Humboldt Fog: A Unique Goat Cheese Experience

Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove in Humboldt County, California. It was conceived in a dream by the company's founder, Mary Keehn, and was one of the first cheeses to popularize goat's milk among American cheese eaters. It is a soft-ripened, uncooked, pressed cheese with a central line of edible white or grey ash, inspired by the French cheese Morbier. The cheese has a creamy, cakey, and gooey texture with a tangy flavour.

Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese

Humboldt Fog 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, similar to Morbier. The cheese ripens from the outside in, starting with the bloomy mold exterior. This results 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. The cheese is creamy, light, and mildly acidic, with a stronger flavour near the rind.

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. It is subtly tangy with notes of buttermilk, fresh cream, and herbs. The vegetable ash adds a beautiful aesthetic and helps the mold to grow on the outside of the cheese.

Humboldt Fog is a soft-ripened goat's milk cheese that is creamy and cakey in texture. It is 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.

It's made by Cypress Grove in California

Humboldt Fog is a goat's 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.

Humboldt Fog is a mold-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white ash, much like Morbier. The cheese ripens from the outside in, resulting in a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell. As the cheese matures, more of the initially crumbly core is converted to a soft-ripened texture. The bloomy mold and ash rind are edible but fairly tasteless. The cheese is creamy, light, and mildly acidic, with a stronger flavour near the rind.

Humboldt Fog is one of Cypress Grove's staples when it comes to soft-ripened cheeses. Each handcrafted wheel features a distinctive ribbon of edible vegetable ash. The cheese has a creamy texture and a mildly acidic flavour, along with the recognisable ash rind, making this goat cheese unforgettable.

Cypress Grove is based in Arcata, California, in Humboldt County. California is a state in the Western Region of the United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It is the most populous U.S. state, with a population of over 39 million residents, and it is the third-largest state by area. California has a diverse geography, ranging from the Pacific Coast and metropolitan areas in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east, and from the redwood and Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast. The state also boasts the most national parks in the US, with 87 state parks and 63 state beaches.

It's a soft-ripened cheese

Humboldt Fog is a soft-ripened goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove, in Humboldt County, California. It was conceived in a dream by the company's founder, Mary Keehn, and was one of the first cheeses to popularise goat's milk among American cheese eaters. Keehn was inspired by the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay.

Humboldt Fog 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. As the cheese matures, more of the originally crumbly core is converted to a soft-ripened texture. The bloomy mould and ash rind are edible and fairly tasteless, but they add a beautiful aesthetic. The cheese is creamy, light, and mildly acidic with a stronger flavour near the rind.

Humboldt Fog is defined by four distinct layers: its bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the centre. Keehn's creation of the cheese in the early 1980s helped to pioneer the American artisanal cheese movement. It has since become one of the most-copied styles of American cheese and has won numerous awards.

To store Humboldt Fog, it should be kept cold (32°–40°F) and wrapped in waxed paper. Soft-ripened cheese should be re-wrapped in wax or parchment paper to allow the cheese to breathe as it continues to ripen. It is recommended to remove Humboldt Fog from the refrigerator at least one hour before serving.

It has a distinct layer of edible vegetable ash

The distinctive layer of edible vegetable ash in 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.

Humboldt Fog, a goat's milk cheese, is characterised by its four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, an oozy cream line, a cake-like paste, and a thin central layer of vegetable ash. This layer of ash is a grey line that runs through the centre of the cheese and around the outside, just under the rind. It is completely edible and is said to be odourless and tasteless.

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. This mould exterior then develops into the rind of the cheese.

The ash layer not only contributes to the unique flavour and texture of Humboldt Fog but also adds to its aesthetic appeal. The grey line of ash against the white cheese creates a striking visual contrast, making it a true original.

The creation of Humboldt Fog and its distinctive ash layer is credited to American cheesemaker Mary Keehn, who founded Cypress Grove Cheese in 1983. Keehn's innovation has had a significant impact on American cheesemaking, with the style of Humboldt Fog and its ash layer becoming one of the most copied American cheeses.

It's creamy, cakey, tangy, and mildly acidic

Cypress Grove's Humboldt Fog is a creamy, cakey, tangy, and mildly acidic goat's milk cheese. It is a soft-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white or grey ash, inspired by French cheese Morbier. The cheese is built like a layer cake, with four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, an oozy cream line, a cake-like paste, and a thin layer of ash in the centre. The cheese ripens from the outside in, with the mould breaking down the proteins in the paste and creating a gooey cream line under the rind.

The creamy texture and tangy flavour of Humboldt Fog make it a unique and delicious cheese. It is best served with a dollop of honey and some sea salt crackers to bring out its tangy flavours. It can also be drizzled over slices of baguette with honey or added to a board with prosciutto, tart apple slices, and Marcona almonds.

Humboldt Fog is a highly awarded cheese, recognised by the American Cheese Society and the California State Fair, among others. It is a true American original, conceived in a dream by founder Mary Keehn in the early 1980s and named after the Pacific mists of its native Humboldt County, California.

The distinctive ribbon of ash not only adds a beautiful aesthetic but also helps to raise the pH of the goat cheese, encouraging mould growth and forming the rind of the cheese. This combination of creamy texture, tangy flavour, and unique appearance makes Humboldt Fog an unforgettable cheese experience.

Frequently asked questions