School is back in session, and whether that means kindergarten, 10th grade, or graduate school, everyone needs an after school snack! So why not get a little joy and protein in your diet and have it be cheese? Chris, one of our cheesemongers, helped me compile this list because he has very vivid and fond memories of snacks throughout his childhood and beyond, making him an excellent co-conspirator. The list is organized mild to strong, so whether the snackers are in the mozzarella-or-nothing camp, or they want “that island cheese with the maggots in it” (it’s a real thing), something will hopefully please everybody.

Raschera – Let’s start chill here, shall we? Raschera is a mild, Italian semi-firm cow’s milk cheese that is smooth and buttery with the tiniest touch of acidity. I see this cubed up on a plate, maybe in a smiley face formation if I’m feeling kooky.

Lincolnshire Poacher – Ok here’s for the cheddar people who might be ready for something else. This English dearie is very close to a cheddar, but the cheesemakers don’t use the cheddaring method (another interesting topic for the future!). The flavor is savory, but sometimes it tastes like pineapples, making it a really good pairing with sweeter crackers, bread with some fruit in it, and jams of any kind. I picture cracker, jam, slice of Lincolnshire Poacher and a glass of milk or a cup of tea. So cozy, so British.

Gruyere 1655 – For some reason, Chris came right out with Gruyere and grapes. He said it so confidently I thought it was a “thing”, but no, it’s just Chris tapping into his 12-year-old brain and knowing that he would have loved (and would still love) pieces of Gruyere with cold, refreshing green grapes. 

Cremont – A little round of goat and cow’s milk cheese from Vermont Creamery, Cremont is perfect for any flavored cracker, or, if you want to get crazy, any chip! I’m thinking about these truffle potato chips that we have in the store, but also something really junky like Doritos with a shmear of Cremont would be delicious. What the heck, spreading some on a crispy cookie sounds like an excellent idea to me, too.

Harbison – Harbison = funky fresh cheese dip

Stilton – Chris said this was the first blue cheese he fell in love with when he was 12 or 13. Although this is a classic, it is also the most adventurous cheese of the crowd with that extra earthy spice from the blue. For Chris’s Stilton after school snack, he wants slices of apple, some plain crackers, and a drizzle of honey. Ooof, while this might not be the most popular snack since some people are wary of blue, it sounds reaalllly tasty. 

Maybe it’s snack time right now? Please?? I can’t wait to hear about what you all come up with, too, so please tell me if you’ve created a cheese snack that’s made you think, SHOOT that was amazing, I’m a friggin’ snack wizard! 

For the love of cheese and the good part of school being back in session,

Kiri