Perhaps one of the most memorable marketing-driven catch-phrases of all time came from the old Smucker’s Jam campaigns, “With a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good!” Well, here in the Co-op Deli, we have a number of cheeses with intriguing if not peculiar names—so ridiculous sounding, in some cases, that one must pause and consider, “Well, with a name like that, it has got to be tasty.”

For assistance, I turn once again to Jane, our resident “knower of all things Fromage” in the Deli. I asked her to provide some quick descriptions of the cheeses in the cheese case, giving special attention to those with the quirkiest names, to provide the perspective cheese-buyer a sense of what to expect. For clarification, I have included my own two-bits in parenthases, otherwise it’s all Jane!

Harlech- A nice balanced English Cheddar with medium Horseradish flavoring. From England.

Myzrithra- A great tasting “accent” cheese. A good alternative to Parmesean, try it on pasta, pizza, and salads. (white in appearance, packed in small chunks, and located on the top shelf under the mural in the “cheese cove”) From Greece.

Denhay- One of our favorite aged English Cheddars. Packed in parchment paper.

Mowbay- this cheese looks great on a cheese platter, packed up for Shakespeare. Sheep and Goat’s milk cheeses, separated by grape vine ash. (Who thought of this? It does look cool, and is a nice little “flavor duo”)

Stringles (Okay, I snuck this one in- these are the kid-popular string cheese sticks we offer from Organic Valley. Three varieties available; Colby Jack, Cheddar, and Whole Milk Mozzarella. Packaged in 6 oz bags, look for the smiling worm on the front. “With a name like Stringles… it’s gotta be good for kids, and they are.

Shropshire- A classic English Cheddar, blue veined, with a pronounced Orange color. Very good with some slices of Boars’ Head Black Forest Ham, and some zesty mustard. Dee- lish!

Nederlander- As the name implies- a perfect cheese for a cross country skiing picnic ( With the unbelievable weather we have been experiencing around here lately- this doesn’t seem to far-fetched for an outing right now!)Lightly smoked. From Norway. (Just like me- except for the lightly smoked part.)

Snofrisk-Creamy Goodness! Try it on a toasted bagel. Made from Cow and Goats’ milk. ( we have bagels from H&H in New York in the Freezer aisle, the quintessential New York bagel. packed in thin, triangular wedges, they will fit perfectly into the corner of a picnic basket bound for the park).

Tintern-Onion and Shallot accents found in this one. Very good with a Poulichette baguette from Cafe Du Paris, which we do offer, in the display right next to the Deli.From England, also packed in parchment paper.

No Woman- The folks at Beechers’ had some fun with Jamaican Jerk seasonings, and their lovely “Pride of the Fleet” Cheddar. From Washington State. (We also offer the Beechers’ Flagship, which I enjoy immensely, with a few slices of Organic Fuji Apples.)

Idaho Goatster- From Parma, Idaho. Aged Goat cheese, “seriously delicious” it has even been written about in Bon Appetit, and other food magazines.

Petit Basque- One of the most sought after cheeses in the Service Case- this is a firm-textured piece, with a creamy flavor, and lovely pale-golden color. (along with its’ sibling- Petit Pyrenees, I haven’t met anyone who didn’t try this, and come back for more. Very pleasin). Molded in attractive rounds, about the size of a saucer, and can be cut to your needs.)

Halloumi- The ultimate grilling cheese, creamy white, and a bit less salty than most cheeses. It can withstand a higher temperature before melting, so slice it and put some grill marks on it for flavor and fun. (We have one from Greece, Cyprus, and yes, a local one from the Ballard Family Dairy, in Gooding, Idaho.Theirs competes on a Global scale, and is one that has become a good seller for us, as well.)

Look for other interesting and seasonal cheeses from our Idaho friends at Rollingstone Chevre and Ballards’ Family Dairy as the Summer rolls on… we are proud to have such high quality from good folks- so close to home.