As you might expect, when people come over for dinner these days cheese is usually involved. Recently, our friends joined us for a mid-week dinner and I used it as an opportunity to taste and compare two tomme style cheeses that my daughter and I picked up at the Ballard Farmer’s market in Seattle, WA: Mountain Lodge Farm’s Wonderland and Fantello Farmstead’s Domenica.
Tomme cheese is a semi-firm Alpine cheese with a natural rind, typically aged 6-8 weeks or longer. Originally from the Swiss and French Alps, tomme can be made from goat or cow milk and often uses partially skimmed milk.
What is Tomme Style Cheese
This style of cheese comes from the mountains of Switzerland and France – think Sound of Music – and tends to be a semi-firm cheese with a natural rind that is often made from milk that’s had the fat skimmed off and ages for 6-8 weeks or longer. One description I read also notes that being a tomme is a choice, and may simply reflect the cheese maker’s intention, or describe a cheese that was “made by a farmer.”
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Cheese name: Wonderland
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Producer: Mountain Lodge Farm
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Purchased from: Mountain Lodge Farm at the Ballard Farmer’s Market
About Wonderland
Wonderland is a raw goat milk cheese, produced by Mountain Lodge Farm in Eatonville, WA. The producer describes it as a “simple but delicious cheese with a nutty paste and fruity notes.” As we tasted the off-white cheese, we picked up salty, savory notes, with a tangy aftertaste. The flavor of the cheese intensified closer to the rind.
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Cheese name: Domenica
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Producer: Fantello Farmstead Creamery
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Purchased from: Fantello Farmstead Creamery at the Ballard Farmer’s Market
About Domenica
Domenica is a cheese made from Jersey cow milk, produced by Fantello Farmstead Creamery in Enumclaw, WA. The first thing we noticed when we opened the package is the bright yellow color of the cheese, which most certainly comes from the local hay and grass the cows consume. We found that this grass-fed flavor came through as we tasted the creamy, along with a very mild tang.
Tasting Notes & Pairings
The major differences between the two cheeses are due to the different milks used to make them. The Wonderland, made of goat milk, was a bit tangier, while the Jersey cow milk Domenica had a creamier mouth feel and the taste of the hay and grass eaten by the cows really came through.
My favorite comparison from our informal cheese tasting came from my friend’s daughter, who described the Wonderland as a cheese that was like a ‘trombone that didn’t sound like a fart,’ and then described the Domenica like ‘a trumpet.’ We all knew exactly what she meant: both are delicious, but the Wonderland is a little smoother and the Domenica is a little showier.
As we ate these two cheeses, it was easy to imagine ourselves hiking in the Cascades. Both evoked a strong sense of place through their taste. We paired them with Wasa crackers, apples, a smattering of jams (plum butter, crab apple jelly), and quick pickled carrots to see what worked best. My favorite combination was the pickled carrot with both cheeses – the acidity and sweetness of the carrots offset the creamy cheeses beautifully.
On a cheese plate
Either of these cheeses would be a lovely addition to a local cheese plate, along with a pickled vegetable. That said, I’ll be reaching for them this summer as we hike – I can’t wait to eat these tomme style cheeses while I’m in the mountains near Seattle. I expect they’ll travel well, maintaining their texture and flavor while we hike before they add a delicious sense of place to our picnic.
Where to buy Wonderland and Domenica
Both Mountain Lodge Farm and Fantello Farmstead Creamery have stands at the year-round Ballard Farmer’s Market in Seattle. While you’re there picking up cheeses, grab local produce and bread, then enjoy your picnic at a local park (or on a hike). You can also order Mountain Lodge Farm and Fantello Farmstead Creamery cheeses online.