=" /> The Mile High Eater: Dec 13, 2010

Monday, December 13, 2010

Colorado Cheese Festival

Hello all,

While poor Jonathan had to work this weekend, I snuck off to the Colorado Cheesefest with our friend Elena. Lined up all around the Embassey Suites were tables full of cheese (cheese Gromit)!

Our first table was Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy out of Longmont (www.haystackgoatcheese.com). They had several types of cheese to partake of, including one of my favorites of the day which was the Buttercup. Their website describes this cheese as: Our first mixed-milk cheese combines cow milk with our goat milk to produce a butter-colored satisfying semi-hard cheese. Buttercup wheels are dipped in black wax and aged for 30-60 days.

This was one of the cheeses that I purchased today.

Elena purchased the Queso de Mano which is Haystack's first raw milk cheese, which has a robust, nutty flavor with herbal hints. It is aged for a minimum of four months.

Haystack was one of my top 3 Fromager's of the Day.


We also enjoyed Beehive Cheese Company based out of Utah. We had three cheeses to try: Barely Buzzed, Sea-Hive and Big John's Cajun.

The Barely Buzzed includes expresso and lavendar. You could definately taste the coffee in this cheese. I'm not much of a coffee drinker as you know, but mixed with the cheese flavor, I have to admit I liked it.

The Sea-Hive is rubbed with Beehive wildflower honey and Redmond RealSalt.

Big John's Cajun was hot and spicy (I don't think Jonathan could have handled it). It actually brought tears to my eyes, but the heat was good.

Another Fromager we liked was the Avalance Cheese Company. They had several cheeses to try. Such as: Chevre, Garlic and Basil Chevre Spread, Truffled Honey and Lemon Chevre Spread, Lamborn Bloomers, Midnight Blue and Cabra Blanca. Go to their website to get more details (www.avalanchecheese.com).

My favorite was the Lamborn Bloomers (which Elena and I both purchased). This cheese is so smooth and gentle. I have to say it's my favorite of the day.

Another favorite table was the Rocking W Cheese from Olathe, Colorado. Again, they had a wide assortment of cheeses to try. We tried: Farmer's Veggie, Queso Blanco, Farmer's Plain, Garlic Chive Jack, Portobello Leek Jack, Jalapeno and Tomato Basil.

My favorite here was the Farmer's Veggie. I was told it had celery, sun dried tomatoes and pepper. The rep there said this is an awesome grilled cheese sandwich.

And, this is so true. We asked our local King Soopers to get some in so we could try it, and it's now Jon's favorite cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich.

I didn't purchase anything here because you can get their cheese at King Soopers and Whole Foods. She said if your store doesn't carry them, ask and they will get it to the store.

Again, these are the tables and vendors who struck us as the best. But, you can choose for yourself by going to www.cocheesefest.com to check out all of the vendors who were at the Fest.

Thanks for stopping by our food blog. If you have any questions, please leave a note here, or email us at jonathan or barb @milehigheater.com.