Snowfields
- Producer
- Saxon Creamery
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Wisconsin
- Weight
- 12 lb
- Website
- http://www.saxoncreamery.com/
- Milk
- Cow
- Treatment
- Pasteurised
- Classification
- Semi Soft
- Rennet
- Microbial
- Rind
- Plasticoat
- Style
- Gouda-like
Since 2007, Wisconsin’s Saxon Creamery has handcrafted award-winning cow’s milk cheeses. To make their Wisconsin originals, the creamery incorporates European cheesemaking practices with the Lake Michigan terroir of cow’s milk that they source from a sixth-generation family farm.
Snowfields, an aged butterkäse (German for “butter cheese”), highlights the influence of terroir. To make Snowfields, they use only milk made between October and April. This winter milk represents the seasonal change in the herd’s diet. When the temperature dips and the fields turn cold and snowy—an image that inspires both Snowfields’ name and label—the cows can no longer graze on the pastures. Instead, they eat summer grass that has turned sweet with fermentation. The resulting milk is extra rich in cream and protein.
According to Lisa Hall of Saxon Creamery, Snowfields was a happy accident—one that they’ve continued to craft because of its rich flavor. “It was supposed to be one of our traditional cheeses, but the vat went awry,” she says. “After aging the cheese, this cheese was so creamy, so delicate, so velvety.”
After the milk for has been coagulated, the curds are pressed into molds and bathed in a salt brine. The wheels are aged after brining, which lets their flavors to develop. They’re then hand painted with paracoating, a covering that protects the cheese while still letting it ripen and allowing moisture to escape.
The wheels are finished in open air aging rooms, where they’re cleaned and flipped. In total, Snowfields is aged for a minimum of six months, though according to Hall, Snowfields is “divine at 15 months or more.” The aging process allows amino acids to crystallize within the wheel’s firm paste, adding a crunchy texture to some bites.
Tasting Notes
Snowfields is bold and buttery with a hint of sweetness. The rich cream coats the palate with a sweet milk flavor and finishes with savory notes of parmesan.
Pairings
On a cheese board, try Snowfields with nuts, dried apricots, chocolate, or tart apples. It melts well into grilled sandwiches or cream-based sauces. Sip a sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, aged lager, or hard cider.
