It’s really looking like Summer here on the East Coast, which means I’m reaching for cheeses that give me that easy breezy, sunshiney feeling. I’m talking about warm weather cheeses that trick me into thinking I’m on vacation. Lately I’ve been enjoying these cheeses in my backyard with friends, and just like my multiple citronella candles… it’s been lit.
Burrata
In my opinion, any situation where you can eat a plate of food featuring a large pile of cheese as the focal point, is a good situation to be in. Enter: creamy, mild and milky Burrata. This purse of mozzarella stuffed with cream and bits of more mozz is the Summer staple that you’re probably already making the most of. My advice is to get weirder with your Burrata pairings. Take it beyond tomatoes and try your burrata with grilled peaches or pineapple, berries, pizza or pretty much anything, honestly.
Photo Cred: Gourmet Imports
Wilde Weide
This cow’s milk Gouda is pretty magical. Made on a tiny little island in the Netherlands, this cheese is hand crafted by the couple who lives there before being loaded on to a lil’ boat and ferried to the mainland. The cheese’s name means “wild meadow”, to reference the beautiful, fresh pastures that these lucky cows are grazing on. Simply put: this cheese tastes like vacation. It’s sweet and bright with a distinct pineapple note that will transport your palate to a tropical destination.
Photo Cred: Chantal's Cheese Shop
Casatica di Bufala
Okay this choice may be a totally personal preference, and even that preference might be based off this one memory I have of eating this cheese on a beach. Maybe it was because the warmth of the sun brought this cheese to the perfect texture: squishy, yet still firm and holding together. I also think that buffalo milk cheeses like this one have a tangy lightness to them which pairs nicely with summertime feelings. Buffalo milk is also super creamy in a uniquely fresh, almost refreshing way. Anyway, my Casatica On The Beach experience was delicious, and I distinctly remember hearing the sound of all of my life’s problems just falling away. Highly recommended!
Photo Cred: DeLaurenti
Pantaleo
This cheese encapsulates Summer without even trying, because it comes from a land surrounded by sunshine and ocean views. Pantaleo comes from Sardinia, the little Italian island known for stunning beaches and vacationers. The island’s salty, crisp sea breezes make their way into this cheese’s flavor, imparting it with an unmistakable salinity along with a lemony zip from the aged goat’s milk. This cheese is bright, zippy and goes surprisingly well with seafood (yeah, I said it).