Going for the Gold....Cougar Gold

“WSU”  

Quick. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Basketball, probably. Especially today, as the surging Cougars head to the Pac-10 Tournament.

But that wouldn’t be my first response. I’d say cheese.

Cheese, as in Cougar Gold, a creamy, nutty, aged white cheddar that the students of the Washington State University Creamery have been cranking out since the 1930s.

It was news to me, too,  last week when a family friend from Walla Walla brought us a can of the stuff.

Yes, that’s can, as in old-fashioned can, requiring a can opener, no less.

I must admit I had my doubts about a cheese made on a college campus and packaged in a tin can. I mean, this is, after all, the age of voluptuous mascarpone tortas from Milan’s Peck and fancy-schmancy triple crèmes from France.  Cougar Gold is Pullman, folks, not Piemonte.

But I was blown away by the rich flavor and moist creaminess of the WSU cheese, which is aged a minimum of one year.  Unlike ordinary American cheddars, this one has complexity and an enduring tang.  I’m sure it would make a great grilled cheese sandwich. A terrific hot cheddar dip, too.  And one Washington state newspaper  I happened upon on-line touted a recipe for Cougar Gold soup that involved onions and potatoes and sounded delicious.

But I doubt that I’ll ever get pass the crumbly, fresh-out-of-the-can snack. It’s just too good.

The Washington State University Creamery is run by students in the School of Food Science who learn how to manufacture and market cheese (and ice cream), sometimes earning internship credits for their work. In addition to the competitive wages and valuable work experience created by the program, a portion of the Creamery’s profits goes to the educational support of Food Science students.

The 30-ounce can of regular Cougar Gold costs $18; a special, sharper, aged-three-years Gold is $25.  The Creamery also offers several different flavors of cheddar including Smoked, Dill Garlic, and Crimson Fire, which is flecked with jalapenos and cayenne pepper. (Because of its intense flavors, Crimson Fire is made with about 33 percent less fat than the other types of cheddar.)

There’s also a “Cheese of the Month” program.

You can buy the product on-line at  the WSU Creamery Web site  or call 800-457-5442 or
509-335-4014. It's also available at NormThompson.com (above photo is from Web site).

Comments

[A. Hefte]

Thanks, Maureen, for your blog on Cougar Cheese! I just wanted to clarify a couple of things: The WSU Creamery does offer different flavors of Cheddar.
They are American and Smoky. The Dill Garlic and Crimson Fire flavors are not cheddar. They are made with the Viking base, which is similar to a Monterey Jack-type cheese.
Also, the Crimson Fire is not made with the reduced fat Viking because it is intense. However, the reduced fat composition of the cheese helps intensify the heat of the cheese as it ages. (The Creamery used to sell a non-flavored Reduced Fat Viking, but decided to continue this cheese only for production of the Crimson Fire.) Hope this helps.