For four decades, Vermont Creamery has been quietly shaping the landscape of American goat cheese, turning a big idea born on a farm in Vermont into a symbol of craftsmanship and quality recognized nationwide.
This year, as the Creamery marks its 40th anniversary, we are introducing a new cheese that captures the spirit of our journey, Hooper.
Named after our co-founder, Allison Hooper, Hooper is a tribute to a legacy, a nod to tradition, and a leap into the future.
The Donut Dream
In 1984, a young Allison Hooper, fresh from her cheesemaking apprenticeship in Brittany, France, and Bob Reese, a visionary entrepreneur, decided to bring the unmistakable taste of French-style goat cheese to the American palate. From this partnership, Vermont Creamery was born, built on the principles of exceptional quality, sustainability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Now, after 40 years of crafting award-winning cheeses, we add Hooper to our soft-ripened lineup—a cheese that brings our rich heritage full circle. Crafted in a unique donut shape, Hooper is Vermont Creamery’s first washed-rind cheese, made with a blend of goat and cows’ milk, and aged here in Websterville, Vermont.
The shape is as much of a nod to Allison as it is a deliberate choice, inspired by her early days of cheesemaking in France. The shape allows the cheese to maximize its rind proportions, and help it mature evenly, ensuring a creamy texture and a rich, complex flavor.
A Legacy of Rind Innovation: Pioneering Geotrichum Candidum
At Vermont Creamery, our expertise in crafting cheeses with Geotrichum rinds is well-established. This rind—characterized by its signature wrinkled appearance—plays a crucial role in developing the unique textures and flavors of our cheeses. From the soft and gooey St. Albans to the creamy and dense Bonne Bouche, our Geotrichum rind cheeses have set a standard in the artisan cheese community.
Hooper proudly joins this legacy. Washed with a French gray sea salt brine, Hooper's rind develops that classic wrinkled texture, a hallmark of Vermont Creamery's meticulous rind management and aging processes. This care in the ripening process leads to a cheese that is not just soft and sliceable but also teeming with a rich tapestry of flavors—fruity, funky, savory, and buttery. It's a flavor journey that starts with the rind and unfolds with each bite, showcasing the depth and complexity that only a carefully crafted Geotrichum rind cheese can offer.
Where to Find Hooper
Hooper is now making its debut on cheese boards across the country. Available at Whole Foods and select independent cheese shops, it can also be found both in-store and online exclusively at Murray’s Cheese Shop for a limited time.
