Earth Tomme (revisited)

"Earth Tomme" comes to us from Milky Way Meadows, which is located in Townville, Pennsylvania.

One thing that you should know about the folks at Milky Way Meadows, aside from the fact that their herd is 100% grass-fed, is that, no matter how hard I beg, they stand firm on their determination to send only cheeses that have been aged for no less than one year.

While the last batch I reviewed was probably pushing two years in age and had a drier, crunchier, slightly sharper finish, the batch we received most recently is softer, milder and maybe even a bit sweeter in taste.

The aroma of the "Earth Tomme" we have in stock today is light, sweet, earthy and certainly less tangy than the previous batch. However, its composition retains the same tiny "eyes" and "crystals" as the last. These attributes can also be found in River View Dairy's "Meadowbelle" - a goat's milk version of the same style.

Tommes, including today's feature, are often made of skimmed or partially skimmed milk, as opposed to full-fat milk or milk containing added cream. While I am happy to recommend "Earth Tomme" to customers who are what I like call "fat averse", I'd like to remind everyone that fat is good for you - and that this fat, the butterfat from local pasture-raised cows that has since been turned into hand-crafted farmstead cheese, is the best you can get.

Anyway, this cheese is really lovely. I've almost eaten my entire 8 oz. wedge as I've typed this. If I hadn't, I might have tried melting it into a baked dish for dinner - macaroni, grits, gratin potatoes, I'm not sure... If you come up with something note-worthy of your own, please share! I'm always eager to received photos and recipes. If you post your meals on social media, please tag us! Family Farm Creameries is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or, email me at Megan@FamilyFarmCreameries.com. Cheers!