I confess I grinned when I spotted Ewephoria among the artisanal cheeses at my local fancy schmancy grocery store. It’s a sweet Dutch Gouda made with sheep’s milk (of course, as the name cleverly conveys. But is the brand name a good strategic choice for this cheese?
If you’re already sold on cheeses made from sheep’s milk, the name will certainly catch your attention and is probably likely to appeal. If you’re not already sold on sheep milk cheeses (and that would be moi), the name may make you smile, but it probably won’t get you to try the cheese unless you know more about it. (Although, to be fair, that’s probably the case with most cheese names.)
The cheese is made on a small farm in Holland near a nature preserve where the eponymous sheep are permitted to graze. (Pretty romantic provenance.) The name might be said to refer to two kinds of euphoria—that of the lucky sheep, who the farmer’s wife claims eat better than their own children—and that of the sweets-seeking Americans for whom the cheese was crafted. But the name only alludes obliquely to the candy-like flavor that would intrigue me enough to try it. (A descriptor might help.) It also looks a little weird graphically, although it’s easy enough to figure out if you’re familiar with the word “ewe.” And then, of course, there’s the downright, um, cheesiness of the pun.
So is it an ew! or an ooh! of a name? Hey, there’s a lot to be said for something that can put a smile on my face. So I’m going to (sheepishly) give it a thumbs-up.
Grade: B+
