Friends bearing gifts ...

I was to meet some friends for happy hour at Packers Oyster Bar at Semiahmoo Resort. Julie Viereck was waiting for us when I arrived. She came bearing gift. She unwrapped a wedge of something green and said, “taste this cheese.” One does not tell Julie, “No.” So, taste, I did. A rush of wasabi horseradish overwhelmed my mouth. Whoa there, Nellie-san!



I like flavor infused cheese, but I had never had anything like this. It’s handcrafted by Yancey’s Fancy out of Corfu, New York. They offer among other cheeses, a line of six flavored cheddar cheeses, this Wasabi being one of the six. Their Jalapeño/Peppadew™ Cheddar is a consistent award winner, and I’ll have to try that one at another time.



Although my prior experience with wasabi had always been in conjunction with sashimi or in a California roll, I can well imagine this cheese melted on a piping hot baked potato accompanying a T-bone steak. I understand it doesn’t stand up to cooking, but would be interesting to pair up with some other dish. We ate it with sharp cheddar crackers and pretzel-like crackers. I found it went better with the cheddar crackers.

Yancey’s Fancy uses local pastuerized cow milk in their traditional Euro-style cheeses, which is then cured on Canadian hardwood shelves. They employ hands-0n techniques and pride themselves on the "unique 'mouth feel' and taste sensation." They can be reached directly at http://www.yanceysfancy.com/ or (585) 599-4448 857 Main Road, Corfu, NY 14036. Check out their website for the rest of their cheese line.



Or go to your local Costco. Julie said a recipe card was included with the Wasabi Cheddar that she bought there. I think it cost around $5.49/lb at Costco. Yancey’s Fancy offers a 100% money back guarantee.

Sayonara!