story by Tenaya Darlington, madamefromageblog.comThis spring, Pete Demchur of Shellbark Hollow Farm debuted a new cheese he calls Maysiola—a moon pie of pasteurized goat’s milk named after Masie, one of his favorite Nubian goats, and with nods to robiola, an Italian cheese. Maysiola has a grassy scent and custardy innards, and if you’re a Brie head, you’ll enjoy this bloomy-rinded character. It’s more robust than a Brie, but not as tangy as a typical robiola.
Demchur makes Maysiola at his home in Chester County, where he maintains a herd of about 70 Nubian goats and produces a variety of goat’s milk products, from kefir to his wildly popular Shellbark Extra Sharp—a chevre that comes on strong, but in the best possible way. He also bears the distinction of being one of the area’s first goat cheese makers. Fifteen years ago, he started producing small batches of chevre as a hobby, and today he sells to farmers markets around the region, including Chestnut Hill, Bryn Mawr, Phoenixville and East Goshen.
Robiolas pair well with all things summer: berries, effervescent beverages and particularly hard cider. “I like to eat Maysiola with Asian pear,” says Donna Demchur Levitsky, who collaborated with her brother Pete to create this cheese. “You can also drizzle it with olive oil and add black pepper.” Try this combination on a grilled baguette, and you’ve got a quick patio supper. —Tenaya Darlington, madamefromageblog.com
Maysiola is sold in 1.5-pound square blocks and in 5-ounce disks. Look for it at the Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal Market and on the menu at the Farmers’ Cabinet (1113 Walnut St.). Shellbark Hollow Farm, 942 Cornwallis Dr., West Chester, shellbarkhollow.com, 610.431.0786
