Matos Cheese Factory

A Portuguese secret revealed... For 20 years, Joe and Mary Matos' St. George cheese was a well-kept secret of America's Portuguese community. Made on the Matos' farm in Santa Rosa, in imitation of a cheese from the couple's homeland, the Azores, St. George had a following wherever there were pockets of Portuguese. Working with only the milk from their own small herd of Holsteins, the Matos have created a cheese with the dense, waxy texture and lingering flavor of a good English cheddar. The wheels are aged three months on the farm before release and average about 15 pounds. During that time, the cheese develops a hard rind and a firm, golden paste with lots of tiny eyes. The aroma is milky and grassy; the flavor exhibits a pleasant acidity but I would not call it tangy or sharp. This sturdy, snackable cheese is a good choice for picnics. Served at the end of a meal, it calls for red wine. It will fight with almost nothing, so why not open a wine from the neighborhood? A Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel from Quivira, Rafanelli of Seghesio would be a delight with it.

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