Bushra Griffith
Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove, located in Humboldt County, California. It is a creamy, cakey, gooey cheese with a bloomy rind and a thin layer of edible ash in the centre. Many people mistake it for a blue cheese, but it is not. The ash in the centre is an ode to French Morbier cheese and helps the mould grow on the outside of the cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cheese | Goat's milk cheese |
| Manufacturer | Cypress Grove Chevre |
| Texture | Creamy, cakey, gooey |
| Taste | Mildly acidic, floral notes, herbaceous overtones, citrusy finish |
| Layering | 4 distinct layers: bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the center |
| Ripening | Ripens from the outside in |
| Awards | Best of Class, American Cheese Society 1998, 2002, 2005, 2019; Best of California, California State Fair 2019 |
| Blue Cheese? | No |
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What You'll Learn
Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese
Humboldt Fog is a soft-ripened, uncooked pressed cheese. It is made from pasteurized goat's milk and has a microbial (non-animal) rennet type. The cheese ripens from the outside in, starting with the bloomy mould exterior, resulting in a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell. As the cheese matures, more of the originally crumbly core is converted to a soft-ripened texture. The mild acidity of Humboldt Fog is a result of the goat's milk used in its production.
The process of pasteurization involves heating the goat's milk to a high temperature, typically between 145-161°F (63-72°C), for a short period of time to kill any harmful bacteria and extend the shelf life of the milk. The pasteurized milk is then carefully crafted and aged to create the distinctive characteristics that have made Humboldt Fog a highly awarded and recognized cheese. In addition to its use in Humboldt Fog, pasteurized goat's milk is also used in a variety of other cheeses and dairy products.
Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese, but that’s a common misconception. The grey line running through the centre of Humboldt Fog and around the outside under the rind is an odourless, tasteless, and completely edible vegetable ash. The vegetable ash adds a beautiful aesthetic and is an ode to the French cheese Morbier, but it also helps the mould to grow on the outside of the cheese.
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It is not a blue cheese
Although it is a common misconception, Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese. It is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California, located in Humboldt County. This soft-ripened cheese is defined by four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of edible vegetable ash in the center. The cheese ripens from the outside in, as the cultivated mold used to create its rind starts breaking down the proteins in the paste, a gooey creamline develops under the rind. The vegetable ash adds a beautiful aesthetic and is a nod to the French cheese Morbier, but it also helps the mold to grow on the outside of the cheese.
Goat cheese is quite acidic, and the ash in Humboldt Fog helps to raise the pH and encourages mold growth, which in turn becomes the rind of the cheese or the mold exterior. While some may be blue cheese fans, Humboldt Fog soft-ripened goat cheese is in a completely different genre. The mildly acidic flavor, along with the recognizable ash rind, makes this goat cheese unforgettable.
Humboldt Fog is one of Cypress Grove's staples when it comes to soft-ripened cheeses. The cheese is creamy, light, and mildly acidic with a stronger flavor near the rind. It has floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean, citrusy finish. As the cheese ages, it develops a rich creamline, and its flavor becomes more intense.
Humboldt Fog is named for the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay. It is an uncooked pressed cheese made from pasteurized goat's milk. It is a mold-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white ash, much like Morbier. The cheese ripens starting with the bloomy mold exterior, resulting in a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell. As the cheese matures, more of the originally crumbly core is converted to a soft-ripened texture. The bloomy mold and ash rind are edible but fairly tasteless.
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It has a creamy, cakey texture
While Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese, it is a unique and delicious cheese with a creamy, cakey texture. This California original is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove in Humboldt County, California. It is named after the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay.
Humboldt Fog is a soft-ripened cheese with a creamy, cakey, and gooey texture. It has four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, an oozy creamline, a cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the centre. The cheese ripens from the outside in, as the cultivated mould used to create its rind starts breaking down the proteins in the paste, resulting in a gooey creamline under the rind.
