If you’ve made a pitstop by a roadside stand in the South on the way to or from the beach, you may have seen wedges of pale yellow cheese enshrouded in red wax. These wedges look curiously like fancy gouda you might find at Whole Foods, but it’s actually hoop cheese—and your grandma may have even grown up making it.

Much like a farmer’s cheese that requires only a few ingredients and a little time, hoop cheese is not commonly produced commercially. But many farmers and cheesemakers still produce it when they’ve got the milk to make it.

Ashe County Cheese has a strong following throughout the Southeast. As for me, I always grab a package or two of Ashe’s Hoop Cheese when I’m at Shearl Produce in Otto, North Carolina—it’s a great complement to a few bushels of farm-fresh tomatoes, peaches, and okra.

What Is Hoop Cheese?

Hoop cheese is a cow’s milk cheese that’s made by a simple method of separating curds and whey. Hoop cheese is the product of a traditional type of cheesemaking that doesn’t require aging or anything else other than the milk itself.

For this reason, it can be tricky to make commercially or at an industrial scale. It’s more commonly found in grocery stores across the South, or at roadside stands, markets, and even gas stations. It’s also commonly sold throughout rural areas outside of the South. It’s often sealed in red wax or served in a packaged wedge, which has earned it something of an iconic look.

Why Is It Called Hoop Cheese?

The name “hoop cheese” makes reference to the hoop, or wooden ring, that’s used to separate the curds and whey during the process of cheese making. It’s this “hoop” that seals in the cheesecloth, which aids in the straining and separation, creating the common wheel shape. 

What Does Hoop Cheese Taste Like?

Hoop cheese is a mild, semi-soft cheese. Much like queso fresco in Mexican cooking or Colby or Monterey Jack cheeses you might find in a conventional grocery store, hoop cheese is creamy, mild, and sometimes slightly nuttier depending on the milk used to make it. 

Like most farmers’ cheeses, hoop cheese is on the softer side. While its texture can range depending on who makes it, it tends to be slightly firm but never hard. 

How To Use Hoop Cheese

Due to its mild flavor, hoop cheese is extremely versatile in recipes. Incorporate it into mac and cheese for a creamy, nutty complement to Cheddar and Colby Jack, grate it on a box grater to add to pizza, or serve it alongside fruit and nuts on a charcuterie board. And if you’re feeling adventurous, it would be a great substitute for Swiss cheese in Cheese Slaw or for Cheddar in Cheese Dreams.