St. Stephen Cheese | culture: the word on cheese
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St. Stephen

Producer
Four Fat Fowl
Country
United States
Region
New York
Size
4 in diameter x 2 in height
Weight
8 oz
Website
www.fourfatfowl.com
Milk
Cow
Treatment
Pasteurised
Classification
Semi Soft
Rennet
Animal
Rind
Mold Ripened
Style
Soft-Ripened (Brie-like)
St. Stephen Cheese

In the 17th century Rensselaer County, New York was colonized by Dutch settlers, who instituted a system of landholding in which landlords, or  ‘patroons,’ collected rent from many tenants. The final patroon to oversee the county was named Stephen Van Rensselaer. Stephentown, where this creamery is located, was named after him. He was known as the “Good Patroon” because of the low rent he charged to his long-term tenants: 10-20 bushels of wheat per 100 acres, a day’s labor, and “four fat fowl,” the inspiration for the creamery’s name.

The name also fits because of the creamery’s four-person managing team: cheesemaker Willy (previously from Coach Farm and Old Chatham Sheepherding), his wife Shaleena, who has worked in sales for multiple cheese businesses, Willy’s brother Seth, who oversees business development, and his wife Josie, assistant cheesemaker and Vice President of Marketing.

After renovating an old pizzeria, the team released their first cheese, triple-cream St. Stephen, in 2014. The Jersey milk and cream used to make St. Stephen is sourced from Dutch Hollow Farms in Schodack, NY, not far from the Stephentown.

Tasting Notes

The use of high-butterfat Jersey milk and added Jersey cream gives St. Stephen a soft and creamy texture with a rich mouthfeel. The thick but mild rind contributes mild aromas of mushroom and sour milk, and the paste is buttery in both texture and flavor. Overall a tame yet decadent cheese. 

Pairings

Serve with a glass of sparkling wine, a pale ale or a toasty dark beer. 

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