Fenacho

Producer

Tumalo Farms

Country

United States

Region

Oregon

Size

9 ins diameter, 3.5 ins high

Weight

9lbs

Website

www.tumalofarms.com

Milk

Goat

Classification

Firm

Rennet

Animal

Rind

Plastic
Flavored

Tumalo Farms, located near the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, was started by Flavio DeCastilhos, who became inspired during a trip to Brazil's wine country. Flavio, who had a very successful career within the IT world, became fascinated with the local cheese industry.

Starting a farm and a business from scratch gave DeCastilhos the opportunity to build a state-of-the-art cheesemaking operation. He spent two years researching and learning about cheesemaking and farming, during which time he became interested in producing traditional Dutch and Italian cheeses, and in experimenting with local ingredients to develop new recipes.

Fenacho is based on a Dutch gouda recipe with the addition of Fenugreek seeds to the curd during production. Curds are cooked and pressed, resulting in a firm, smooth texture in the matured cheeses, which are dotted with the seeds.

Cheeses mature over two to three months, during which time they are wiped and turned regularly. The cellar temperature is 58°F and 86% relative humidity.

The interior paste is a very pale, caramel color, becoming darker towards the rind. Flavors are mellow but aromatic, with savory notes of butterscotch and fennel, accompanied by a balanced tang.