Andy Montoya
Harbison cheese is a soft-ripened, spoonable cheese with a gooey, pudding-like texture. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk and wrapped in spruce bark. The spruce imparts a subtle forest-like flavour and a hint of rosemary. Harbison has a bloomy rind and a nutty, buttery taste with notes of lemon, mustard, and cream. It pairs well with honey, jam, and bread.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Gooey, pudding-like, soft, creamy, silky |
| Flavour | Woodsy, sweet, buttery, nutty, mustardy, vegetal, floral, piney, herbaceous, rosemary, lemon |
| Smell | Pungent |
| Rind | Stiff, not too bitter or ammoniated in aroma or flavour, edible |
| Colour | White, with blue-green moulds |
| Pairings | Apples, cornichons, crusty baguette, crackers, multigrain toast, cherry jam, honey, nuts |
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What You'll Learn
Harbison cheese is creamy, rustic, and pudding-like
Harbison cheese is a soft-ripened, rustic, woodsy, and sweet cheese with a creamy, pudding-like texture. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk and wrapped in spruce bark, which imparts a subtle but unmistakable flavour and terroir. The spruce wrapping gives the cheese an herbaceous, rosemary, and savoury flavour, reminiscent of inhaling a forest after a rainstorm.
Harbison cheese is known for its creamy, spoonable texture and rustic, bloomy rind. It is produced by Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont, named after Anne Harbison, the "Grandmother of Greensboro". The cheese is aged for at least 6-13 weeks, during which time the interior softens to a pudding-like gooeyness. The spruce bark wrapping is a traditional technique used to salvage a batch of cheese that was spreading too far and flattening.
The flavour of Harbison cheese is complex and tasty, with notes of sweet cream, lemon, mustard, and vegetal flavours. It is often compared to Brie, but with more depth and without the mushroomy flavours that some may find unappealing. Harbison is also less pungent than Brie, with a milder taste. The rind of the cheese is stiff yet delicate, with a herb flavour that comes from the milk and spruce bark.
Harbison cheese is a versatile snack, pairing well with a variety of foods. It can be enjoyed on its own, as a self-contained fondue, or paired with a crusty baguette, crackers, or multigrain toast. It also goes well with sweet and savoury accompaniments, such as cherry jam, garlicky pickles, or apples and honey. The cheese is best served at room temperature, allowing its full flavour and texture to be appreciated.
Overall, Harbison cheese is a creamy, rustic, and pudding-like cheese with a unique flavour and texture that has earned it awards and acclaim. It is a delightful snack, perfect for sharing and enjoying with others.
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It has a buttery, nutty taste
Harbison cheese is a soft-ripened, spoonable cheese with a buttery, nutty taste. It is gooey, floral, and piney, with a woodsy and sweet flavour, balanced with lemon, mustard, and vegetal flavours. The spruce wrapping imparts a subtle but unmistakable flavour and terroir—it's like inhaling a forest after a rainstorm. The cheese has a bloomy rind, and the interior softens to a pudding-like gooeyness as it ripens. Harbison is best enjoyed by removing the top and digging into the creamy interior with a slice of crusty baguette, or even apples and cornichons. It pairs well with honey, bringing out the sweetness in the cheese.
Harbison is made from pasteurized cow's milk and wrapped in spruce bark. It is named after Anne Harbison, the "Grandmother of Greensboro" in Vermont, where the cheese is made at Jasper Hill Farm. The cheese is bound together with the cambium layer, the thin, flexible fibre just beneath the bark, of spruce trees from Jasper's woodlot. The spruce wrapping gives the cheese its herbaceous, rosemary, and savory flavour.
Harbison has a white brie-like mould, with occasional blue-green moulds forming on the dark brown bark. The cheese is aged for at least 6-13 weeks, and each wheel is 9-10 ounces. The paste of the cheese is similar to Brie in taste but without the mushroomy flavours. Harbison is a washed-rind cheese, and the rind contributes to the complex and tasty flavours not found in commodity cheeses. The rind is stiff and has its own presence without being too bitter or ammoniated in aroma or flavour.
The cheese is perfect for snacking and can be served in various ways. It can be enjoyed on its own, with a slice of crusty baguette, or with apples, cornichons, or cherry jam. Harbison is also delicious with garlicky pickles or honey, and it goes well with a bottle of cava. It is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed at any temperature, whether straight out of the fridge or left out to soften and become gooey.
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Harbison cheese is wrapped in spruce bark
Harbison cheese is a soft-ripened, washed-rind cheese with a rustic, creamy, and gooey texture. It is named after Anne Harbison, the "Grandmother of Greensboro" in Vermont's Jasper Hill Farm. The cheese is wrapped in spruce bark, which gives it a unique flavour and texture.
The spruce bark wrapping is not just for show—it serves a functional purpose. The thin layer of spruce bark provides structure to the small wheels of cheese as the interior softens to a pudding-like consistency during ripening. This prevents the cheese from "pancaking" or spreading too far and flattening. The spruce bark also imparts a subtle but distinct flavour and terroir, reminiscent of inhaling a forest after a rainstorm.
