Alpha Tolma Vermont Alpine Style Cheese

Over the recent extended Memorial Day weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the Jasper Hill Cellars and Creamery in Greensboro Vermont.The facility is state of the art and simply quite amazing. I was truly impressed by the attention to detail throughout all the stages of production and aging  of their cheeses and the mandatory sanitary procedures throughout the facility.

I will be reviewing all of the cheeses that are produced or aged at Jasper Hill. I would like to note that all of these cheeses are wonderful examples of artisan cheese production and affinage.

The Cellars at Jasper Hill is an innovative 22,00 sq ft underground facility. The Cellars were constructed for the purpose of providing affinage, or aging expertise, as well as distribution and marketing services for local cheesemakers so that they may access the burgeoning market for artisan cheese nationwide.

I would like to thank the marketing team at Jasper Hill for allowing me to liberally use their ad copy and photos.

ALPHA TOLMAN is named for a philanthropic dairy farmer who built the Greensboro library in 1900. Alpha's grandfather, Enoch, was one of the town's original settlers. Alpha's namesake cheese is made in a satellite creamery, located within the Vermont Food Venture Center in Hardwick, VT - a facility designed to incubate value-added projects and enrich our agricultural economy.

Details: True to the Alpine cheese making tradition Alpha Tolman is a cooked raw milk cheese. Rennet is added to the milk to form the curd, which is then pressed into molds to expel any whey that is left. The newly formed cheeses are then washed in brine which helps to form the rind and gives them a funky edge. The formed cheeses are then set to age between 8 to 11 months in the Cellars humidity and temperature controlled cave.. Alpha Tolman has a buttery, nutty and fruity flavor when young, developing bold meaty, caramelized onion flavors as it matures. The inner paste has a light straw color and has a thin outer rind. The texture is dense and pliant, easy to cut and ideal for melting.

When shopping for Alpha Tolman look for a cheese that is not dry or cracked as this is a sign of a wonderful cheese past it's prime. Alpha Tolman can be found in good specialty cheese shops and possibly in Whole Foods.  The texture, aesthetic, and flavor make Alpha Tolman an ideal choice for fans of Appenzeller (or fondue!).For a satisfying meal, follow the lead of Swiss/French raclette – melt onto a serving of fingerling potatoes, cured meat and natural sour pickles.

Wine Pairing: Big jammy New York reds with a younger version or a locally brewed porter or ale with a more mature cheese.