That’s a gorgeous cheese!

Every week, Ari counts down his favorite products, events, and more around the ZCoB with his Ari’s Top 5 enews! Want to be the first to know what he’s excited about right now? Get it in your inbox.

Sign up today—it’s quick, easy, and so much fun! Here’s a “taste” from this week’s edition:

I’ve been waiting to have Flory’s Truckle, a wonderful cheese from the American heartland here for years. And now that it’s arrived at Zingerman’s Cream Top Shop, I’m impressed anew with its excellence! If you like firm-textured, full-flavored, nicely aged cheeses as much as I do, I’m pretty confident you will, too.

In the small town of Jamesport, Missouri, Tim and Jennifer Flory raise ten children and a herd of about 30 Jerseys cows, all of which come together to craft this marvelous cheese. The family makes its cheddars exclusively from their own herd’s raw milk, cloth wraps them, and ages them for a fortnight. In old-school English style, the 10-pound wheels are wrapped in cloth (which allows them to breathe as they age) and rubbed with lard (just like traditional English cheddar), which prevents mold from forming.

At that point, the wheels are driven north across the state line into Iowa to the Milton Creamery for maturing. Aging generally is for one year, which gives it a dry-ish, lovely dense texture. Supply of this superb cheese is limited to the 50 or so wheels they make per week. It’s terrific cheese that could well be as big a hit on your counter as it has been on mine!

Want to try Flory’s Truckle? Stop by the Cream Top Shop and ask for a taste!  And don’t forget to sign up for Ari’s Top 5.