Whenever I’m in a French market, I’m amazed by the many small goat cheeses sold in the shapes of leaves, crosses, boats, bells, hearts, even spring lambs. It’s a Lucky Charms situation, which is surprising to me since I find the French to be verrrry serious about cheese (do not suggest pairing cheese with jam)! In the U.S., cheese shapes are typically less playful, I find — probably because removing soft cheeses from tiny cheese molds is labor intensive.
All this to say, I was excited to receive a sample of Vermont Creamery Hooper, a mixed-milk donut-shaped number named after the company’s founder, Allison Hooper. Hooper is one of the queen mothers of the American artisan cheese scene, a figure who popularized wrinkly-rinded French-style goat cheeses back in the 1980s.
Today, Vermont Creamery is owned by Land O’Lakes. I’m happy to see the company honor Allison Hooper with a milky crown. It’s a nod in the direction of French tradition and an important offering to a maker who inspired so many of us to explore artisan American cheese in a deep way, including yours truly.
If you’re curious about my tasting notes, I’ve made a short video for you.
If you find Hooper in your area, please drop a comment with your tasting notes!
VERMONT CHEESE TRAVEL TIPS
Speaking of Vermont, let me give a shout-out to a state that has led the whey in dairy tourism. If you’re dreaming of some Vermont travel, make sure to check out The Vermont Cheese Trail.
If you want a romantic cheese weekend, The Inn at Shelburne Farms is always my top pick. And I wouldn’t leave the state without a serious cheese stash. Of course, you can’t miss Shelburne Farms Cheddar and Jasper Hill, but if you’re curious to sniff out some smaller ventures be sure to seek out the wild wheels from Parish Hill Creamery in southern Vermont. While you’re at it, be sure to snag a gorgeous wheel of sheep cheese from their neighbors at Vermont Shepherd.
I could go on, but I’ll let you make your own dairy discoveries. It’s hard to find a bad cheese in Vermont.
MY NOVEMBER EVENTS
If you live in Philadelphia, join me for tastings & book signings at Tria Wine Bar or at the Alliance Française. Both are in Center City. At Tria, I’ll be sharing some favorite cheese and wine pairings for the holidays and guiding you through a gorgeous tasting plate. At the Alliance, we’ll taste cheeses from French-speaking countries, along with local cheeses inspired by French culture.
Ticket links are below — I hope to see you!
Tria Philly, Nov. 13
Adventures in Cheese: An Evening with Tenaya Darlington (6-7:00 pm)
Adventures in Cheese: An Evening with Tenaya Darlington (7:30-8:30)
Alliance Française, Nov. 22
Apéro with Madame Fromage (6-7:30 pm)
Friends, I’m sending you my warmest wishes and many new cheese finds. Thanks for sharing in my passion for all things dairy. If the video in this post is something you’d like to see more of, please let me know. It feels harder to forge genuine connections on social media these days, so I’m looking to do more in this space.
Cheers,
Madame Fromage
Let's Taste Hooper + November Events