The process of wrapping the cheese in spruce bark is a traditional European technique, particularly with winter cheeses in the Jura style. This wrapping technique gives the cheese an herbaceous, rosemary, and savory flavour. The rind, which is stiff but not too thick or thin, has a delicate herb flavour that comes from the milk and the spruce bark.
The spruce-wrapped cheese has a white brie-like mould, with occasional blue-green moulds forming on the dark brown bark. The cheese is aged for at least 6-13 weeks, and during this time, the spruce bark contributes to the development of complex flavours and textures. The cheese has a spoonable texture and a bloomy rind with a woodsy and sweet taste, balanced with notes of lemon, mustard, and vegetal flavours.
When serving Harbison cheese, it is recommended to bring the small wheel to room temperature and leave the bark intact. Guests can then spoon out portions from the top, pairing it with a slice of crusty baguette, apples, or cornichons. The cheese can also be presented with garlicky pickles or cherry jam, or enjoyed on its own as a self-contained fondue.
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It has a bloomy rind that is woodsy and sweet
Harbison cheese, a soft-ripened cheese from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont, is known for its unique and complex flavour profile. The cheese is wrapped in spruce bark, which imparts a distinctive woodsy and sweet taste to its bloomy rind.
The rind of Harbison cheese is a key component of its overall flavour and sensory experience. It has a stiff yet delicate texture, not too thin or thick, and contributes a subtle but unmistakable woodsy sweetness. The spruce bark wrapping is a traditional technique, particularly with winter cheeses in the Jura style, and it lends a herbaceous, rosemary, and savoury flavour to the cheese.
The process of wrapping the cheese in spruce bark also imparts a subtle forest-like aroma, reminiscent of inhaling a forest after a rainstorm. This unique characteristic adds depth to the overall sensory experience of the cheese. The rind is not overly bitter or ammoniated, and its subtle herb flavour is derived solely from the milk and spruce bark, adding a mysterious and compelling dimension to the cheese.
The bloomy rind of Harbison cheese is a result of the soft-ripening process and contributes to its creamy, gooey texture. It is balanced with a range of flavours, including lemon, mustard, and vegetal notes, creating a complex and tasty cheese. The rind is also a host to beneficial microbial activity, yeasts, moulds, and bacteria, which contribute to the overall complexity of flavours and promote a healthy gut biome.
The combination of the woodsy and sweet rind with the creamy, gooey interior makes Harbison cheese a versatile and popular choice for snacking and entertaining. It pairs well with a variety of accompaniments, including apples, cornichons, crusty baguettes, and cherry jam, making it a delightful cheese to share and savour.
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Harbison cheese tastes like Brie but with more depth
Harbison cheese is a soft-ripened, spoonable cheese with a gooey, pudding-like texture. It has a bloomy rind that is woodsy and sweet, with a subtle hint of spruce from the wrapping. Harbison is often compared to Brie due to its similar appearance and texture, but there are some distinct differences in taste. While Brie can have mushroomy flavours, Harbison has a more complex flavour profile with notes of sweet cream, lemon, mustard, and a gentle funk. It also has a deeper flavour than Brie, with a rustic, buttery, nutty taste.
The unique flavour of Harbison cheese is influenced by its production process and the quality of its ingredients. It is made with pasteurized cow's milk, specifically from Ayrshire cows, and wrapped in spruce bark to impart a subtle herbaceous flavour. The spruce bark also contributes to the texture of the cheese, giving it a pudding-like consistency as the interior softens while the bark provides structure.
The cheese is produced by Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont, and it has won several awards, including Best American Cheese at the World Cheese Awards and Best in Class at the World Cheese Championships in 2024. It is a relatively new cheese, created by accident when cheesemakers were making a batch of Moses Sleeper and wrapped it in spruce bark to prevent it from spreading too thin.
Harbison cheese is versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It can be served as a fondue, with the top sliced off and the interior scooped out with a spoon. It pairs well with a variety of accompaniments, such as apples, cornichons, crusty baguette, or multigrain toast. Some people also like to serve it with garlicky pickles, cherry jam, or honey, or let the cheese shine on its own.
Overall, Harbison cheese is a delicious and unique cheese that offers a deeper, more complex flavour than Brie while maintaining a similar texture and appearance. It is a great choice for snacking or entertaining and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
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Frequently asked questions
Harbison cheese has a creamy, pudding-like texture and a gentle, funky flavour. It is woodsy and sweet, with notes of lemon, mustard, and cooked greens.
Harbison cheese is very versatile and can be paired with anything from apples to cornichons. It is also commonly enjoyed on a fresh baguette, crackers, or multigrain toast.
Harbison cheese is best enjoyed by removing the top and digging into the creamy interior with a spoon. It can be cut into portions, but this is considered less fun. The rind is edible and adds a delicate herb flavour, so it is recommended to eat it along with the cheese.
Harbison cheese can be found in local specialty cheese shops, major supermarkets, and online. It can also be purchased directly from the producers, Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont.
