Bohemian Blue
- Producer
- Hidden Springs Creamery / Hook's Cheese Company
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Wisconsin
- Size
- 8 ins diameter, 3-4 ins high
- Weight
- 4-5 lbs
- Website
- hiddenspringscreamery.com
- Milk
- Sheep
- Classification
- Blue
- Rennet
- Microbial
- Rind
- None
- Style
- Blue
When a trade tussle between the US and France threatened Roquefort imports, two Wisconsin cheesemaking families decided to create a stateside twist on the cheese that could fill the void.
The blue wheel is a collaboration between sheep dairy farmers Brenda and Dean Jensen at Hidden Springs Farm, and cheesemakers Tony and Julie Hook of Hook's Cheese Company. The Jensens live in the heart of Amish country and herd a flock of over 500 of Lacaune and East Friesian ewes. Their mission is to be sustainable; they employ Amish friends and neighbors for both milking and construction, while a team of Percheron draft horses (not tractors) plow their fields, and a donkey keep coyotes and other predators away from their lambs.
Brenda makes several cheeses at Hidden Springs Farm, but when she decided to craft a blue wheel, she turned to a longtime Wisconsin blue cheesemaker. The blue mold culture that goes into the production of many blue cheeses, Penicilium roqueforti, has a tendency to dominate and change other varieties of cheese being produced in the same facility, so many cheesemakers are cautious about introducing a blue into their range. To avoid any mishaps, the Jensens supply the milk, which is made into wheels at the Hooks' creamery. The wheels are then transferred back over to the cellars at Hidden Springs for maturation.
ccording to Brenda, the creation of Bohemian Blue was inspired by her Bohemian grandparents, Lucy and Louie Lastofka. Both were farmers and apparently lived up to the traditional bohemian reputation by generally disregarding conventional standards of behavior.
Tasting Notes
Aged for six months before release, Bohemian Blue has a firm, slightly crumbly texture and balanced flavors that incorporate sweet and piquant notes.
Pairings
Drizzle this sheep's milk blue with honey.
