Moses Sleeper

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mosesMoses Sleeper

Moses Sleeper is an original cheese from the folks at Jasper Hill in Vermont (Harbison, Willoughby, etc), and it their take on a true Normandy Brie. 

This cheese’s historic namesake, Moses Sleeper, and his compatriot, Constant Bliss, were Revolutionary War scouts killed while defending a blockhouse along the Northeast Kingdom’s legendary Bayley Hazen Military Road.   

Moses is an approachable and nuanced soft-ripened cheese. Beneath its thin, bloomy rind lies a gooey, milky core showing a complex array of flavors at peak ripeness: cauliflower, crème fraîche, and toasted nuts. A bright, clean finish with a hint of white mushroom aroma follows the rich flavors of the paste. The milk comes from the Ayrshire Cows at Jasper Hill who spend much of their time out on pasture.  Animal Rennet.

Moses is perfect for a festive cheese board or for baking whole en croute for an elegant dessert. At room temperature, this cheese is pliant and decadent without being runny. Seek out a farmhouse saison beer or a crisp Chenin country pâte, pickled carrots, and a crusty baguette to bring together a satisfying ploughman’s lunch.

Jasper Hill Farm, located in the Northeast Kingdom, has a small herd of Ayrshires that are quite spoiled. The cows go out on a fresh piece of pasture after every milking during the spring summer and fall and are fed a ration of dry hay through the winter, when they stay in avoiding harsh winter wind and snow and listen to a great selection of jazz and classical music. These healthy happy cows are taken care of by Andy Kehler, who has worked with his brother Mateo Kehler since 1998 making superior cheeses.  

When the farm came into their possession, it was extremely run-down, but by 2003, after five years of hard work, Andy and Mateo acquired their first 15 Ayrshire heifers. The herd now numbers around 180 and, thanks to careful management and focus on building excellent genetics, they have one of the highest quality milking herds in the United States. Ayrshire milk is particularly well-suited to cheesemaking. In terms of fat and protein, it’s not as high as Jersey or Guernsey but not as low as Holstein. The way in which the fats and proteins break down is a perfect platform for the development of excellent cheese. 

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