Raw milk cheddar
Saturday, September 01, 2007
My grandparents were farmers - cows and corn. As a result, my mother didn’t have pasteurized and homogenized milk until she was out of high school and thought it was disgusting. When you’re used to raw milk, everything else tastes super watered down. I haven’t drunk raw milk since I was a baby…until recently. I bought a gallon to make cheese, and nearly spit it out when I tried it. It’s all what you’re used to, I suppose.
One thing even the skim milk drinkers amongst us might agree on: milk made from raw milk is far superior in taste and texture. The flavor of raw milk cheese is so much more complex and, well, earthy. I recently tried the raw milk cheddar from Green Meadow Farms, a farm run in Gap, PA. It is amazing - it has a fairly sharp bite to it, which I love in cheddar. Great texture, too - it’s a little crumbly, but smooth on your tongue.
While my bit of raw milk cheddar will be finished simply sliced and served with thin slices of apple, the cheese would make an unbelievable baked macaroni and cheese. As the cooler weather approaches, I may have to try that.
Green Meadow Farm cheeses are made from grass-fed milk and are hormone- and antibiotic-free. You can find their cheese at various restaurants throughout the Philadelphia area, including Fork and the White Dog Cafe. I purchased my piece of cheddar at the Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal Market.
I saw that Colby Dill the other day and almost bought it. It sounds so good!
I end up getting a lot of cheese at DiBrunos. They do sell some local cheese, but I wish they would make an effort to carry more.
We’re trying Nicole, we really are. Be sure to tell the management when you’re in that you want locally sourced cheese. If you’ve already told them tell them again (as I am but a lowly cheesemonger and the message needs reiteration from customers).
Currently I’m working persuading the cave to source from Pipe Dreams in PA (goat), Valley Shepherd (sheep) in NJ and Harpersfield outta NY, who make an incredible cheese with same hops Ommegang uses. Watch out for these cheeses and ask for them!
However, as of this morning I can tell you of three interesting local producers with a Di Bruno presence.
We have a lovely batch of fresh rounds of Shellbark goat from Pete. Lightly floral and tangy from a select Nubian breed, this is simply the freshest goat cheese possible, and surprisingly great with greens & lox on a bagel. They cave also stocks his “sharp” chevre.
We also have Sue Miller’s Birchrun Blue and Alpine cheese. See the wonderful and just published article in the Evening Bulletin for info on this one : http://www.theeveningbulletin.com/
Lastly, and I know this may transgress the “foodshed,” we also have another a great raw cow’s milk cheese from Poughkeepsie NY called Ouray. It’s made by Nuns, underprivileged kids and others on a farm/intentional community called Sprout Creek where they cherish principles of sustainable ag and peaceful living. Come in and ask for a taste!
I love the Green Meadow raw milk cheddar. 
As I started living on my own and visiting real cheese shops (the stands in RTM and DiBruno Bros.) that let you sample cheeses and help you find one you like, I never thought of asking for a cheddar, because I equated that with the Cracker Barrel of my youth. But when I happened to try the raw milk cheddar at the Farmstand once, I was blown away by real cheddar! (Interestingly, Nicole, I hate whole milk from the grocery store, but enjoy raw milk. I was surprised to discover that.)
In fact, I’ve tried few of the other Farmstand cheeses, because I always get sidetracked into buying the cheddar! However, this week I brought home some pepper jack…
(Waves hello to Paul—I’ve met you through volunteering at the Fair Food Farmstand, and I think of you every time I visit DiBruno Bros., heh. Thanks for the news on local cheeses there, I always wish they carried more, too!)
oooh! Ouray. I go to visit my aunt in New Paltz and we always hit up a local cheese shop for that cheese. I am in serious lust with it. I am a BIG fan of that farm and the work they are doing!!!
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I bought a couple of different cheeses from the same farm at the Fair Foodstand last month- Colby Dill and Herbed Jack and they were both awesome. Why on earth would someone buy Cracker Barrel when you can eat cheese like that?