Andante

Andante's Pianoforte and Contralto

I swooped these beauties up one blustery Saturday at the Ferry Building Farmers Market in SF. How could I resist? I rarely have the pleasure of tasting Andante cheeses, and never the pleasure of selling them.

Andante is a much sought after creamery in Petaluma, CA, where all the cheeses are delicate and dreamy, and bare musically inspired names. Milk master Soyoung Scanlan notoriously shuns the spotlight, insisting her creations do the talking for her. They've given her quite the reputation. And humble as she may be about her craft, can we really separate artists from their masterpieces? DaVinci from The Last Super? Michelangelo from David? Soyoung from Acapella? Okay, so that was a bit of an exaggeration. I tend to do that.

Contralto is a washed rind goat cheese, all pudgy and soft. The sturdy yet elegant wedge smelled of the water steamed cauliflower leaves behind and a bit like a goat pen, but it tasted of cured meat, butter sauteed shiitakes and was reminiscent of a Pho broth. Mouth full and my eyes slowly rolling back in my head, all I could muster was a Yum barely audible under my cheese gurgle. It was a truly blissful experience of savory, salt and funk.

The Pianoforte was a different story. I took one lick, cringed, and spat it out. It was overripe, and I now see why I was told to eat it the day I bought it, which I didn't. Oops. But even through the bitterness I could tell it would be a milky, beautiful little cow cheese in its prime. Perfection is fleeting and I missed the boat. But if you do happen to make it aboard, this is something Scanlan demonstrates oh-so well.