Chocolate cheese

[gwilson]

My parents and I went to California somewhere around 1982. Being around 10 years old, I don't remember a lot of details from the trip. But we were driving around the country somewhere, maybe towards Vaccaville. We stopped at a small food/wine shop where we had a chocolate cheese. It wasn't a spread, like cream cheese, but it was very creamy - maybe the consistency of a firm mozzarella. Anyway, I was wondering if you've ever heard of anything like this - I've been trying to track it down for my parents ever since.

Also, just in case you haven't heard of them, there is a nice little dairy down in Thomasville, Georgia called Sweet Grass. They make some pretty good stuff, and their cheeses have been featured in some of the better Atlanta restaurants. If you're curioius, go to www.sweetgrassdairy.com.

Thank you for your participation in the Q&A and all the great information you've given us.

-Greg

[master cheesemonger/grocer]

I'm sure your memory serves you well. What you enjoyed was just one of those ill-advised California choices (or Wisconsin, or NY State, or anywhere else where there's more milk than gullets) where the dairy has no real appreciation for cheese, but plenty of facility for its manufacture; they just add cocoa to the curd for whatever Monterey Jack-style cheese they make.

I'm sure it still is made; call Lynne Devereaux at the California Cheese Advisory Board and tell her I sent you.

Yes, I know Sweet Grass. Good stuff.

[Alex]

It's not your little shop in California, Greg, but Michigan State University makes a pretty good (if memory serves) chocolate cheese that you can mail order. Check it out here (scroll down).