Yummy tomme

Odds are, this season, you or someone you know will be putting together a cheese plate. After all, it is the obligatory thing to nibble at every holiday party. Skip the usual anonymous brie and instead look for something a little more regional. I love the mellow aged cheddar from Fiscalini, with its almost flaky texture, but a newer entrant in the burgeoning cheese field is La Clarine Farm’s Sierra Mountain Tomme, a firm, aged goat cheese made by a biodynamic farm in Somerset. It’s small and unassuming-looking, but it packs a big, rustic, not-too-goaty, somewhat earthy and sharp flavor, with a slightly crumbly texture. I like it on its own in thin slices, with some fruit adorning the plate—but I also had success stuffing it into dried figs, along with a piece of pan-fried chorizo, and baking until warm. You can also grate it to use over pasta or in salads. Locally, it’s at David Berkley and Taylor’s; for more information, visit www.laclarinefarm.com.