Scardello just announced that they have a new cheese in the case, a Veldhuizen original made from the milk of the Dublin, Texas, cheesemakers’ herd of Awassi sheep. The breed, native to the Middle East, is resilient to heat and holds up to the fierce Texas climate.
Fittingly, the cheese, similar to the iconic Spanish sheep cheese Manchego, is named Texchego. Veldhuizen was the forerunner in Texas farmstead cheeses, their wheels of cheddar grace the menus of a number of Dallas restaurants, but they have heretofore made cow’s milk cheeses exclusively. (Last time I was out on their farm with its gently rolling hills, I petted the noses of eager young calves.)
The natural-rind cheese (as opposed to waxed) “tastes a lot like the pure form of sheep’s milk,” says Scardello’s Lance Lynn. “It’s got that sweet characteristic, as much as or even more so than cow’s milk cheese. But then it’s got that really nice nutty, almost hazelnutty flavor.” The flavor profile makes it similar to Manchego, but with a softer texture, like Ossau Iraty or a young Manchego.
The new sheep’s milk cheese is in the Scardello Oak Lawn location’s case, waiting for you to try it. They have three of the 2-pound wheels. Also, check out the noble Awassi beast, which is shaggy-haired and pretty regal.
