Humboldt Fog

Humboldt County, in the northernmost tip of California, has a reputation as a free-and-easy kind of place, where all rules are optional and standing up to The Man is a core family value.

I’m not sure if that explains a little bit about the wondrous Humboldt Fog, the signature goat cheese from the Cypress Grove dairy in Arcata.

“Classic” goat cheese, of course, comes from France. The chevre varieties from the Loire Vally, in particular, are standouts. A refined, elegant cheese from a wild-and-wooly part of the American West? The motivation to craft it must have sprung from some deep sense of individuality and rebellion.

Humboldt Fog is soft and creamy, with just a slight tang to its bite. In the middle of it, there is a line of edible vegetable ash, which splits the milk-white paste in two. Compared to the French varieties one encounters most often in the United States, Humboldt is ligher and cleaner.

This may be because the imported cheeses are a bit older, or it may be by design. Whatever the reason, the result is a perfect cheese for springtime: Light, creamy, delish.

PAIRINGS: Humboldt Fog pairs very well with all manner of fruits and vegetables, from celery to apples. Drink a California white wine with it, such as one of the growing number of viogniers that are hitting the market.