Incredibly, my favorite cheese of 2011 ... is not made in Wisconsin.

Unlike past favorites — Sartori Reserve BellaVitano, Hook's incredible 15-year cheddar, Dreamfarm fresh goat cheese among them — the Alemar Bent River is not a Wisco product. Instead, it's made in Mankato, Minnesota, about 90 minutes south of Minneapolis. So far, this Camembert-style beauty is the only cheese Alemar makes.

Bent River has a bright white rind that's thin and mild in flavor, with a long, creamy finish. It's incredibly buttery, without the (sometimes off-putting) pungency of Camembert. I love the texture, similar to a great brie, Brillat Savarin or my all-time favorite cheese, Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam. 

I got this quarter of Alemar at the Willy Street Co-Op, where it sells for (about) $16-17 for 13 ounces. You can also order online, 2 wheels for $35.50.