Fleur de Vallee
Baetje Farms
Brevibacterium Linens. You don’t have to be a cheese geek to appreciate the soft, moist, mildly tangy and golden exterior it gives this Reblochon-style cheese. B. linens are the bacteria that gives certain cheeses – most notably Limburger – their pungency. Baetje Farms relies on natural B. linens to colonize its Fleur de Vallee during the 40-day aging process. Made with 100 percent goat’s milk, every wheel is regularly hand-washed and turned. The finished cheese is nutty, earthy, semi-firm and funky (in a good-cheese kind of way). Keep it for a month if you like a stronger flavor and softer texture. Available June through December at Tower Grove Farmer’s Market, Soulard Farmer’s Market and the Maplewood Farmer’s Market. http://www.baetjefarms.com/index.html
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2010.