Cremont

With hundreds of award-winning dairies and creameries in its small area, the state of Vermont sure punches above its weight when it comes to high-quality cheese-making. Cremont (short for "Cream of Vermont") exemplifies and celebrates this rich heritage by blending fresh cows' milk and goats' milk with a splash of Vermont cream, resulting in a truly unique and delicious mixed-milk cheese.

The cheesemongers at Vermont Creamery begin each 5-ounce disc with milk that's imbued with the flavors of the Green Mountains terroirs, and to this they add a special cocktail of yeast and mold, helping it coagulate and attain its unique flavor and texture. The resulting curd is hand-shaped into hockey-puck lumps and aged for two weeks. During this time the cheese acquires a cream-colored rind and silky smooth interior. The nutty taste resembles Vermont Creamery's creme fraiche, while its creamy texture evokes Bonne Bouche, and its wrinkled rind calls to mind Bijou Aged.

Serve this double-cream cheese on a cheeseboard or spread over rustic bread with pancetta and fig jam, paired with sweet, sparkling white wine such as Riesling.

Cremont is made by Vermont Creamery, an artisan cheese company founded in the 1980s by Allison Hooper and Bob Reese. After starting out with a delicious fresh chevre, they haven't stopped expanding since, and with more than 100 national and international awards, Vermont Creamery makes some of the most beloved and prestigious cheeses in America, ideal for home cooks and professional chefs alike.