IN THE FRIDGE
Queso Botanero with Cilantro & Jalapeño
Salem, Oregon
From just down the road, Queso Botanero with Cilantro and Jalapeno by our friends at Don Froylan is a delightful, flavor-packed choice. This Mexican-style cheese offers a harmonious blend of creamy richness, zesty jalapeno heat, and the bright freshness of cilantro. Making cheese since 1976, this family owned creamery is a renowned name in the world of artisanal Mexican cheeses. With a commitment to preserving authentic cheese-making traditions while embracing innovation.
As Francisco says, Queso Botanero is great for snacking, of course tacos or quesadillas,
but we think it would add a wonderful brightness to a salad and on a steak or burger!
Gorgonzola Picante
Italy
Gorgonzola Piccante is an aged (300+ days), firm, and crumbly Italian blue cheese with a pungent, sharp, and intensely savory flavor profile. Ideal for melting into risotto, polenta, pasta sauces, or topping steaks and burgers.
Ambrosi’s Gorgonzola Piccante is aged for 80 days to develop its distinctive bite, but traditional Gorgonzola can be aged for much longer—sometimes for as long as six months! As with many cheeses, the origins of Gorgonzola lie somewhere between probability and myth. Italians tell of a young cheesemaker who, distracted from his task of drying curds, mixed his crumbly curds with a new batch, resulting in a strange “bluing” phenomenon a few weeks later
La Tur
Piedmont, Italy
Produced in Piedmont region of Northern Italy, we call this cheese a triple threat: goat, sheep and cow triple cream. The bloomy rind is edible and this cheese was a perfect pairing with Furioso’s Sparkling Verdanté. With a mousse-like texture, you’ll want to cut with care. Do you know what a skeleton knife is? It’s the right choice here because the holes in the knife prevent drag.
Queso Oaxaca
Salem, Oregon
Pull it apart, watch the strands stretch, and let this cheese melt into something irresistibly creamy! Queso Oaxaca is soft, buttery, and perfectly stringy, making it an essential ingredient for melty dishes like quesadillas, tortas, and chiles rellenos. It has a mild, slightly salty flavor and a smooth, elastic texture, similar to mozzarella but with a fresh, milky taste.
At Don Froylan Creamery in Salem, the Ochoa family has been making authentic Mexican cheeses for generations, following traditional methods, stretching the curds by hand to create that signature pull-apart texture. Made in small batches with high-quality milk, this cheese stays fresh, melts beautifully, and keeps its soft, delicate strands when pulled apart.
It works best when shredded, sliced, or torn into ribbons. Melt it over tacos, tuck it inside a warm tortilla, or use it in a grilled cheese for something extra special. Let it warm up a bit before using for the best texture, or just snack on it as is.
Red Dragon
Wales
By World War II, cheese production in Wales had nearly ceased; run out of business by large cheesemaking factories in England. Fortunately for us, there has been a revival of old ways by a new generation of cheesemakers. Now, they are creating other fine cheeses such as Red Dragon, also known as Y-Fenni. This smooth, firm, tasty cheddar is made with Welsh brown ale and mustard seeds. Red Dragon is a buttery and spicy cheese with plenty of bite.
Suggested adult beverage pairing: Brown ale or full bodied red wine
Soumaintrain
Bourgogne, France
Soumaintrain AOC is a French farmhouse cheese made with raw cow's milk in the Bourgogne region. This soft, washed-rind cheese undergoes a brine and Marc de Bourgogne wash during its production. It is Epoisses’ little sister; not so bossy and a lot less stinky.
Two Sisters Gouda
Holland
echnically a Proosdij cheese (a Gouda variation), aged for 12 to 18 months. Pronounced “pro-stay” Two Sisters is a Dutch cow's milk cheese made in a similar washed-curd style to Gouda, but utilizing specialized thermophilic bacterial cultures. Bright red rind, buttery and firm body. Consider shredding it on your blueberry pizza, nosh while sipping on a summer saison or just grab a chunk for a quick, protein packed snack.
Valbreso 100% Sheep Milk Feta
Southern France
Valbreso cheese is artfully crafted in the rugged plateaus surrounding the Mediterranean Sea in southern France. A remarkably versatile fresh sheep milk cheese matured in brine. Its unique taste and superior richness is created by using 100% pure sheep milk coming from a very unique breed, the Lacaune sheep, renowned for its rich and creamy milk.
Wensleydale with Blueberries
England
Wensleydale with Blueberries starts with milk from cows that graze in Wensleydale valley’s famous limestone pastures that line the Ure River. With pieces of dried and fresh blueberries. The blue wax rind is electric. Sweet and savory, unusual and familiar, try this cheese crumbled on fresh greens or at your next Sunday brunch!
We have Butter!
Beurre da Baratte (France) -
our March Madness Butter Bracket winner!
Beurre d’Isigny AOP (France) -sold out
Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter (Ireland)
Plugria European Style (Kansas)
Mack & Cheese is located at 410 NE Third Street, Suite 7 upstairs above La Bella Casa
Summer Hours: Thursday, Fridays 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm; Saturdays 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Check our Calendar for any closed days
Private tastings available on other days as well by appointment.
Questions: email Erin Goode