey and warm brioche.