Boston - January 16, 2008

The Big Cheese

Shy Brothers Farm Cheese

Going to great distances to score an ounce of oozy, unpasteurized sheep’s milk cheese? Been to Provence. Done the foodie trek.

But how about curds of outstanding whey in your own backyard? Feast your eyes on the cheese coming out of Westport’s Shy Brothers Farm.

The Santos brothers (two sets of very shy twins) run one of the last dairy farms in the area. When threatened with having to sell out to developers, they sent the youngest brother, Karl, to France to learn how to make cheese. He brought back a recipe for boutons de culottes (trouser buttons), a flavor-packed morsel that they could make with their own Holstein and Ayrshire herd.

The thimble-size Hannahbells (named for the boys’ mom) in flavors like shallot, lavender, and rosemary offer a wallop of earthiness in each creamy bite.

It might not take a fantastic journey. But it’ll certainly get you moo-ving.

Available online at shybrothersfarm.com.