Cheesemakers

CALIFORNIA'S
SPECIALTY
CHEESEMAKERS by Judi Gerber
California Family Farms

Pairing Cheese with California Fruit and Wine
Cheese(s): Wine To Pair With Fruit to Pair With
Asiago, Longhorn Cabernet Apple, Pear, Peach Cheddar (sharp), Colby, Dry Jack Chardonnay Apple, Pear, Peach Brie, Romano Merlot Apple, Peach, Mango Camembert, Cheddar, Romano Pinot Noir Melon, Plum, Peach Asiago, Colby, Smoked Cheeses Sauvignon Blanc Apple, Pear, Plum Cheddar, Teleme Zinfandel Apple, Plum, Dried California cheese makes a great companion for the state's bounty of fresh fruit and fine wines. The next time you serve your favorite cheese, try one of these combinations to bring out the best flavor of the cheese and its partner.
One of the fastest growing culinary trends in the U.S. is the consumption of specialty cheese, especially cheeses from California. The US Department of Agriculture indicates that U.S. cheese consumption dramatically increased from 11.3 pounds per person in 1970, to 31.2 pounds per person in 2000. Fueling this trend is the growth in the number of cheese connoisseurs who have responded in much the same way that wine lovers have done with domestic wines. As a result, many California cheese makers have responded by producing fine, handcrafted specialty cheeses.

Specialty, Artisan and Farmstead Cheeses
Just what is a specialty cheese? A specialty cheese is one that is produced in smaller quantities, using traditional methods of cheese making, high quality milk, and is of a higher quality than a commercially produced cheese. As a result, the taste is far superior to mass-produced cheese. Artisan cheeses are a type of specialty cheese. Unlike industrially produced cheese, artisan cheese is shaped and molded by hand instead of through automation. The most critical component of making artisan cheese is the use of high quality milk. Because artisan cheese makers produce a smaller volume of cheese, they often do not make more than five or six varieties.
Farmstead cheese is a type of artisan cheese made exclusively with milk from the cheese maker's own animals. Artisan and farmstead cheeses are all natural and do not include added preservatives. However, in order to be sold commercially, small cheese makers must adhere to high quality inspection standards. To aficionados of such cheeses, it is these high standards and strict quality control that make the cheese better. Up until World War II, almost all American cheese was made using these traditional methods. However, as cheese factories grew, the equipment became more automated and many producers gave up these time-honored traditions. The recent resurgence of handcrafted cheese takes advantage of modern scientific methods to ensure that cheese is made under the most sterile of conditions. According to Jules Wesselink of Winchester Cheese, "We've been fed cheddar cheese and jack cheese that has been mass-produced, and there is not much flavor. People are looking for a cheese with a better taste and stronger flavor." Artisan cheese is also popular because cheese lovers care about what goes into their cheese. "People are getting tired seeing all the preservatives and chemicals on cheese labels. They are wanting something better," says Wesselink. According to the California Milk Advisory Board, California produces approximately 1 out of every six pounds of cheese made in the United States, or nearly 2 billion pounds a year. California now ranks as the second largest U.S. cheese producer behind Wisconsin; and the Advisory Board predicts that California will surpass Wisconsin as the top specialty cheese producer by 2005. The state also produces one out of every four pounds of Mozzarella made in the United States, and produces the most Hispanic-Style cheeses, the fastest growing type in the state. California is also the top producer of Monterey Jack, a cheese developed here, and one of the country's most popular varieties; and in the year 2000, made nearly 169 million pounds of Jack cheese.

