This morning started out slower than usual (I appreciated it).  Work, a quick breakfast at the Inn, and a hot shower prepared me for the day ahead.  Glitches happen and today was no exception. 

On the road to visit the Fifth Town Artizan Cheese Company, a car accident downed the Bell lines, and massive confusion ensued.  Detour!  But not before a local police officer offered to hold the power lines by hand, so traffic could pass by.  (They wouldn’t let me snap a photo and no, I am not kidding.)

As a cheesemonger, nothing was going to stop me from getting to a unique, niche producer of hand made cheeses that the Emperor of Japan also visited, just yesterday.  We arrived a bit late, but to warm welcome from the owner of Fifth Town, Petra Cooper.

And does she have an impressive story?  It’s not typical for a publishing maven to realize a cheese facility that is the only privately owned Platinum LEED certified facility–of any kind–in North America.  That means her plant went through incredible tests for sustainability testing.  Only a year into her business and her cheeses are already making an impression. Cape Vessey, the Grand Puba of the house won the title of 2008 Grand Champion Goat Cheese.

For me, the slightly chewy texture of the cheese sweetly lingered on my tongue, long after the crispy cracker absorbed much of the bite.  The fresh goat version of the Bedda Feta was indeed, better, and the Lemon Fetish was tangy-and-mild.  Petra said it goes well with salads.  But my blue ribbon badge goes to their cave aged variety, the Fellowship, a cheese marries strength with conviction bite-to-bite. 

Speaking of bites, lunch at the Milford Bistro was next...