Cheese: Rimrocker – American Chees Society 2nd Place Winner in 2011
Who: Tumulo Farms
Where: Bend, Oregon
Milk: Pasteuried cow and goat
Rind: natural
Texture: firm
Shape: wheel. ~10lbs
Flavor: slightly grassy, brown butter, moderately tangy
Oregon cheeses are BOOMING!
Tumulo Farms of Bend, Oregon was founded in 2004 by Brazilian-born Flavio DeCastilhos who, after 20 years riding the tech wave in Silicon Valley, decided to slow down and r elocate to a more idyllic setting and make cheese.
Flavio DeCastilhos
In that short time the farm has extended is production to twelve artisan cheeses, ten of which, all goat cheeses, are farmstead. Recall that “artisan” refers to hand-made, small-production cheeses while “farmstead” is an additional qualifier meaning the cheese is made by milk from the farm’s own herds on the property.
Tumulo Farms Goat
This particular cheese, Rimrocker, is not farmstead simply because, while they raise their own goats, the cow’s milk the mix for Rimrocker comes from a neighbor.
Rimrocker is aged 3-6 months before release and has an immediate sweetness and subtle sharpness that fades quickly to be supplanted by a lingering brown butter flavor. It’s firm but smooth and creamy, an excellent snacker that I’ll come back to frequently in the future.
Wine: Tumulo recommends Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. The cheese will balance nicely with many fruity reds.
