Back in the day, and we mean the middle ages, cheesemakers first started using ash in their recipes. They had their reasons, and so do we. Ever since people first began to combine food and fire, they’ve used ashes to preserve and purify things. Sometimes it’s called vegetable ash or activated charcoal. Some say it’s vegan fairy dust. This cheese works in the tradition of ash-lined styles like Morbier, but it comes from Coppinger Cove.

The ash line doesn’t change the way Coppinger tastes, but it does give it some extra style. It kind of reminds us of the Little Sequatchie River running through the valley, dotted with rapids and swimming holes all the way past the Creamery. That’s where we’ll be, sprinkling a fine layer of bling between the two halves of this prize curd while it’s still in the mold. It just means Coppinger was born looking good.