The Best Part of Spring

Ahhhhhhh dfa;lkdfjasl;kdfjklj!!!

I have a love-hate relationship with Spring. I love breezy patio weather, but I hate cold wet drizzle. I love the return of foliage, but I hate my allergies. I love the smell of the air when the seasons change, but at least for the two years I lived in DC and NYC, I hated the returning stench of public urination in the subway and metro stations. After having worked with cheese and on farms, there's only one thing about Spring I love unconditionally: baby animals.

On small farms, dairy or otherwise, kidding and lambing season is either starting or already in full swing, depending on the particular climate. In addition to birthing the cutest creatures on earth, those new mamas will be producing milk aplenty for their youngsters, the excess of which turns into delicious spring-time cheese. It's true that some breeds of goats and sheep can breed year-round. Additionally, some larger farms engineer ways to trigger a year-round breeding cycle for their animals (opinions differ on the merit of this practice). Some farms may even freeze excess milk to carry them through winter cheese making. The majority of fresh goat cheese, however, is coming into season right now.

To celebrate the season I partook of a gooey, young goat's milk robiola wrapped in fig leaves. Hello Spring! I was instantly drawn to this cheese in the store because 1) The pretty colors of orange twine against the dark green fig leaves caught my eye (I also shop for wine purely by the level of whimsy in the labels); and 2) When I sniffed it, I could taste the figs, which immediately intoxicated the pleasure synapses in my brain. It was a fig-tastic high.

Robiolas are from Northern Italy and can generally be made with varying combinations of goat, cow, or sheep's milk. This one in particular is made purely from goat's milk when it comes into season in the region (February-ish). The rich buttery texture is infused with a sweet fruity and vegetal taste from the leaves. Often when I take a gamble on a cheese I've never at least sampled, I'm mildly disappointed. This cheese, though, exceeded my expectations as soon as it hit the lips. I purchased a bottle of sparkling wine and a mild red wine with a fig on the label (it seemed appropriate, though not as whimsical as I'd like) to pair with the cheese. Both went well, but the crisp, dry sparkling wine was ideal. I also enjoyed taking a bite of cheese and shoving a couple figs in my mouth, chubby-bunny style. Two hours later, my roommate and I had finished all several hundred calories of butterfatty goodness and both bottles of wine. Okay Spring, you're pretty swell.