St. Jorge

Joe and Mary Matos grew up on the lush volcanic island of Sao Jorge in the Portuguese Azores. It happens to be an island that is noted for its delicious cheeses, and when Joe and Mary relocated to Santa Rosa in the 1970s, they carried the recipe for their homeland's native cheese with them.

The Matos' put their personal American spin on the original recipe. St. Jorge -- named for the island -- is a full-flavored cow milk cheese with a cheddary depth and a rich, firm texture. It was one of the first cheeses to be featured in the Tomales Bay Foods collection when the company was launched in Point Reyes Station in the late 1990s.

Farm / Company: Matos Cheese Factory

Cheesemaker:

Proprietor:

Affineur: Joe & Mary Matos

City, State: Santa Rosa, CA

Region: West

Country: USA

Milk Type: Cow

Milk Treatment: Raw

Rennet: Vegetarian

Rind: Natural

Texture: Hard