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Spring must-haves: the wide-leg pant, eco-chic patio lights and a cheese that will venture with you into the great outdoors. COWS Cheddar from Prince Edward Island provides the perfect transition from indoor to al fresco dining: Put slices between whole wheat and avocado for that first breezy road trip, add it as the oozy finishing touch on your organic burger or savour it as a snack while reading the paper lazily on the porch.

Soft golden in colour, COWS Cheddar is dense with a closed body (no eyes or pinholes), has a smooth and creamy texture and is well-rounded with emerging sharper, tangy elements. While not aggressive, this cheddar is rich and has enough range to make it a cheese to eat right off the cutting board.

A fairly young product on the cheese scene, COWS Cheddar began production two years ago by the same company from Cavendish, PEI, that has been producing ice cream favourites such as Gooey Mooey and Moo York Cheesecake since 1983. COWS broke into the cheese business when owner Scott Linkletter became captivated with the local cheese during a trip to the Orkney Islands (off the northern tip of Scotland). He was so inspired by the quality and flavour that he developed a relationship with the resident cheese maker, whose long-established recipe became the inspiration for Mr. Linkletter's signature cheese, Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar (the highly anticipated next batch is not available until August).

As they tweaked the recipe for the clothbound, Mr. Linkletter and PEI cheese maker Armand Bernard ended up with two cheeses rather than one. PEI Cheddar is a fortuitous byproduct that came about while they perfected the formula for the Avonlea. It is aged 12 to 18 months to develop its flavour and is made using the raw milk of Holstein cows from local PEI herds.

Holsteins, which are well known for their high milk-producing capacity, make up the majority of the dairy cows in Canada. If you were to describe a cow you'd probably picture a Holstein, recognizable for their telltale black and white (or brown and white) patterned coats. Their milk has a lower butterfat content than breeds such as Jersey or Guernsey.

The ideal mate for this cheddar may be a big slice of apple pie and a deep breath of the fresh spring air.

Sue Riedl is part of the pastry team at Toronto's C5 restaurant.

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On the block

CHEESE COWS Cheddar

ORIGIN Cavendish, PEI

PRODUCER Scott Linkletter at COWS (cheese maker Armand Bernard)

MILK Raw cow (Holstein)

TYPE Aged cheddar (12-18 months)

SHAPE 2 kilogram block

DISTRIBUTOR

Ontario: Provincial Fine Foods

Western Canada: Dovre Import & Export Ltd.

AVAILABLE

Vancouver: Whole Foods Market, Nesters Market deli, Thrifty Foods deli, Pane e Formaggio, Stong's Market

Calgary: Janice Beaton Fine Cheese

Toronto: All the Best Fine Foods, Pusateri's, Whole Foods Market

Halifax: Pete's Frootique