February 2026: Northern California's Andante Dairy Cheese of the Month Club
Cheese of the Month Club

February 2026: Northern California's Andante Dairy Cheese of the Month Club

February 16, 2026
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This month, we're celebrating a single remarkable creamery: Andante Dairy in Petaluma, California. Founded by Korean-born pianist and scientist Soyoung Scanlan in 1999, Andante produces some of America's most exquisite artisan cheeses—all named after musical terms and handcrafted in tiny batches.
 
Scanlan makes every wheel by hand using Jersey cow's milk from Spring Hill Dairy and goat's milk from neighboring Volpi Ranch. There are no distributors for Andante cheeses—each wheel is made to order for a select handful of restaurants and cheese shops. Her approach is intensely personal: no pumps, no mass production, just patient craftsmanship at a moderate tempo (andante means "walking pace" in musical terms). 
 
Your membership gives us access to these rare treasures that blend scientific precision with artistic vision.

Want to join the club? Sign up HERE.

Pianoforte

Cow's Milk

This is Scanlan's interpretation of the legendary French St. Marcellin cheese. The name means "soft-loud" in Italian—a perfect description of this transformative little disc that gets soft and gooey with time. It has notes of nutty, mushroomy flavors with sweet cream notes and a balanced hint of acidity. 

Serve with champagne and a crusty baguette. 

Contralto

Goat's Milk

A cheese Scanlan dreamed about for years before perfecting it, it is inspired by the haunting voice of contralto Sara Mingardo singing Pergolesi's Stabat Mater. It is a washed-rind goat cheese that captures something gentle with a hint of melancholy. Brine washing develops a distinctive orange-tinted rind with subtle pungency—never overpowering, always graceful.

Serve with pears and light white wine.

Rondo

Cow & Goat's Milk

Named for the festive final movement of a sonata, this round mixed-milk cheese blends Jersey cow's milk from coastal Tomales with goat's milk from Volpi Ranch. It is finished with herbes de Provence and pink peppercorns—a nod to Petaluma's Mediterranean-like climate where herbs flourish year-round.

Serve with fig preserves and almonds.

Charcuterie Option: Fra'Mani Lemon & Rosemary Salami

Pork

Founded by James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Bertolli, Fra'Mani has pioneered American artisan salumi in Berkeley since 2006. This dry-aged salami features rich, savory heritage pork brightened by delicate whispers of fresh lemon and aromatic rosemary—never overpowering, just a gentle herbal lift. Aged approximately 30 days and naturally cured, each six-inch salami showcases the bright, clean flavors that make it perfect alongside creamy goat and cow's milk cheeses.