Carmody (Jersey cow, pasteurized, vegetarian rennet)

{photo via Cowgirl Creamery website}

Cowgirl Creamery in DC is the first cheese shop I ever visited. I didn't even know that shops existed that were devoted to cheese. Carmody was one of the first cheeses I tried there. It's mild and tastes delicious by itself, or on a cracker with black pepper, and it pairs nicely with a Sauvignon Blanc as well. I find it safe enough to serve to guests who may not be into cheese or don't like stinky or pungent cheese. 

The description, according to the website:

Close enough to catch the moist and cooling fog of the Pacific Ocean, Bellwether Farms in Sonoma County, California, can state with pride that their cheeses grace the tables of some of the finest restaurants across the country.

Made entirely from pasteurized Jersey cow milk, Carmody is a firm and golden cheese that rolls smoothly over the tongue with a buttery intensity. As it ages, Carmody turns over a sweet and surprising caramelized undertone.

Carmody is made with vegetarian rennet, a concept that I was unfamiliar with at first. For a while I stuck to pasteurized cow milk cheeses made with vegetarian rennet until I got used to the concept of cheese made with milk from another animal and with rennet from animals too. (Hey, no judgement. For someone who only grew up drinking cow's milk, sheep and goat milk were a foreign concept for a while).  In the years since I first tried Carmody, I'm happy to report that I've opened my mind and palate and moved away from the cow-only, pasteurized-only cheeses. But Carmody remains my favorite cheese.