For hundreds, if not thousands, of summers, Basque shepherds have ascended into the Pyrenees Mountains in search of the lushest mountain pasture for their flock. The result? Stunning sheep and mixed milk tommes that are firm and durable enough for the journey back down. Anabasque, made year-round in Wisconsin, draws inspiration from this tradition and is stylistically in the same category, making it a sister cheese to those made in the Basque transhumance tradition. Yeasty and musky on the nose, from being lightly washed with brine, the cheese’s paste is rich and only slightly salty, with notes of apricot, citrus, and lanolin. The texture is smooth and sublime, reminiscent of young Manchego. Overall, Arabesque is a uniquely nuanced but approachable sheep’s milk cheese!
Fun Fact: Landmark Creamery is jointly owned and operated by two Annas: Anna Thomas Bates and Anna Landmark. This cheese is, therefore, named for both of them!
Recent Awards: 2023 ACS Open Category–Washed Rind Cheeses Made from Sheep’s Milk–1st place
Shop our entire collection of sheep’s milk cheeses here.
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