Amazing Wisconsin cheese: Rush Creek Reserve

[Jenise]

This was purchased at a fantastic little cheese store, C'est Cheese, in Santa Barbara over the weekend. It's a ripe brie-like rind cheese wrapped in spruce bark. It absorbs the flavor of the bark in an absolutely wonderful way that delivers a taste that's part hazelnut and part winter forest. Which is pure gold on the palate. Available for only about two months each year, we were told, it's one of the most interesting and delicious cheeses I've tasted in years. If you see it at a specialty cheese shop near you, don't miss out.

Ooh, yes, that's a fabulous cheese. Is it time to run to the cheese store and ask for it? Thanks for the heads up!

[Jenise]

I'm thrilled you know of it! But yes, it has been released. Run, don't walk!

Uplands makes some very nice cheese. I will keep an eye out for the Rush Creek Reserve.

I'm thrilled you know of it! But yes, it has been released. Run, don't walk!

This is from a friend's birthday party in Jan. 2012:

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And, yes, truffled honey is a great accompaniment for it.

Lucky that you found it Jenise, Uplands is done making it and it is unavailable until next year.

[Jenise]

I'm sure of that, Karen. They're probably made early in the year and aged until release. At which point I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't get more orders than they have cheese--it's THAT good.

[Jenise]

Hey, Karen? I found out they have a website, and I successfully ordered a cheese for myself just now so they are still available direct. The cost of shipping doubles your price, but I'm willing to do that.

Hey, Karen? I found out they have a website, and I successfully ordered a cheese for myself just now so they are still available direct. The cost of shipping doubles your price, but I'm willing to do that.

I was at Uplands website a few days ago and it said "sold out: on the cheese. I will look again.
I did not go to the C'est cheese site, but ended up at IGourmet...sold out! Went to C'est just now and ordered it, will be here Thursday! I'm pretty sure I have tasted it before at Cowgirl in Point Reyes. I recall they cut off the top and we scooped out the goodness with bread. I could not find my notes on it in my RV diary. I meant to order some and forgot about it. Thanks for sharing this.
Great customer service too.

[Jenise]

Interesting about the cut-off-the-top part. I saw that pictured on their website, and I get why as it's so ripe and runny. But I wouldn't have been willing to waste that top--it was all SO good.

I adore this cheese!
We were introduced to it last "season" from one of our local cheesemongers and went through 3 or 4 disks.
The fall shipment just hit the shelf here in PHX so I'll be getting more this weekend.

We cut the top off too and scoop then eat the top part on its own. (Jenise, you are right! Too good to waste!)

Uplands also makes another of my favorite of cheeses, Pleasant Ridge Reserve.

[Jenise]

I adore this cheese!
We were introduced to it last "season" from one of our local cheesemongers and went through 3 or 4 disks.
The fall shipment just hit the shelf here in PHX so I'll be getting more this weekend.

We cut the top off too and scoop then eat the top part on its own. (Jenise, you are right! Too good to waste!)

Uplands also makes another of my favorite of cheeses, Pleasant Ridge Reserve.

Cool that you're a fan, too!

I was stupid, when visiting their website, to not peruse their other offerings--as long as I was paying for shipping already, would have been smart to double up on product. Dumb!

How fantastic does that look! Man, I hope I get to try some before I die. Good for you!

Lol. Love "C'est Cheese", too

[Jenise]

It was the coolest little cheese shop, Tom, And not far from the Mexican hut-of-a-restaurant that was Julia Child's favorite place in Santa Barbara to go for lunch--more 'food stand' than restaurant, with an adjacent covered area for eating. That's where we had lunch--amazing food. My friends gave me the choice of Santa Barbara (on the way up, I made them pull over so I could wade out into the ocean on the Ventura coast) or Beverly Hills, since both were suitable for the cheese run they were intent on making. I chose well.

I chose well.

You certainly did!!

My cheese arrived a few days ago and I have been enjoying it everyday. I love the thin and very crispy new pretzel crackers, with this creamy cheese, better than a chunk of sour dough. One complaint I have is that when I take some of the cheese that is backed up to the wood wrap, it has a strong ammonia taste....which I cannot tolerate in cheese. It is horrible. So, if I stay away from that edge, it is fabulous. The packing it came in was amazing. A tiny round of cheese snuggled in this very large ribbed round that was no doubt frozen when it was shipped. The cheese arrived in one day after shipping and was still cold.
Jenise , I read it should be used within ten days.....how are you storing yours. Nothing came with it to suggest the best way to store. I carefully cut a flap from the top cover and put that back in place after each use, then wrap tightly in wax paper, and keep it in my cheese drawer. I thought about using the food saver and was not sure the best way. A nice treat but very expensive to ship.

[Jenise]

I don't think I'd Food Saver this, Karen, it would squish every which way. I haven't opened mine yet, it's still in the fridge.

Agree with you about the packing. I've never seen anything like the thing that lined the box. Bob said, "Looks like the Michelin Man's little brother."

I don't think I'd Food Saver this, Karen, it would squish every which way. I haven't opened mine yet, it's still in the fridge.

Agree with you about the packing. I've never seen anything like the thing that lined the box. Bob said, "Looks like the Michelin Man's little brother."

You can control the amount of squish the food saver does, but I read somewhere that some cheeses need to breath, and covering them in wax paper is good.

[Jenise]

I don't think I'd Food Saver this, Karen, it would squish every which way. I haven't opened mine yet, it's still in the fridge.

Agree with you about the packing. I've never seen anything like the thing that lined the box. Bob said, "Looks like the Michelin Man's little brother."

You can control the amount of squish the food saver does, but I read somewhere that some cheeses need to breath, and covering them in wax paper is good.

And that's true. I always wrap blues in foil for that reason, where cheddars etc would go in airtight plastic. I have no particular habit/opinion on washed rind cheeses, however.

I'm thrilled you know of it! But yes, it has been released. Run, don't walk!

This is from a friend's birthday party in Jan. 2012:

IMG_1303.jpg

And, yes, truffled honey is a great accompaniment for it.

Where did you source your Miel truffe d'ete? I've been looking for a good truffle honey.

Where did you source your Miel truffe d'ete? I've been looking for a good truffle honey.

It was the birthday boy's. He takes a few weeks each summer at a holiday gite in the Loire. So, somewhere there....

Sorry.

I'm on the hunt for this cheese locally. It better be good, Jenise!

I saw your review, Jenise, on the Mexican place in Santa Barbara. Will have to stop there on my next trip.

Picked up some at Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Plaza last week. Yummy!

Have to say I might prefer Red Hawk, though????? Plus, Red Hawk is LOCAL! And a little cheaper by the round.

Different beasts, for sure!

[Jenise]

While in Seattle a few days ago with friends, I literally stumbled over the one cheese store in Washington that carries this cheese, so I purchased another round and had it cut in half so the couple we were travelling with could take some home. They're very sophisticated in the wine and cheese department. Received this email today: "Thanks for the Rush Creek Reserve. I ate it all up on the weekend. Really great cheese. It's unusual to find a cheese so complex from anywhere other then France!"

Pretty high praise.