Royer Mountain

This week's CSA-featured cheese, "Royer Mountain," is an Alpine-style cow's milk product from Clover Creek Cheese Cellar of Williamsburg, Pennsylvania. Comparable in taste to Romano, "Royer Mountain" is a sharp, firm, cellar-aged cheese with a slightly gritty texture.

Like all of the cheeses produced by family-operated Clover Creek Cheese Cellar, the milk that went into our "Royer Mountain" selection came directly from a mixed herd of pasture-raised cows - and the curds for the cheese were cut and stirred by hand!

DID YOU KNOW? To be a true Pecorino Romano, the cheese must be made from the milk of sheep who have grazed within specific regions of Italy. Therefore, Pecorino Romano can only be imported and sheep's milk Romano produced here in the United States is not as highly regarded by cheese connoisseurs. Romano cheeses made with cow's milk, like Clover Creek's "Royer Mountain" are called Vacchino Romano, while goat's milk cheeses of this variety are labeled Caprino Romano. Sheep's milk Romano is typrically less sharp than goat's milk Romano, and cow's milk Romano is generally the mildest version of the three. "Royer Mountain" is a great match for a variety of baked recipes. Try mixing freshly-grated bits into the dough of your favorite homemade bread, or toss it with fresh herbs for the crusts of baked eggplant, chicken or pork!