Cheese Profiles: Kunik

In our series of Cheese Profiles, we further examine those cheeses that have been called out as best sellers from places in our “Cheese Shops We Love” series. Next up, a highly awarded American star, Nettle Meadow Farm’s Kunik.

“Everyone loves Kunik,” says Head Cheesemonger Alia Anaiet, of Brooklyn-based Campbell & Co., a shop profiled in our Cheese Shops We Love series. While “everyone” can be a difficult metric to prove, given Kunik’s long list of accolades — including Double Gold in the 2022 New York International Cheese Competition — it seems well within the realm of possibility. Unique among bloomy rind cheeses for its mixed milk composition, if you’ve ever had Kunik, the experience was likely memorable, and one you’d be inclined to repeat. Here we dive into the details of what makes Kunik so award-winning and swoon-worthy.

 

What is Kunik?

Kunik is a small format, bloomy rind, triple crème goat’s milk cheese with added cow cream made by Nettle Meadow cheese makers and co-owners Sheila Flanagan and Lorraine Lambiase, in Thurman, New York, alongside their animal sanctuary. Fun fact: their production herd also includes some older or differently-abled animals that are also part of the sanctuary.

 

History of Kunik

The practice of adding additional cream to milk in order to enrich certain cheeses dates back to Normandie in the 1850s, with triple crème cheeses entering the picture around the 1920s. (France’s Belle Epoque falls squarely in the middle of all of this dairy hedonism. Coincidence? I think not.)

Kunik’s creation begins in 2005 when Flanagan and Lambiase relocated from California to New York with the express purpose of beginning an animal sanctuary and making hand-crafted, artisanal cheeses, focusing on fresh, bloomy rind, and washed rind expressions. Kunik was an early champion for Nettle Meadow, scoring national competition acclaim as early as 2010.

 

How Kunik is Made

Kunik is made from pasteurized goat’s milk with additional cow cream, all sourced from Nettle Meadow’s grass-fed production herd in the foothills of the Adirondacks. Coagulated with microbial rennet, and inoculated with Penicillium Camemberti, wheels of Kunik are aged for 4 to 6 weeks in Nettle Meadow’s subterranean cheese cave, and recommended for consumption up to 12 weeks. Kunik is offered in 3 different sizes: 16 ounces, 10 ounces, or 3.5-ounce minis — perfect for a cheese plate for one or two.

 

Kunik Tasting Notes

Nettle Meadow describes Kunik as having a “goat-y kick,” alongside a “tangy, buttery flavor complimented by earthy undertones.” “Buttery” indeed seems to follow Kunik wherever it goes, and its relatively tall stature among bloomy rinds and fudgy, extra rich texture often earns it superlatives such as “sexy,” “voluptuous,” and “luxurious.” One of their best-sellers, Murray’s points out its “notes of lemon zest and button mushrooms.”

 

Kunik Pairings

Both rich and tangy, Kunik can play nicely with a number of accompaniments. Sweet elements such as honey, figs, or other dried fruits can offset the tang, or you can choose to emphasize the tang with partners such as pickles or chutney.

To sip alongside, Nettle Meadow recommends an earthy stout or meaty Cabernet Franc. Ones to try: Shoe Tree Brewing Barrel Aged Rye Stout (NYIBC Gold Medal Winner, 2023) or Fruit & Spice 2021 Cabernet Franc (NYIWC Silver Medal Winner, 2022.)

 

Cabernet Franc is often used as a blending grape. As a single variety, it yields a medium-bodied wine with high acidity and less tannins making it an ideal partner for rich and creamy foods like a buttery triple creme. The Fruit Spice Cab Franc is made from grapes sourced in Lodi, it has dark-berry flavors, with baking spice notes and hints of mocha.