Spotlight: Thunder Mountain Swiss
What makes a great Alpine cheese? Does Gruyère make you grin? Does Chällerhocker make you want to hollaback? Does Comté make your toes curl?
Meet Thunder Mountain Swiss!
This fantastic cheese is produced by Chapel Hill Creamery, a small and mighty farmstead located in central North Carolina. Founded in 2000 by Flo Hawley and Portia McKnight, Chapel Hill Creamery has been producing some of the best cheeses in the United States. With a herd of roughly around 40 Jersey Cows, CHC produces several award-winning cheeses covering a variety of styles (fresh, washed-rind, alpine). Thunder Mountain Swiss however is a rare and exotic treat.
Flo Hawley & Portia McKnight
My Fairy Cheesegodmothers
In the course of my career, I've tried hundreds of different cheeses from all over the world. Thunder Mountain Swiss is one of those very few that I always find myself thinking about and craving. I haven't eaten the cheese since 2016 and yet my mouth is watering right now thinking about it. It is a cheese that is beyond electrifying, a true gem that will haunt you with its beauty forever.
Thunder Mountain Swiss
A favorite of Brieyoncé
Thunder Mountain is a roaring symphony of flavors that cannot help but to seduce your soul. It is bursting with notes of juicy pineapple and champagne mango wrapped in a blanket of toasted macadamia custard with the slightest hint of fresh rain. It is that perfect bite of food that brings both peace and hysteria simultaneously.
On November 30th, Chapel Hill Creamery will be cracking into its 1 year aged Thunder Mountain wheels made by my dear friend and mentor, Master Cheesemaker Brian Goodale. These are some of the last wheels he made and they are sure to put your heart in a tailspin.
Chapel Hill Creamery Cheeses
Absolutely delicious!
If you live in or are visiting North Carolina, you can find Chapel Hill Creamery’s products at any Whole Foods Market, Weaver Street Market, Durham Co-op, Raleigh Provisions, Uli’s Raclette (Pittsboro), and Orrman’s Cheese Shop (Charlotte). Additionally, you can also find CHC at available at local farmer’s markets in the Piedmont region (Carrboro, Durham, Hillsborough, & Raleigh). The team at CHC is wonderful and is committed to creating the best cheeses while practicing animal welfare and environmental sustainability. They are at the forefront of excellence of the American Artisanal Cheese movement and I can’t wait to see how they continue to put smiles on faces.
All photos taken by Chapel Hill Creamery
For more info, check out their website, click the button!
