food cheese of the month
Oldwick Shepherd Last year, Valley Shepherd Creamery in New Jersey appeared on my radar and quickly became a favorite source for rustic, raw-milk cheese. This Pecorino-style wedge made from the milk of pasture-raised sheep is a good choice for February, when your disposition needs sweetening and your palate craves dense, nutty cheeses. Tuck a wedge of Oldwick Shepherd into your down
vest pocket and go for a walk in the woods. Pair this with a flask of scotch, and you’ve got a mood lifter—call it the ultimate staycation package. Oldwick Shepherd has a natural (edible) rind and a dense paste like a Pecorino, but it tastes more like a cave-aged Gruyère crossed with a clothbound cheddar. The wheel I tried was caramel-sweet and herby; near the rind, I detected pronounced walnut notes. Unlike other sheep cheeses, there isn’t a muttony finish. As one friend from the Garden State recently told me, “This cheese makes me proud to be from New Jersey.” —Tenaya Darlington, madamefromage.blogspot.com
Look for cheeses from Valley Shepherd Creamery at Di Bruno Bros. and Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal Market. Valley Shepherd Creamery, 50 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, N.J. valleyshepherd.com; 908-876-3200
on tap
Belgian Freeze River Horse Brewing Co., Lambertville, NJ. Belgian Style Ale / 8.0% ABV
forty miles or so up the Delaware, just across the bridge from New Hope, you’ll find Lambertville, N.J.—home of River Horse Brewing Co. and apparently, the abominable snow hippo. Don’t let the beast on the bottle fool you, his snarl is worse than his snap. Turns out he’s actually rather friendly for a Belgian dark ale. For those afraid of Belgian styles, this one is quite mellow on those sharp yeasty flavors, tending
more toward malty and warming with a crisp quick finish. But keep in mind it’s still an eight-percenter, so be careful not to provoke him. —Lucas Hardison More at riverhorse.com.
Mark your calendar
Philly Farm & Food Fest Local food powerhouses Fair Food and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture are teaming up for a blockbuster event this spring. An expansion of Fair Food’s annual Local Grower Local Buyer, Philly Farm & Food Fest will cater to both buyers—restaurants who use local food—and the public. Expect a family-friendly time with delicious food, educational workshops and great opportunities to meet your favorite local farmers, producers and food artisans. April 1, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Pennsylvania Convention Center. 1101 Arch St.
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