The vegetable ash in the centre of the cheese is edible and adds a beautiful aesthetic. It is a tribute to the French cheese Morbier, but it also helps the mould grow on the outside of the cheese. The ash raises the pH of the goat cheese, which encourages mould growth and forms the rind or mould exterior.
Humboldt Fog has a mildly acidic flavour, with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean, citrusy finish. As the cheese ages, it develops a rich creamline, and its flavour becomes more intense. This distinctive cheese has won numerous awards, including Best of Class from the American Cheese Society in 1998, 2002, 2005, and 2019.
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It has a line of edible ash through the centre
The line of edible ash in the centre of Humboldt Fog is a defining feature of this award-winning cheese. This ash layer is not only visually appealing, but it also serves a functional purpose in the cheese's maturation process. The vegetable ash adds a beautiful aesthetic and is an ode to the French cheese Morbier, but it also helps the mould to grow on the outside of the cheese. Goat cheese is quite acidic, and the ash helps to increase the pH and encourages mould growth, which in turn becomes the rind of the cheese or the mould exterior. The rind of Humboldt Fog is also edible and has a stronger flavour than the rest of the cheese.
Humboldt Fog is defined by four distinct layers: its bloomy rind, oozy cream line, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the centre. The cheese is built like a layer cake, with a dense, creamy texture and bright, tangy flavour. The addition of vegetable ash is inspired by the French cheese Morbier, which also features a line of ash. The ash plays a crucial role in the maturation process by helping to raise the pH of the acidic goat's milk, thus encouraging the growth of the bloomy mould exterior.
The mould and ash rind of Humboldt Fog are edible but fairly tasteless. The cheese itself is creamy, light, and mildly acidic, with a stronger flavour near the rind. The mildly acidic flavour, along with the recognisable ash rind, makes this goat cheese unforgettable. It can be best served with a dollop of honey and some sea salt crackers to bring out its tangy flavour. It can also be spread onto slices of baguette and drizzled with honey or added to a board with prosciutto, tart apple slices, and Marcona almonds.
Humboldt Fog is a goat milk cheese made by Cypress Grove, of Arcata, California, in Humboldt County. It is named for the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay. It is an uncooked pressed cheese made from pasteurized goat's milk. It is a mould-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white or grey ash, similar to Morbier cheese. The cheese ripens from the outside in, starting with the bloomy mould exterior, resulting in a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell.
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It is handcrafted by Cypress Grove in California
While Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese, it is a handcrafted goat's milk cheese produced by Cypress Grove in California. The cheese is named after the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, where Cypress Grove is located.
Cheesemaker Mary Keehn founded Cypress Grove in 1983 to create healthy food for her family. The company uses goat's milk to make soft-ripened cheeses blended with bold flavours, which have won numerous awards. Humboldt Fog is one of their staples and is highly regarded, with a distinctive style that is often replicated.
Humboldt Fog is a creamy, cakey, and gooey cheese with four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, an oozy creamline, a cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the centre. The cheese ripens from the outside in, as the mould used to create its rind breaks down the proteins in the paste. This process results in a gooey creamline developing under the rind. The vegetable ash adds to the cheese's aesthetic appeal and pays tribute to French Morbier cheese.
The ash in Humboldt Fog is not only visually appealing but also functional. It helps raise the pH of the goat cheese, which is quite acidic, and encourages mould growth. This mould growth eventually becomes the rind of the cheese. As the cheese ages, it develops a rich creamline, and its flavour becomes more intense. Humboldt Fog has a mildly acidic flavour and a soft-ripened texture, making it a unique and delicious cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese. It is a common misconception due to the grey line running through the cheese, which is actually a layer of edible vegetable ash.
Humboldt Fog is a soft-ripened goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove in Humboldt County, California. It has a creamy texture with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a citrusy finish.
Humboldt Fog is defined by four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the center.
Humboldt Fog has a mildly acidic flavor with a stronger flavor near the rind. It is creamy, light, and has a soft-ripened texture.
