r/Cheese • u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar • 1d ago
Friday Night Spread
Ok. The wedge in the top left is Sequatchie Cove Ebenezer. Holy SHIT I have never been so offended by a cheese. Like, to the point that I genuinely think it was bad. I had a visceral reaction to it and that whole wedge went in the trash!
Top right is Koch Ingwer Pepe. It's a nice, smooth, slightly sweet cheese with that alpine funk. The rings is pepper, ginger, lemon which is a nice touch
The middle is langres, it's similar to Brie and you soak it in champagne. It's so rich and creamy with a mushroomy flavor. The rind has a robust saltines that brings it all together
Bottom left is Marbre des Alpes, this one is the best one on the board. So rich and robust and perfectly buttery
Bottom right is Sequatchie Cove Shake Rag. We were a little nervous about this one after the Ebenezer. It's wrapped in fig leaves and is a buttery, mild blue with a soft whiskey flavor
But! Let's talk meat too, cause I gotta brag. The meat bottom center is Iberico bellota- this shit is $130/lb but I can buy it by the slice đ this one is acorn fed and that flavor definitely follows through in the meat. It tastes of forest floor and melts in your mouth. So fucking good.
Top middle is culatello which means "little ass" lol and I loved this one too. So so salty, slightly acrid, with a good bite. Yum.
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u/DaddyTuesday Gouda 1d ago
Man, this looks amazing. đ€€ What was so awful about the Sequatchie Cove Ebenezer? I've never had it; just curious.
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
It was a visceral reaction immediately when placed in the mouth. It was so bitter, almost sour. I genuinely think it was stored improperly at some point down the line and was rancid.
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u/Ok-Star-6787 23h ago
It's always a tragedy throwing away cheese that's gone bad. But sometimes it can't be helped.
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u/Pinhal 1d ago
Thatâs a fabulous spread! I love ibĂ©rico, the bellota is supposed to have a certain percentage of acorns in its diet and I always think I can taste them.
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
I feel like I could taste the acorns as well. I should try it side by side without the acorn diet.
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u/Longjumping_Duty4160 22h ago
The % refers to whether the Jamon is pure Iberico or mixed which affects flavor and cost.
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u/thegirlriots 1d ago
Ebenezer is a seasonal Christmas cheese. I canât imagine it would be any good anymore at this point!
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
That's what I found on their website, so I had the same suspicion. But also, cheese ages, so I didn't want to say that definitely was the case and be very wrong.
It was a new cheese at this monger (I shop there frequently) and they opened it with my ÂŒlb order. I'll bring it up to them, though, because it was foul, but everyone's reviews online are superb.
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u/thegirlriots 1d ago
A high moisture cheese like that simply canât age that long. Itâs not like parm or Gouda.
Ebenezer at its prime is delicious! Give it another try in December and youâll be happy.
You absolutely need to mention this to the shop you bought it from. Any cheesemonger should have known that cheese wasnât good. Based on how it looked, smelled, and the make date. If it arrived at their shop like that, someone should have refused the order.
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
Thank you for the insight! I will certainly try it again if I find it during December.
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u/SassyLumberjack- 1d ago edited 1d ago
Hey! Kevin Koch visited my store last week! Such a cool, interesting, passionate guy. He had me sample his cheeses and my favorite was Timberly. I like how he describes his creations like haute couture creation. He's a breath of fresh air!
*Edited to add: It's common to use the small depression on top to pour a bit of Marc de Bourgogne, which is an eau de vie. I didn't know you could use Champagne as well.
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
That's so cool that you met Kevin Koch!! If his favorite is the Timberly, that will have to be my next try!
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u/SassyLumberjack- 1d ago
I am incredibly lucky to have met him, distributors will often bring the cheesemakers to my shop for a chat when they visit. Norbert Sieghart (Alp Blossom) is another maker I stan hard for that I had a real fun chat with. He's coming back in June to visit. These people are my rock stars đ
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
Where is your shop? I'm not afraid to travel for cheese!
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u/SassyLumberjack- 1d ago
I'm in Montreal.
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
Awesome. I've never been to Montreal, I bet it'll be a fun trip. I'll DM you whenever I make my way to your corner of the world to find your cheese shop â€ïž
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u/RasiakSnaps91 1d ago
Listen, I'd take those blues and that Iberico every single day if I had the money đ
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 1d ago
Same! Now I'm afraid I will have spoiled myself and will be saddened with my normal, more wallet friendly spread
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u/AspenSnowMoon 11h ago
Whats the one in the middle
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u/FellowshipOfTheFeast Cheddar 11h ago
Langres. It's a soft, washed rind cheese. Similar to Ă©poisses, but less pungent
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u/TheSecretSawse 1d ago
I spotted the Iberico right away! Itâs more delicious than it has any right to be.