1 Pour a glass of Un’Sweet wine for your friends and listen to them tell you how good it is—before you reveal that they’re drinking the first 100-percent natural, zero-sugar wine. The women-owned, California company makes four varietals, including our favorites, the crisp, dry pinot grigio and mellow cabernet sauvignon.
2 Move over strawberry cream cheese. Strawberry Spritz Goat Cheese is your toasted bagel’s new BFF. Blended with honey and dried strawberries, Vermont Creamery’s newest goat cheese log is also tailormade for dessert. Pair it with chocolate and sparkling wine, spread it on shortbread cookies and top with chopped pistachios, or use it as the filling for a fruit tart.
3 Fresh from her success with her Fresh Bellies veggie-based snacks for kids, Latina mom Saskia Sorrosa created a version for grownups. Nutrient- dense Groovies are made with sorghum—an ancient, naturally gluten-free grain—vegetables such as beets, carrots, and mushrooms, and spices. Zesty and colorful, with a satisfying crunch, they make a fun, family friendly addition to a cheese board.
4 A surprising twist on marinated fresh cheese, Pariva Yogurt Bites are made with strained cow’s milk yogurt formed into balls and suspended in a flavorful mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, herbs, and spices. We love these versatile orbs spread on crusty bread or stirred into pasta, and any leftover oil is perfect in a dressing or marinade.
5 Maine chocolatier Kate McAleer, of Bixby Chocolate, often incorporates local products—wild blueberries, seaweed, bourbon— into her award-winning chocolates. Her latest addictively delicious confection, Allagash Beer Brittle, features Maine’s popular craft brews in three flavors, all of which pair delightfully with creamy cheeses.
Susan Axelrod
Susan Sherrill Axelrod is a former editor of Culture. Her love affair with cheese began at age 12, when she bicycled to a gourmet shop to taste an exotic newcomer—French brie. She lives with her partner in midcoast Maine, where she enjoys a well-made cocktail, hiking with their dog, Lucy, and spending as much time as possible on the water.
