Cheese

Harbison, one of the only pasteurized cow’s milk cheeses produced by Jasper Hill Farm, has taken home top prizes at both the annual American Cheese Society conference and the World Cheese Awards, and you can always find it in the case at Dedalus. This spruce-banded, bloomy-rinded nugget boasts notes of mushrooms, butter, and a hint of funk. To best enjoy your Harbison, take it out of refrigeration at least a few hours before serving; our expert cheesemongers suggest even taking it out the night before. Slice the top rind off and dip in with a bag of Torres Iberian Ham potato chips.

Giorgio Cravero and his family have been aging wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano in their caves since 1855. Each wheel arrives in the Piedmont at a year of age and is flipped every two weeks to ensure a smooth texture with delicate crystals throughout. Notes of sweet fresh cream give way to a robust, brothy finish. Pair with Prosecco and a drizzle of Villa Manadori aged Balsamic. 

Betty and Martin Koster source their Goudas from the best cheesemakers and cheesemaking co-operatives throughout the Netherlands. L’amuse signature is aged at a higher humidity and temperature than most Goudas. This keeps the paste moist and sweet, while still developing crunchy tyrosine crystals. Think butterscotch candy in cheese form. 

Jasper Hill Farm’s Bayley Hazen Blue has developed a loyal following, and for good reason. This raw cow’s milk blue-veined cheese is as creamy and fudgy as they come. Aged for just under 4 months, Bayley Hazen is perfect for both sweet and savory pairings. Melt a fat slice on a burger for the ultimate creamy, umami flavor bomb, or pick up any jar of V Smiley Preserves, for a trip down a honey-sweetened lane.

A delicious and highly decorated Gruyere from Fribourg, Switzerland. 1655 is aged by Fromage Gruyere SA, the smallest of the Gruyere Affineurs and selected from the premier dairies that they source from. 1655 shows considerable seasonal variation though each wheel shows distinct fruit notes up front with a long and savory finish. Pair with Fallot Whole Grain Mustard or Armato Red Onion Relish.

One of the last small-batch, natural-rind Manchegos in production, the cheesemakers at Sierra la Solana age these wheels a minimum of 6 months to best develop the flavors of the milk. The sheep’s unique diet of grasses, grains, and olives from the groves in which they graze results in a perfectly balanced and  complex flavor, carrying notes of buttered toast and green almonds. 

A rich and sweet goat’s milk Gouda sourced from a small farm in the Brabandt region of Holland. Aged under the watchful eye of Betty Koster at Fromagerie L’Amuse just outside of Amsterdam, Brabander is silky and sliceable, with a flavor like toasted marshmallows. Capable of convincing even the most goat-skeptic cheese lovers, Brabander is also incredibly wine-friendly, although we love it for a fun dessert bite, topped with some of Venchi's chocolate hazelnut spread. 

A unique expression of one of France's most popular cheeses, available only at Dedalus. The affineurs at Marcel Petit make sure that they choose the perfect wheels throughout the year for our personally selected flavor profile. Notes of toasty cashew, beef broth, and roasted carrot coexist with Comte's classic buttery richness in these extremely limited edition wheels. All you need is a bit of Vin Jaune.

A traditional English style Clothbound Cheddar made right up the road in Shelburne, VT.  Shelburne’s take on this classic has big brothy notes with a bit of a kick reminiscent of onion or horseradish. Great with Edmund Fallot Walnut Mustard.

One of only two cheeses produced on Vermont Shepherd's farm, Verano, meaning "summer," is made only during the warm summer months when the sheep graze in the luscious pastures of Southern Vermont. Sweet and earthy with a fatty richness, Verano and a crisp bottle of Albarino will make any weeknight feel like a celebration. 

A unique cheese years in the making, Rispens is one of the Netherlands’ only farmstead sheep milk goudas. The Rispens family milks their herd of 300 Lacaune sheep in the northern town of Morra and sends it off to a nearby co-op cheesemaker. The result is a supple, toasty wheel of gouda, subtler than most older cows’ milk versions. Rispens is incredibly pair-able: notes of toasted hazelnut, brown butter, and honeyed brioche make this an ideal pair for a long list of wines, but our mongers love it best with a glass of Hiyu Floreal Cider.

Once the most well-known and widely-available British cheese, true Cheshire is now one of the rarest of birds. In fact, there remains only one surviving farmhouse Cheshire producer in the UK - the Appleby family on Hawkstone Farm. The farm is currently owned and operated by Sarah Appleby, who - together with cheesemaker Garry Gray - oversees cheese production, and her husband Paul, who takes care of the cattle and ensures their milk is of the highest quality. Their herd of cows graze on Shropshire's mineral-rich grasses, resulting in a flinty but still super rich paste.

Parish Hill's distinctly Vermonter take on an Italian Fontina style. This gorgeous natural rind cheese is given a wash in beer brine as part of its aging process, resulting in a flavor that's savory while retaining that nutty Vermont Terroir.

One of family cheesemakers Casa Madaio's most precious wheels, this sheeps' milk cheese is aged to crystalline perfection in natural stone caves perfumed with locally-sourced spring herbs. A bit of toothy bite gives way to flavors of sweet thyme blossoms and sun-baked grasses.

Jan, Roos, and their single herd of cows make these intensely crystalline wheels on a tiny island in South Holland. Wilde Weide carries a much brighter flavor profile than other goudas - think perfectly ripe pineapple and an undercurrent of toasted cashews and sweet cream butter. One of our favorite summertime snackers.

Cheesemaking brothers Maugan & Todd Trethowan are dedicated to reviving this classic Welsh style using milk from their own herd of Holstein and Jersey cows. Aged longer than most other Caerphilly on the market, these wheels have a characteristic two-tone paste just under the velvety gray rind. The creamline, mushroom-y and silky, gives way to a crumbly center with notes of lemon yogurt and fresh-cut grass.

A newer addition to Jasper Hill Farm's storied cellars, Whitney is aged to be young and supple. Wine-washed for a tiny hint of funk, Whitney's paste carries toasty, meaty flavors that finish with a balanced, buttery richness. 

Great for snacking, or in your next grilled cheese or fondue pot.