White Lake Cheeses Sheep Rustler
Mellow flavors of caramel and nut make Sheep Rustler the kind of cheese you can eat a whole lot of, and then eat a whole lot more. It launched in 2015 and has already been recognized as the Best Modern British Cheese by the British Cheese Awards. For a region as turophilic as Great Britain, that’s no small feat. It’s a testament to what White Lake is doing with their ewes’ milk out on their farm in Somerset. Rustle up a wheel for yourself.
Just the Facts
Farmhouse Ales & Sours
Farmhouse, Saison, Bière de Garde, Lambic, Sour BeerFarmhouse ales, instead of being driven by malt or hops, depend on the yeast for their distinctive spicy, floral, and tart flavors. Commonly made by brewers in France and Belgium, farmhouse ales are usually light in color and body and quite effervescent. From time to time, brewers allow wild yeasts to ferment the beer, resulting in a brew that falls somewhere in between pleasantly bright to bracingly sour.
Pair with: Mushroomy Brie Fermier or funky, bacony Epoisses are matches made in heaven.Riesling
This food-friendly wine ranges from super sweet to quite dry. Acidity, minerality, and aromas of tropical fruit are almost always present.Dry: Characterized by bracing acidity and stark minerality. Tropical fruit on the nose, stunningly balanced flavor overall.
Pair with: This versatile wine works equally well with a fresh chevre (bringing out acidity) as it does a stinker like Willoughby (playing up the sweet/salty contrast).Sweet: The other end of the spectrum offers a cloyingly sweet, syrupy wine. Aromas of ripe peaches and tropical fruit dominate, along with floral, perfumed accents.
Pair with: With something this strong it’s best to contrast the sweetness with something funky or salty: A pungent washed rind like Grayson or a punchy blue like Bleu du Bocage.Scotch Whiskey
Scotch whisky is every bit as diverse, intricate, and nuanced as cheese, so it helps to know which whiskies go best with which cheeses. Unique and complex, the sweetness can enhance the caramel and toffee notes for which cheese is so beloved.