New Day Dawning…

New Day Dawning…

Hello Fellow (soon to be?) Travelers!

As a Californian, our “Stay-at-Home” orders were declared on March 19th by our County, and by our Governor.

On April 28th, our County announced that it would be letting these orders expire on April 30th. So what does this mean?...Do I still need a mask to go to the store?...Can I enjoy a sit down dinner at my local family restaurant?...and more importantly, can small businesses across the State (and Country) open back up?... I have dear friends that are so deeply impacted by these closures, and I pray that they are able to hold on until America can safely come out of hibernation from The Great Pause.

Read More

Good to Goat!

Good to Goat!

Hello Fellow Traveler!

On the road this week…visiting new cities, new cheese counters and the amazing, dedicated cheesemongers behind them.

When I ran out the door for this trip, I did not know what I was going to write about, but considering how much cheese I was going to be around this week, I knew that I would find the inspiration en route.

I am a very visual person, so it’s no wonder that I found the inspiration in the samples that I carried with me!

Goat Cheeses have a very special story. While it may be true that goat cheeses may have been the first cheese to be created (due to the animal’s size, diet, and versatility), it was the French that took this cheese-making style and helped elevate it to a new art form. The different shapes, styles, ages, and treatments that they have used over the years are dizzying! That’s what the folks at ANICAP (L’Association National Interprofessionnelle Caprine) are trying to share with the Goat Cheese-loving public. This art form in France was truly perfected in the Loire Valley of France, where the terroir is so beautifully expressed in these cheeses….

Read More

Regional Cheeses of Southern Idaho

Hello Fellow Traveler!

Recently, my travels took me across the Treasure Valley and into the Magic Valley in Idaho. No, I was not there panning for gold…but I was in search of some good local cheeses. These valleys are located in Southern Idaho and are home to some amazing dairy pastures, producing some really high quality milk that is perfect for cheese making!

I stopped by a local Whole Foods Market in Boise (as Whole Foods prides themselves is being the home to some of America’s great artisan cheeses). It was there that I spotted a cheese brand that I had not heard of before – Kimberly's Best.

Picture1.png

Kimberly is not a person, rather a place, which is about 135 miles South of Boise in the Magic Valley. The goat milk is collected locally in the Twin Falls area, then made into cheese right in downtown Kimberly on Main Street. What made this cheese even more interesting is that it was a cheddar made from goat’s milk. Not too many goat cheddars out there. The average goat produces around 1 gallon (equal to about 1 pound of cheese per day).

I have been in the cheese business a long time and have watched the goat cheese market grow over the years. Back when I first started, the only goat cheeses that you could find were fresh chèvre logs that were being imported from the Loire Valley in France. They were stark white (or covered with vegetable ash), with a stronger ‘barnyardy’ flavor. Back then, the goat’s milk may have been collected every other day which gave it a stronger flavor. Today, most Goat dairies collect their milk daily and turn it in to cheese rather quickly.

Why is Goat Cheese SO bright white?

Goat’s milk lacks beta carotene, which normally give a cheese its rich golden tones founds in most cheese, particularly those made with cow milk. But any beta carotene that a goat intakes converts instantly into Vitamin A, which lacks color!

Why is goat’s milk/cheese easier to digest?

Goat milk has less lactose and a slightly different protein structure than cow's milk. These subtle shifts actually make a big difference: Even people who are allergic to cow's milk can usually drink goat's milk without issue. 

This cheese still had some of the classic cheddar notes, but also had a clean, buttery flavor that is most associated with goat cheeses. I paired this cheese with some local Red d’Anjou Pears, small Muscat Grapes, organic olive oil & sel gris Sourdough Flatbread Crackers from Rustic Bakery and a wonderful local Malbec wine from Scoria Vineyards

I now understand why they call this area the Magic Valley!

Until next time…