merlot salami

When we say the Muensters, we don’t mean a TV show.  We mean aged mold, or as you know it  .. cheese.

Gouda, Mozzarella, and Brie are just some of the dozens of varieties of Murray’s Cheeses available at your local Dayton Kroger stores.   The Big Ragu and Crew were lucky enough to be invited by local Cheese Master, Logan Class, to sample some of their premium cheeses.  How cool is that to be hanging out with a cheese master?   We Daytonians do not know how lucky we are to have Murray’s Cheese Shops, allowing for quality and hard to find cheeses at our fingertips!

Murray’s Cheeses is a New York based company and has been making and distributing cheese since 1940.   There are 15 Dayton area Kroger’s that feature Murray’s.   What makes Murray’s Cheeses so special?  The answer is the products used in their cheeses.  For example their mozzarella is made with the same milk used in Ben and Jerry’s Vermont Ice Cream, so we are talking premium tasting milk.  They also carry cheeses from France, Italy, Ireland, England and more.

Cheese Master Logan explained to us that there is something for everyone at his store.   There is a $5 and under selection and cheeses that range from $5.99 to $30 a pound.   Other goodies are McClures Pickles, Bucheron 34 fig Spread, Merlot Salami and Olive Oils.   There is even a connecting buffet display of  peppers, olives, and more.  Food Adventures has previously enjoyed Murray’s favorites such as Jarlsberg Cheese, Javarti cheese with Caraway seeds, and Tabouli with Cilantro.  The Big Ragu had to be pulled away from the free cheese on the various counters so the cheese tasting could begin.

Your Food Adventurers were here to sample these unique and unforgettable Murray’s Cheeses as presented by Cheese Master:

1) Cremont – This was a soft, creamy Vermont cheese made from goats and cows milk.  It was simply divine and dreamy.

2) Cabot Clothbound Cheddar – Made in Vermont.  The wheels of this cheese are covered with cheesecloth and lard then aged for 10 months.  Almost like Big Ragu with a wet blanket.  This cheese is one of the tastier cheeses made with Pasteurized milk, as opposed to most high end cheeses which are made from raw milk.

3) Pleasant Ridge Reserve – A mountain style cheese similar to Gruyere.  This is a raw milk cheese and sells at 30 bucks a pound.   We found this cheese to be rich with flavor.  So flavorful that this cheese won the American Cheese Society and World’s Best Cheese Awards.

4) SarVecchio Parmesan:  Looked like your typical Parmesan cheese, but had an incredible fruity flavor to it.  Definitely an amazing tasting cheese that you won’t soon forget.

5) Rogue River Blue: Made in Oregon, this cheese won the 2006 award for best cow’s milk cheese.  It is the 1st ever raw milk cheese to be exported to Europe.  That’s right, it is so good, even Europeans want it!  The cheese is made through an incredible process, including scrubbing the outside of the cheese wheel with brine for a meaty flavor.  The cheese is then wrapped in Syrah Grape Leaves that have been soaked in a Pear Brandy. After wrapping, this cheese is aged for a year.  The product is perfection and the best bleu cheese we have ever tasted.  With preparation like this, we could understand the $30/pound price tag.

Hey Food Adventure Fans, here are some quick cheese facts:

— All cheese is made with milk, salt and rennet.

— Cheeses that are aged more than a year are typically the stronger tasting cheeses.

— Softer cheeses have a shorter the shelf life than harder cheeses

Who thought we could get any cheesier?  Well The Food Adventures Crew did, and you can too.  Visit your Cheese Master at your local Kroger grocery and look for the Murray’s Cheese Shop !

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Have you tried Murray’s Cheeses ?   Tell us your thoughts and comment below.

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