Counting Sheep...

Zackel Sheep Photo courtesy of Klipartz

Greetings Cheese Enthusiasts!

I have written much about Cow’s and Goat’s milk cheeses on Cheese Traveler, but it was brought to my attention that I did not have a lot of information regarding Sheep milk cheeses.

There is much to share, so let’s get started!

Much like Goats, Sheep have been domesticated for thousands of years…way before cows…about 6,000 years ago. This most likely happened due to their size and temperament, as well as their ability to provide dairy (fresh milk/cheese), wool (clothing), as well as fresh meat.

While the majority of commercial dairy sheep industry is still concentrated in Europe, the Mediterranean region, and New Zealand, there is a growing popularity here in the United States. According to Bee Tolman at The Dairy Sheep Association of North America (DSANA), there are approximately 200+ Sheep dairies across the United States. These range from California, to the Upper Midwest, to the New England states.

While some numbers report well over 1,000 breeds of Sheep, about 200 are in common use, and of those, the two most popular in the U.S. are East Friesian and Lacaune.

East Friesian Photo: Warrawindi

Lacaune Photo: Culture Cheese Magazine

Just like in the cattle industry, there are sheep breeds that have been selectively bred to specialize in milk production. East Friesians are a German breed known for their high volume of milk production, while Lacaune are a French breed that produces a milk with a high butterfat, high protein, and rich flavor, ideal for cheese production. Both breed are polled (meaning that they do not grow horns) and have very little wool.

Cheese producers have been in a love affair with Sheep’s milk once they realized that it had higher fat % and higher protein % which translate to a denser, richer, and more flavorful cheese.

This chart can help you understand just how rich it is:

Graph courtesy of Sheep 101

Here is a list of some of the most popular Sheep cheeses from Europe:

• Feta – Greece, mostly from Zackel Breed. Can be made from 100% Sheep, or a blend by adding no more than 30% Goat’s milk

• Idiazabal – Spain, made from the raw milk of the Latxa and Carranzana sheep in the Basque Country

• Manchego – Spain, made from the milk of the Manchega breed

• Manouri – Greece, a whey milk cheese that is a byproduct of producing Feta

• Mizithra – Greece, a whole milk (or whey) cheese that can be 100% sheep, or a blend of sheep and goat’s milk

• Ossau-Iraty – France, made from the milk of the Manech or Basco-Béarnaise breed of Sheep in the Basque Country 

• P’Tit Basque – France, made from the milk of the Manech or Basco-Béarnaise breed of Sheep in the Basque Country 

• Pecorino – Italy, there are nine different protected PDO Pecorino Cheeses, the most popular being Pecorino Romano

• Roncal – Spain, made from the Rasa and Lacha breeds of Sheep

• Roquefort – France, made from the Lacaune breed

• Valbreso - France, made from the Lacaune breed

Knowing the foreign word for Sheep can be helpful in identifying if the cheese is made from Sheep’s milk: Oveja – Spain; Brebis – France; Pecora – Italian.

Here is a list of some of the more popular Sheep milk cheese producers in the U.S.

Ancient Heritage Dairy – Portland, OR – Producing Heritage and Valentine

Bleating Heart Cheese – Tomales, CA – Producing Fat Bottom Girl

Bellwether Farms – Sonoma County, CA – Producing Basket Ricotta, Pepato, and San Andreas

Cypress Grove – Arcata, CA – Producing Lamb Chopper, an import from Holland

Danascara Cheese – Fonda, NY – Producing Danascara, Mohawk Maenad, Feta, 

Everona Dairy – Rapidan, VA – Producing Piedmont, Stony Man, Shenandoah, Pride of Bracchus, and Cracked Pepper

Green Dirt Farm – Weston, MO – Producing Dirt Lover, Prairie Tomme, and Spreads

Hidden Springs Creamery – Westby, WI – Producing Driftless, Bad Axe, Ocooch Mountain, Farmstead Feta, Timber Coulee

Landmark Creamery – Paoli, WI – Producing Creamy Fresh Sheep’s Milk Cheese, Pipit, and Pecora Nicciola

Old Chatham Creamery – Groton, NY – Producing Ewe’s Blue, Kinderhook Creek, Rippleton, Ledyard

Shepard’s Way Farm – Nerstrand, MN – Producing Friesago, Shepherd’s Hope, Big Woods Blue, Morcella

Three Graces Dairy – Marshall, NC – Producing Brebis de Pays

Valley Shepherd Creamery – Long Valley, NJ – Producing Oldwick Shepherd, Pepato, Ricotta, Saffronella, Shepherd Logue, Shepherd’s Basket, Smokey Shepherd, and Tartufo Shepherd

Woodcock Farm Cheese Company – Weston, VT – Produces Summer Snow and Weston Wheel

Trust me, there are many, many more out there that use a blend of milks, but for this story, I just tried to stick to those cheeses that use 100% Sheep’s Milk.

Now that you know a little bit more about Sheep’s Milk Cheeses, I hope that you will ask your local cheesemonger about them, sample them, and buy them. Not only are they good, but they are good for you!

Now that should help you sleep better at night!

Until next week,

Trevor