Goat Cheese is Great on Green Beans, Humboldt Fog That Is

I love that America has expanded their love for the millenia-old craft of cheese making in recent decades. To me cheese making is an art, much like winemaking. It's as if the US has had a fromage renaissance, a few steps beyond the machine-cut, mass-produced orange glop into a more advanced enlightened reawakening of the beauty of cheese that has always been. :P

One creamery worth mentioning is Cypress Grove Chevre out of California. They are taking cheese to a whole new level, keeping par with the more experienced British creameries. If you haven't tried their signature confection, Humboldt Fog then put it on your list next time you have company.

Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove Chevre

Humboldt Fog is unlike any cheese I have had before, a combination of really two textures and tastes layered curiously together and visually, more like a gâteau than a cheese, with it's ash marbled through the middle and its perimeter. The interior of the cheese is pure white, crumbly, creamy and leaning towards the flavor of a proper Roquefort Blue and the texture of a premium cream cheese, while the exterior is more like bloomy variety of Brie but with a more humble flavor of earthy mushrooms. A very interesting contrast, but absolutely lovely.

The creativity and quality of Humboldt Fog is truly unique, something American cheese makers haven't been known for on the international stage. And what makes it even more interesting, Humboldt Fog, you would never guess by taste, is a goat cheese which makes it is significantly lower in fat per serving than a cow's milk cheese. (Now how do I work this cheese into more of my recipes?) As it was, while experimenting the other day I discovered that Humboldt Fog is not only great on its own, but absolutely wonderful on green beans. Out of a can or freshly boiled, crumble some on top before serving and you will have an extraordinary little side dish.

Scratch my last note about buying Humboldt Fog for company, and put it on your list this week so you can eat it on top of your green beans!