there is du bon fromage in the U.S.

I have France on the brain. Today I outlined a series of blog posts to document our trip - vegetable markets, butcher shops, fishing, foie gras - but before writing those I must proclaim how satisfying it is to return home and find a truly delicious raw milk cheese fabricated à l'ancien, in Vermont.
What a specimen! It's a slice of Jasper Hill Farm's "Winnimere Mini," a raw cow's milk, soft rind cheese. You table's cheese course deserves nothing less. The taste is truly unique, of Vermont terroir, but if I had to, I would compare to a Saint Nectaire crossed with a French Munster.

By geographic principle, I am committed to buying artisanal cheeses made in the US; however, many of the better cheeses are typically much more expensive than the majority of French and Italian imports, and they often have less flavor and overall panache. This small slice of Winnimere set me back $4.50, which I feel is a very fair price given the exceptional quality of the cheese - in fact, many less deserving cheeses are sold for much more. Save some fuel costs and buy a big piece of this for your next dinner party.