Cheese Coins from Rustic Bakery in California
Small bites of super tasty excellence on the Deli shelves
When you think about paying bills, I’m pretty confident that what comes to mind for you will not be cheese. There was a time, though, when it was not uncommon for cheese to be the coin of the realm: in parts of Europe, farmers—or cheesemaking monks, in some cases—would actually pay their rent with it. I’m not sure how well these Cheese Coins would have worked back in the day, but when it comes to flavor, I don’t think it’s excessive to say that these little bitty baked goods from California could be considered priceless.
I did not, I’ll confess, come to these Cheese Coins with especially high expectations. However, my beliefs changed, you could say, on a dime. The first Cheese Coin I tried caught my attention. The second coin confirmed my initial reaction: these things weren’t mundane; they were marvelous! By the third coin, I was a big fan. I finished the box a few days later, and I haven’t stopped since. Quite simply, they’re superb. As Grace Singleton, longtime managing partner at the Deli, said with a smile the other day, “Those Cheese Coins are like the best version of a Cheez-It!”
The savory snack hails from a small company out in California, the now 21-year-old Rustic Bakery, located in the beautiful Marin County town of Petaluma. The business began back in 2005 with the mission of making a really great sourdough cracker that could pair with the wonderful artisan cheeses being sold in San Francisco by our friends at Cowgirl Creamery. Two decades later, Rustic Bakery has a quartet of cafés in Marin County and about 18 different products. We sell a fair few of them at the Deli, and all are great. The one I’m hung up on, though, is the Cheese Coins, with their complex, slightly spicy, super buttery flavor and clean finish.
This past spring, San Diego food writer Carmen Varner said,
I’m a food writer, so I’ve tried a lot of things in my career. These savory Cheese Coins really stand out. … The image [of them] was small and just looked like a round cheese-y thing, so that didn’t give away much about the product either, but it’s not a cheese crisp at all. Instead, they are a cheesy, buttery biscuit, like a savory cookie if you will. They’re made with flour, butter, and sharp cheddar cheese, but also feature cayenne pepper and chili flakes. …
The cheesy, buttery richness makes such a refreshing addition to a snack board; I think anyone who tries them may assume you made them from scratch since they have such a chic, rustic appearance. Not only that, but they’re flavorful and interesting, yet not so strange that people wouldn’t want to try them. If I were to purchase something specifically to impress people, this would be my top pick from everything I talked about so far. Plus, they work nicely when you want to vary the textures and appearance of your charcuterie board since they are somewhat crumbly and petite.
Mostly, I’ve just been eating the Cheese Coins straight out of the box. Stick a box of ’em in your desk drawer at work for a quick culinary pick-me-up, or pack a box or two if you’re taking a long trip. They’re also great in any number of culinary applications: Top each one with a small spread of handmade Zingerman’s Cream Cheese and a bit of pepper jam. Crumble them onto a cup of tomato soup. Or toss them into a green salad right before you serve—they make excellent croutons. Either way, swing by the Deli soon to pick up a box (or two, if you’re like me), and enjoy!
