Seastack from Mt. Townsend Creamery
Hubs was out with co-workers and I had the evening to myself plus I had just accomplished a small milestone so I was in the mood to celebrate and in no mood to cook. I’d been saving since last weekend a 6 oz. delectable puck called Seastack from Mt. Townsend Creamery — they are located north of Seattle on the Olympic Peninsula. I got a taste of it at the Ballard Farmer’s Market the day after the cheese fest and instantly opened up the wallet. It’s a soft-ripened cow’s milk rolled in a vegetable ash.
I hunted through my fridge and cabinets and came up with some walnuts and a handful of nearly overripe strawberries. Then, to make more of a meal of it, I pulled out a pear (also nearly overripe), made a paltry salad and grabbed a beer, Widmer’s 09 Belgian Style Ale — not bad. I grabbed the radio for “This American Life” and headed out to the backyard. Which looks like this (note: new plants to be planted in the background… tomorrow, I hope!):
It was all really satisfying. The cheese is just as wonderful as when I first sampled it. Creamy and a bit runny at the edges with a slightly firm but very edible rind. It also had very slight undertones of fresh grass from the cow but also had that nice touch of blue notes coming from the vegetable ash which I think is one of my latest favorite things.
And now I’ve got to keep an eye open for Mt. Townsend Creamery cheeses here in Oregon as I also took away from the Ballard market a wedge of their Trailhead Tomme which me and the husband polished off right quick. It’s a good all-around cheese that does seem perfect for a hike. It really reminded me of a cheese that I ate a lot of and loved in Italy a couple summers ago — a light, very slightly nutty cheese with a few air bubbles scattered throughout. In Italy, our host called it “nostrana” which means ‘ours.’ So, it was their local, everyday cheese which tasted perfect on a baguette with a bit of butter and some fresh tomato and a shake of pepper. And that’s exactly how we ate up the Trailhead in addition to just cutting off slices and enjoying the flavor. Two thumbs up!
Nicole said,
May 28, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
You sure do know how to enjoy cheese. The plating looks awesome and I can’t imagine a more pleasant way to spend the gorgeous weather we are having than some time in the backyard with some good cheese.
Amanda said,
May 28, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
I know, right? I’m such a nerd with the plating. I got this and the other one with the bird at Greg’s on Hawthorne — I may have to go back and get the whole set. It’s fun to do! I think I need a new camera… so I can take better photos of cheese!!
Nicole said,
May 28, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
I was just thinking about how I would like to invest in some nice, large wood boards so that I had a nice background for photographing cheeses. The old 50’s style formica counter top isn’t really very photogenic. Maybe I should repaint the kitchen too …
Sarah said,
June 10, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
Hmm… I know someone who might be able to help out with those wooden cheese boards…
This looks like the perfect meal to me! Let me know if you track down any cheese in PDX from this creamery so I can check it out!
Amanda said,
June 10, 2009 @ 5:06 pm
I’d love to get a wooden cheeseboard — I haven’t found the perfect one yet in the right price, though.
FUCheese » Book: Artisan Cheese of the Pacific Northwest said,
July 16, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
[…] and B.C. It’s organized by state and has a great map so you can see when you’re nearing Mt. Townsend Creamery and plan accordingly. I plan to keep this in the car and the more I refer to it the more I’ll […]
FUCheese » Visiting Vancouver & San Juans said,
September 27, 2009 @ 9:40 am
[…] Now, I knew, because of Tami Parr’s excellent book, that there was a cheesemaker on San Juan but she seems pretty elusive even to locals. I would occasionally ask people if there were any cheesemakers on the island and no one knew of any. Of course, I was secretly hoping someone would say, “oh, yes, my best friend on the island makes cheese — join us for cheese and wine tonight!” Sadly, that did not happen. I tried to call her but only got voicemail with instructions that she would only return local calls. But, luckily, the Friday Harbor grocery, King’s Market, had her cheese! Quail Croft farmstead cheeses are made on San Juan island from surely the happiest goats in all the land. That area is just so beautiful. I bought two of Quail Croft’s chevre, one plain and one herbed — both were excellent, creamy and slightly tangy but very light and lovely. We also picked up some Samish Bay (Bow, Washington) nettle gouda and a puck of my beloved Mt. Townsend Seastack. […]