Convincing my Dutch husband who grew up next to Holland's famous Alkmaar Kaasmarkt (cheese market) to go to a cheese school with me was like having to twist my arm to take a wine tasting class. We found the perfect marriage in the Cheese & Wine Pairing class at the Cheese School of San Francisco. Eight delicious cheeses were paired with five wines in an interactive class led by a cheese expert. We went there early and sipped champagne before class to break down our cheesy inhibitions. Hands down my favorite cheese from the class was La Tur, a pasteurized cow/goat/sheep creamy cheese from Alta Lagna, Piedmont, Italy. Yet, the freshest and most pure tasting of all the cheeses we tasted was a goat's milk cheese from Harley Farms in Pescadero, California. Since goat cheese does not go with red wine, we paired it with a fruity glass of bubbly.
After a beautiful coastal drive down Highway 1 from San Francisco past Half Moon Bay, on a summer Sunday we had brunch at Duarte's Tavern (which sells delicious strawberry rhubarb and ollaliberry jams) and then headed down the street to find Harley Farms. The wooden sign of a girl and goat on the corner of Stage & North Roads was re-assuring to know which turn to make. Not far down the road past the sunflower fields, we found the farm with a llama, a couple of what seemed like Scottish Highlanders, and a herd of Alpine goats all fighting to get on top of the highest point on the little structure on the field.
It was hard to stop tasting the cheeses in the shop. We bought some fresh goat ricotta, chèvre in oil, fromage blanc, apricot pistachio torte, and the most beautiful Monet torte. The chevre in oil comes in a glass jar filled with plain mini buttons of cheese marinated in extra virgin olive oil & lemon juice, with sundried tomato, rosemary & peppercorns.
Shopping for artisanal cheeses in gourmet markets you might recognize the Monet Torte. It is a round of goat cheese with herbes de provences layered in the center, and the recognizable purple and orange edible flower decoration. Monet would be proud to know this soft fresh goat cheese which leaves your tongue tingling with herbacious notes, was named after him. With that work of art and a fresh baguette who needs dinner?
Afterwards try a Carles Roquefort raw sheep blue cheese from Midi-Pyrenées, France which pairs beautifully with a sweet gewürtzramier. With that salty cheese and sweet wine who needs dessert?
where to find:
The Cheese School of San Francisco
address: 2155 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
phone: (415) 346-7530
Harley Farms
address: 205 North Street, Pescadero, CA 94060
phone: (650) 879-0480
Duarte's Tavern
address: 202 Stage Road, Pescadero, CA 94060
phone: (650) 879-0460
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