This "cheese bomb" is full of wonderfulness and was first introduced to me towards the end of a very magical cheese night, that of the 2nd "Cheese Ball" thrown by Madame Fromage in Jan 2014, Philadelphia. I met Matt from Salumeria, who's a great guy and a cheese monger with a heart made of cheese, no doubt. Visiting his shop, he offered to secure me this rare barrel of uncommon cheese, bound in cloth and shipped from Portugal.

This is a raw, sheep's milk, gooey, pudding-like cheese. Zimbro is made with thistle rennet from Portugal. It has layers of flavors ranging from sweet-fruity and herbal to slightly sour (apparently from the thistle rennet). Zimbro is made in small batches by artisan producer Casa Lusa. Cheeses are hand-formed, wrapped in cheesecloth and washed.

Country of Origin: Portugal

Price: $800