LE FROMAGE
Linden Dale Farm Dalencay & Tröegs DreamWeaver Enjoy this local artisanal pairing of beer and cheese. By Ryan Hudak
These days, words like “small-batch” and “artisanal” are thrown around with abandon, eaten up by consumers who are desperate to get in touch with their farmstead sides. Luckily, Linden Dale Farm lives up to these descriptors when it comes to their wonderful goat cheese. Situated in Ronks, PA, Andrew and Mary Mellinger run this 7th generation dairy farm with the help of their “herd keepers,” who happen to be six Mellinger children. And on a farm that just saw the births of 128 new goats in March, all hands are needed: each goat is given a name, and each kid is bottle-fed. This kind of labor-intensive operation doesn’t leave time for much else; the farm has no website, no Twitter account, no retail outlets and a seldom-updated Facebook
page. Clearly, these folks are spending their time concentrating on the quality of their cheese, and it shows. While the farm produces a variety of Chevres (including plain, chive and garlic) as well as goat Feta, the most interesting offering is their Dalencay, a local play on the French style Valencay. The cheese comes as a small pyramid with a flat top which, when it is firm enough during the aging process, is covered in a layer of salted charcoal ash and develops a thin film of blue mold over that. Inside, though, resides a creamy, slightly salty cheese with a fresh, citric taste. As the cheese ages, it will develop a chalkier texture and nuttier flavor. The younger version of the Dalencay pairs perfectly with Tröegs DreamWeaver wheat beer. The beer, which is sweeter than many wheat beers, contrasts the salty, earthy qualities of the cheese perfectly. And while it contrasts, they both bring visions of springtime: the cheese has a fresh, grassy flavor and the beer has easy-drinking honey sweetness; both bring to mind sitting on a front porch in the early days of May with a light breeze and not a cloud in the sky. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of pairing honey and cheese, these two will bring you back to that joy as well. Even with its notes of springtime, don’t worry about missing out on the Dalencay—it will be available until November, but only at the Fair Food Farmstand at Reading Terminal Market. The cheese can be used for anything, whether you’re crumbling it into a salad or spreading it on a bagel, or simply pairing it with a delicious DreamWeaver. The important thing, though, is to enjoy and support local artisans such as Tröegs and Linden Dale which, with this pairing, will be the easiest thing you do all season.
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