Cheese tasting held in Norway

NORWAY - Cheese-tasting host Laura Wright presented a variety of cheeses and was a great resource of knowledge on the varieties of soft and hard cheese offered recently at a cheese-tasting event held at the Progress Center in Norway. These cheeses are called "artisanal." This means that the cheese is made in small batches by skilled workers who are trained in the production. Artisanal cheeses have a wide range of flavors and textures.

Offered for tasting was goat milk cheese from Tourmaline Hill Farm and Fern Hill Farm. Both farms supplied tastings of creamy flavored cherves, a spreadable cracker cheese that comes in flavors from roasted red pepper, chive, red pepper and pepper corn with rosemary to blueberry. A traditional feta and mozzarella from Tourmaline Hill Farm was also available; the mozzarella is traditionally made from buffalo milk but in America fresh mozzarella is made from goat or cow’s milk. Favorites of the crowd were the Baby Swiss and Colby from the Amish Sonnental Dairy in Smyrna.

“The Bread Shack” in Auburn donated some tasty bread to go with the cheese. Guesst enjoyed baguettes, a loaf of their Miller’s Grain (a 50% Maine grown whole wheat with eight seed/grains) and a Cranberry Walnut that went well with the blueberry cherve.

The Oxford Hills Food Collaborative is planning more tasting events because education is a key component; teaching customers about every Maine product they offer is crucial. The Collaborative Farm Market Store is a comfortable, friendly place for people to come. Staff at the collaborative store is prepared to give customers more than they expect both in service and in product. Also, staff will help them develop their palates, broaden their horizons, and create a loyalty to this unique new business that supports area farmers.