Quark and Chevre . . . From Vermont, of Course

Fifteen years ago, the only American cheeses readily available were a few aged types or those individually wrapped squares of processed stuff. Today, there are more of the aged varieties to choose from, but your chances of finding freshly made cheeses are still pretty slim.

When Allison Hooper and Robert Reese of the Vermont Butter & Cheese Company began making goat cheese in 1984, there were only two other manufacturers in the entire United States. Three years later, their creamy, slightly tart chevre had won a blue ribbon at the annual American Cheese Society judging, and the partners had started making other varieties of fresh cheese and dairy products, including a French-style creme fraiche , mascarpone (the slightly tangy Italian version of cream cheese), quark (a low-fat German cheese that’s a cross between sour cream and yogurt), and fromage blanc (a soft cheese made from skimmed cow’s milk, used in sauces, spread on toast, or eaten as the French do with cream and sugar on top).

Hooper and Reese wholesale the award-winning cheeses mainly to restaurants, hotels, and specialty stores. Their customers range from the Grand Hyatt hotels and New York’s top-rated Lutece and An American Place restaurants to many of the small cafes on New York’s westside.

“Hotels and French restaurants buy the creme fraiche ,” says Reese. “The Italians buy the mascarpone. The restaurants using the quark and fromage blanc tend to be somewhat creative. The goat cheese is all over the place.”

By UPS, six (eight ounce) containers of fromage blanc , mascarpone, creme fraiche , or quark cost $23.40. Six (four ounce) logs of goat cheese cost $24.60. Or try the country gourmet sampler--three (four ounce) logs of chevre (plain, herb and pink pepper), and two (eight ounce) containers each of creme fraiche , fromage blanc and mascarpone--for $32.40 (including shipping). Except for the chevre and fromage blanc , which may be frozen, the cheese is best eaten as soon as possible after purchase.

Vermont Butter & Cheese Company Pitman Road, P.O. Box 95 Websterville, Vt. 05678 (802) 479-9371 Mastercard, Visa