Our Favorite Spring Cheese!
After a long winter of luxurious, melty raclettes it’s time for something a little lighter. That’s where goat cheese comes in, and our all time favorite is Capriole! Based on an idyllic farm in Indiana they focus entirely on goat cheese from fresh chevre to their Julianna, an Old Kentucky Tomme variation coated in herbes de provence. Capriole takes goat cheese to a whole other level.
Capriole was started in 1988 by Larry and Judy Schad on their family farm. What started with a herd of 50 goats grew to 500. Originally all production from milking to cheesemaking was done on the farm until demand for their product expanded nationally and they sold the herd to focus fully on the cheese. They still remain connected to the local herds they buy milk from to ensure the best quality.Â
A small creamery was built on the farm where they still ladle 400 gallons of cheese curd by hand to this day to produce all their phenomenal cheeses. Capriole has also partnered with Sycamore Land Trust to create a conservation easement to ensure their 50+ acre farm will be protected from the surrounding sub-division development.
Here are some highlights from Capriole’s brilliant selection!
Tea Rose is named after one of Capriole’s original herd members known for her sweet personality and wonderful milk. Her image can be found on their label and her daughters still provide milk to this day! Tea Rose is the epitome of spring, layered with fennel pollen, an assortment of herbs and aromatic flowers. Enjoy with lighter white wines and floral teas.
Sophia is the most popular aged goat cheese in Capriole’s line up. An ode to Loire Valley cheese styles, Sophia has a vegetable ash geotrichum rind that creates a fun textural contrast between the oozing creamline and flaky paste. Enjoy drizzled with a little honey on your favorite cracker.
Monte St. Francis takes inspiration from monastic washed-rind cheeses produced for centuries around Europe. Originally produced in 1994, it was one of the first wash-rind cheeses to come out of the US. Monte St. Francis is finished with Monnik Beer Company’s His Dark Materials stout. Funky, sweet, and smoky this is the perfect cheese to pair with a malty beer or tannic red wine.Â
Capriole has so many wonderful cheeses to try and we stock most of them at our counter! We recently got a new shipment and can’t wait for you to come experience them. Our cheesemongers are well versed in pairings and happy to answer any questions to help you create you own charcuterie board or picnic plate. Cheers to fresh cheese and warmer weather!
