Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/912382
Of course, the picture is not all rosy in the Golden State. Some promising cheesemak- ers have folded their tent, often for lack of capital to construct a creamery or hire labor in this hyper-expensive state. The pace of new openings has indeed slowed, according to California Artisan Cheese Guild Executive Director Anthea Stoltz, but still, products con- tinue to debut that retailers nationwide should know. cheese focus Here are a few to look for: Bellwether Farms Blackstone: Introduced two years ago, Liam Callahan's newest cheese found an immediate fan club. A 60/40 blend of cow's and sheep's milk, the 2 ½-pound wheels have whole black peppercorns in the paste and a surface rub of crushed black pepper, safflower oil, rose- mary, and vegetable ash. After two months of aging, the wheel has a warm melted-butter aroma mingled with a floral peppercorn scent; a firm, smooth texture; and a tart fin- ish. Bellwether also has a Jersey cow yogurt set to debut any day now, a companion to its award-winning sheep's-milk yogurt. Bleating Heart Cheese: Proprietor Seana Davis, known for her prowess with sheep's milk, is venturing into goat cheese production in a new, larger facility. In an unusual arrangement, Davis has "inherited" Redwood Hill's goat-cheese recipes and will be recreating those cheeses—with advice from Jennifer Bice, now retired. "We will begin with just the California Crottin and fresh chevre in early 2018," notes Davis. "Bucharest, Terra, Camellia and others will come later." They will also be using milk exclusively from Bice's own herd. (Redwood Hill will continue to make yogurt and kefir.) "I believe that having high-quality, single- source milk will really elevate these recipes," says Davis. A goat's-milk blue is also on her to-do list and would be a welcome addition to that small category. Central Coast Creamery: Cheese- maker Reggie Jones took three blue rib- bons at last summer's American Cheese Society judging, including one for Dream Weaver, his latest creation. A washed-rind goat cheese weighing 2 ½ to 3 pounds, the wheel is lightly pressed and matured for about five weeks before release. "I felt like there was a hole in the market for that style," says Jones, who scaled up production after his win. "Everybody is wanting it." A 60/40 blend of cow's and sheep's milk, these 2 ½-pound wheels (below) have whole black peppercorns in the paste and a surface rub of crushed black pepper, safflower oil, rosemary, and vegetable ash. 44 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com PHOTO: BELLWETHER FARMS