Black Cow Cheddar

In West Dorset, England you will find grazing in green grass pastures, happy and content cows that are totally oblivious to their part in the scheme of things to come. For them, the days are breezy and green… ideal for a wonderful yield of high quality and rich milk. This is the starting point for the newer Black Cow Cheddar cheese which has hit Canada by storm! It has a smooth texture with an occasional crystal crunch. It is rapidly becoming a favorite at La Jolie, and is now known for its mature, sweet and nutty flavor. Presenting in small ‘truckles’, that is rounds of 200g., this cheese is covered in a black wax which gives it a ‘hockey-puck’ look, topped with the signature gold label.

But wait… there is more to this story! Generally when milk is separated for cheese-making, the by-product is considered to be the whey. Cheese makers Jason Barber and Paul Archard proved otherwise. They went on to ferment the whey into beer using a special yeast. This milk beer was then distilled and treated in a proprietary blending process to create a vodka which is triple filtered and finished, and then hand bottled. You heard right…. a vodka made entirely from milk!… and as of April 2017, it is available at over 250 LCBO stores across Ontario.

Use this cheese as you would any exceptionally fine cheddar. It is a conversation piece to say the least. No doubt, it expertly pairs and partners with its namesake vodka!