Each month, your Neighboring Food Co-ops feature our region’s artisan cheesemakers by offering a specially selected cheese at great price. Look for the “Cave to Co-op” sign in the cheese section at your local food co-op. To find one near you, visit www.nfca.coop/members.
This month’s Cave to Co-op cheese is Sterling from Sage Farm Goat Dairy, Stowe, VT
Sterling from Sage Farm Goat Dairy takes center stage , a French Valençay-style goat cheese made in Stowe, Vermont. Crafted from 100% Alpine goat’s milk and aged just a few weeks, it develops a delicate ash-dusted rind and soft gray bloom, reflecting a small-batch, seasonal approach.
Sage Farm Goat Dairy is a family-run creamery owned by sisters Molly and Katie Pindell,
who continue to run the farm together with a shared focus on animal care, land
stewardship, and hands-on cheesemaking. That partnership is evident in Sterling, a
cheese that feels intentional, grounded, and deeply connected to place.
On the palate, Sterling is creamy and supple with bright lactic notes, gentle tang, and a
subtle earthy finish from the ash. It’s fresh, balanced, and well suited to spring cheese
boards.
Recipe ideas include baked with honey and cracked pepper, a warm tapa with onion jam and herbs, spring greens with soft, warmed Sterling or try in a savory leek tart or with roasted asparagus and other spring vegetables with crumbled Sterling. Sterling is also lovely with a rustic baguette or crostini and partners well with sparkling wine, dry cider, Sauvignon Blanc, light Pinot Noir, farmhouse ale or saison.
Goat Cheese Tapa Featuring Sage Farm’s Sterling
Nancy Gilman, a Provisions salesperson, shares this recipe inspired by Spain’s vibrant tapas culture, where small plates are enjoyed over wine and conversation late into the evening. After a memorable meal with a local Spanish friend, she recreated this simple yet elegant tapa—highlighting warm, softened cheese paired with fresh, seasonal accompaniments for an easy, flavorful dish.
Ingredients
Tapa:
- 1 5-ounce wheel of Sterling
- 3 ounces small sprouts
- 4 or 5 slender hollow green chive leaves & edible purple lowers (if in season)
- Crostini, toasted rounds of baguette, or your favorite cracker
- Red/black & blue fruit: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries
Sweet Onion Jam: - 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 cups finely chopped onions – white or red or yellow
- ⅛ teaspoon of fine sea salt
- A pinch of freshly ground white pepper or if you prefer a blend or black
- ¼ cup of white wine + 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar optional
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in sugar with a heatproof spatula, cooking until the onions are soft and just lightly caramelized.
2. Add white wine and simmer until the mixture thickens to a jammy consistency; add a splash of balsamic if you like.
3. Heat the cheese in one of two ways: In a hot, non-stick, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, cook the cheese 4–5 minutes per side until warmed through and soft.
OR bake at 375°F for 10–15 minutes until just softened.
4. Place the warm cheese on a serving plate or wooden board, scatter sprouts around, and garnish with chives and fresh fruit.
5. Spoon the sweet onion jam into a small bowl and arrange toasted bread rounds or crackers around the platter.
6. Serve with a cheese or butter knife for spreading—then dig in.
Cave to Co-op is a partnership between Provision International and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) to support local, artisanal cheese producers in our region and make their products more easily available to co-op shoppers. The NFCA is a network of more than 40 food co-ops in our region — including yours — that are working together to advance their vision of a thriving regional economy, rooted in a healthy, just and sustainable food system and a vibrant community of co-operative enterprise. For more information, please visit www.nfca.coop.