Opening jars of the three varieties of CHEVOO cheeses for friends and family with baguette slices and crackers was met with approval and just a wee bit of elbow jostling.
You can taste the quality in both the fresh chèvre goat cheese curds and the extra virgin olive oil—which make all the difference in flavor. The olive oil, fresh cheese and spices, herbs and chilies are hand-blended and infused for four to eight weeks to make a gourmet appetizer that will make CHEVOO a foodie’s household staple.
The CHEVOO name stems from the two main ingredients; chèvre cheese and extra virgin olive oil. Pronounced as “shay-voo” or “chez vous,” there’s an added appeal that chez vous is a French phrase meaning, “at your place.” At my place, the cheeses and the dipping oils were a hit.
Complementary Varieties
The complementary flavor selections offer a great variety. Each combination of crushed herbs and botanicals lend truly garden-fresh flavors to each of the cheeses.
We loved the zesty scent and subtle tanginess of the Aleppo-Urfa Chili & Lemon variety. The lemon is most pronounced, and as one family member shared, the chilies arrived at the end; not hot, just a bit of a complementary flavor boost. Delicious on breads, we especially wanted to try this flavor in salads or on chicken.
The fresh dill flavors in the California Dill Pollen & Garlic complements the more subtle hints of garlic. Pair this one with potatoes, salmon and other fish. I enjoyed each of the three flavors, but this was my personal favorite.
Unlike the first two cheeses, where one taste was a bit more predominant, the consensus was that flavors of the Smoked Seat Salt & Rosemary CHEVOO were equally balanced. This seemed to be the favorite with those who especially liked the idea of trying the cheeses on pizza, meats, and roasted vegetables. It’s probably the most versatile of the three.
CHEVOO Cheeses: Beyond Brushetta
As we said, don’t stop with enjoying CHEVOO with bread and crackers; there are countless other uses for both the cheese and the infused oils. As we nibbled, we agreed either the cheese and oil or even just the oil alone work well mixed with hot pasta, topped over a baked potato, a bagel, or on sandwiches. Use CHEVOO as a pizza topping and drizzle a bit more of the oil on top after cooking. Add it to salads. Melt it on grilled vegetables. Use it as a condiment on top of steak, a hamburger, chicken or salmon. We’re sure we’ll come up with even more ideas—and you will too.
Humble Beginnings, Quick Growth
CHEVOO cheeses are the brainchild of Gerald and Susan Tuck, an Australian couple who re-settled with their family to Northern California. Many of the best products begin as a favorite in the producer’s own kitchen, and indeed, marinated goat cheese was a stable for this couple. They took their product to market and in their first year in business were able to expand into more than 400 stores. Their cheeses have won food awards and they recently expanded to a 10,000 square foot production facility.
We think this is a great product. CHEVOO brand cheeses are available at national specialty food chains and gourmet markets nation-wide. For holidays and beyond, let CHEVOO become a refrigerator staple for versatile snacks and quick gourmet meals!
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– Photos by Nancy Zaffaro.