History of Cheese
in California
Building on a tradition of cheese making that dates back 200 years, California has emerged as a leader in the renaissance of artisan cheese production. The state's 60 cheese makers currently produce over 160 varieties and styles of cheese including the well known Gouda, Cheddar, Asiago and Feta, and the unusual such as Boere Kaas (aged raw milk Gouda), Schloss and California's own Teleme. In the 1800s, many immigrants came from cheese-producing European countries bringing a taste for their favorite cheeses with them. In 1857, Clarissa Steele made California's first commercially produced cheese. Longing for a taste of the cheddar she enjoyed in New England, she began making cheese. Within a year, her family was selling Steele Brothers cheese in San Francisco area markets. As previously noted, California developed its own varieties. Monterey Jack, today one of the country's most popular cheeses, is a descendant of a cheese produced at California missions over 200 years ago. Another is Teleme, developed in 1920 by Greek immigrants attempting to recreate an Italian Asiago.
Despite the ebbs and flows that go along with specialty cheese making, many of today's most popular California producers have been in business for over 70 years including Marin French Cheese Company established in 1865, Peluso Cheese Company in 1919 and Vella Cheese Company established in 1931. California cheese makers also continually win awards for their cheeses. Recent winners at the American Cheese Society's 2003 Annual Cheese Competition included Cowgirl Creamery, which won the "Best of Show" prize; Fiscalini Cheese, which won the blue ribbon for its cheddar with caraway in the farmstead category; Marin French Cheese Company, that took first place for its soft ripened cheese and second place for its Blue Mold Cheese; and Winchester Cheese, with its Gouda taking first and second place in the American-made International style category.

California Cheesemakers
to Visit
The good news for cheese lovers is that California's 60 cheese makers can be found up and down the state and many of them welcome visitors. This means you can take your own California cheese tour; learn how cheese is made and sample dozens of varieties of cheeses. A great place to find cheese makers that are open to the public, is the Real California Cheese website (www.realcaliforniacheese.com). Not only does the site list all of the state's specialty cheese makers, it also has a map showing their locations up and down the state. All of the award winning cheese makers mentioned above are open to the public. Some offer tours, and all of them have tastings, and retail sales. Here's a rundown on what they offer. In the San Francisco Bay Area, both the Cowgirl Creamery and Marin French Cheese Company are worth a visit. The Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes makes cheese using organic milk from the Straus Dairy. It is well known for creating original varieties including Mount Tam and Pierce Point. Housed in the Tomales Bay Foods Market, visitors can step up to the glassed-in creamery and observe the process of cheese making in action. Its cheese is also available in San Francisco at the Artisan Cheese store. Marin French Cheese Company, located in Petaluma, makes fine soft cheeses, specializing in French style Camembert. Visitors can tour the cheese factory and shop in the gift shop. There is also a lovely 5-acre picnic/park area.
If you are traveling through the Central Valley, be sure to stop at Fiscalini Cheese in Modesto. Fiscalini Farms began in 1914 and produces farmstead cow's milk cheese, including cheddar, flavored cheddars, and Parmesan. Tours and viewing are offered by appointment. They also offer mail order and web sales of cheese. When traveling through Southern California, make sure to stop and visit Winchester Cheese, operated by Jules Wesselink and family. Its award winning farm-fresh Gouda Boere Kaas is made the same way it has been made in Holland for generations. Located on 40 acres in Winchester (out near Hemet), they offer personalized tours, tastings and have a retail outlet. Gouda varieties range from mild to super aged, and also include tasty treats like Garden Herb and Cumin. You can also find specialty cheeses at many retail outlets including Whole Foods Market, Bristol Farms, specialty cheese shops and many grocery stores.
Simply look for the "Its the Cheese"
For more information:
California Milk Advisory Board/
Real California Cheese
www.RealCaliforniaCheese.com
Winchester Cheese, Winchester
(909) 926-4239
www.winchestercheese.com
Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes
(415) 663-9335
www.cowgirlcreamery.com
Marin French Cheese Company,
Petaluma (707) 762-6001
www.marinfrenchcheese.com
Fiscalini Cheese Company,
Modesto (209) 545-5495
www.fiscalini.cheese.com
Artisan Cheese Shop,
San Francisco (415) 362-9354
You can also purchase cheese online directly from
most cheese makers or at the Real
California Cheese web site.
Judi Gerber is an agriculture and
travel writer from Torrance California.
Write to her at
farmwriter@californiafamilyfarms.com