Focus On: Black Sheep Creamery

Talking about sheep's milk cheese has really made me want to eat more! Wanting to eat cheese is my response to most experiences. I thought I would do an across the board tasting of Black Sheep Creamery out of Chehalis, Washington. I've had their cheese before and knew I enjoyed it, but tasting everything at once is a great way for me to really compare them and get a sense of their unique qualities.

All the cheeses beautifully displayed on the hood of my truck

What's cool about Black Sheep Creamery? They are a farmstead creamery, which I think is pretty essential to making great cheese in the U.S. This means they raise their own animals and produce their own milk. They raise Laucane and Fresian sheep and focus on aged, hard cheeses. They do make a fresh cheese as well, but I didn't sample it.

To the cheese!

Baasque, sheep's milk
   Black Sheep Creamery, Adna, WA

This cheese is pale and creamy colored, with a gorgeous rind and a full-bodied smell. So good! Softer in texture than I expected, similar to a swiss but falling into curd pieces as I eat it. A little chewy, in a really satisfying way. It has a fruity, citrus sweetness. I really like the texture. I want a grilled cheese sandwich made with this for my birthday.










St. Helens, sheep's milk
   Black Sheep Creamery, Adna, WA

At first glance these cheeses all look similar, but each is quite unique. The St Helens has a glowing creamy color and a more tightly knitted interior. This is a washed rind cheese, but it is on the mild and firm end of that scale. But it isn't short on flavor! Very nutty and warm. I like the salt level too. It has a little fresh sheep-y flavor to it.

Adnatou, sheep and cow's milk

   Black Sheep Creamery, Adna, WA

This has a more orange colored rind and more yellow paste (interior) than the first two, thanks to the cow's milk. This is fairly pungent, but in no way stinky. The salt level is a little too high for me, but paired with something or in cooking it would be quite good. There are really nice flavors here, but after the first two it's not a show stopper. Among other company I'm sure it would shine.
P.S. I was surprised to learn that this cheese has the same recipe and aging as the Baasque, except with cow's milk added! It is so different, a very different texture and flavor. I would never have guessed that.






Pecorino - Fresh, raw sheep's milk
   Black Sheep Creamery, Adna, WA

This is their take on a familiar cheese. It has a smooth and very supple texture, pale in color. It's truly lovely, with a back-of-the-throat meaty and spicy flavor. Classic. Smooth, semi-firm texture. I bet this would melt like a dream. It has the light fruity sweetness characteristic of sheep's milk. I would rate Pecorino in the top third of my favorite cheeses, but not the top quarter, still this is an amazing rendition of it.




Mopsey's Best, raw sheep's milk
   Black Sheep Creamery, Adna, WA

Oh yes! Well done Mopsey! This is one of those cheeses that makes me want to punch someone, it's so good. This is a beautiful pale cheese with a woody brown rind. A drier texture than the others; it is almost-but-not crumbly. It is so grassy and sweet and delightfully sheepy (how is it that 'sheepy' sounds more appealing than goaty?) I want to live in this cheese. Balanced and wonderfully flavorful. I wish I had more vocabulary to describe this, but I'm just going to keep on using generic words of approval: Yum!








Feta, sheep's milk
   Black Sheep Creamery, Adna, WA

Now to end with something diferent. A feta style, and it is so white. Did you know that feta made from non-traditional cow's milk is often bleached to mimic this whiteness? Gross.This cheese has a perfect crumbly-firm texture. It's quite salty, but that is what I want and expect from feta. There is that sheep flavor again, like a hint of clean wool and sweetness. High citrusy acidity. There is a flavor here I can't place, but it reminds me of the holidays. Is it weird to say that there are notes of olives and molassas in the background? It's that hint of dark sweetness that takes me to holidays with the family. That and dirty vodka martinis.





Wonderful cheeses across the board. Without ever meeting these farmers or visiting their farm I already have an idea of the kind of place it is. Passionate folks for sure.