LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk | Farms originated in the Saanen valley in Switzerland and are the largest of the dairy goat breeds, giving up to one gallon of milk every day; and finally the easy going, medium sized Alpine goats that originated in the French Alps round out the herd. Rhonda explained that cheese making goes hand in hand with the cycle of life. The does are bred in the fall and the kids are born in March and April. This assures a steady and plentiful supply of milk. After the kids are weaned in late April and early May, cheese making begins. This year Brenner and Butler are expecting about 100 baby goats! One Milk - Five Cheeses: "The French are master cheese makers, and we really came to embrace goat cheese years ago when we were living and working in Paris," Rhonda says. "When we began to produce cheese here at the farm, we really put a lot of thought into naming the different varieties. For instance, since we can see Whiteface Mountain, we named our pyramid shaped cheese after that. Our Barkeater Buche is named after the Mohawk word for Adirondacks and, because it is shaped like a log - buche, after the French word for log. Our Greek style feta we call Fet.A.Ccomplis which translates to a done deal." The fresh Chèvre, available throughout the milking season, is a favorite with everyone who tastes it. Made from pasteurized goat milk, it exhibits tangy flavor and a soft spreadable consistency. The Chèvre comes plain or in a variety of flavors from Adirondack Maple, Olive Oil with Cracked Pepper and Basil Garlic - to Dill, Chive and Cilantro, or Garlic with Hot Peppers. Pyramid shaped Whiteface Mountain is the Adirondack response to the Pouligny-St. Pierre cheese of the Loire Valley in France. It is akin to brie or camembert, but with a flavor all its own. Made from pasteurized milk and aged for at least two weeks, when young it exhibit's a clean element of grass. The longer it ages the earthier and more robust it gets. Barkeater Buche is a log shaped soft ripe cheese similar to the French Loire Valley variety called Sainte-Maure de Touraine. It is made from pasteurized milk and has a vegetable ash coating which results in a supple, white bloomy rind. When young it has a clean citrus essence and as it ages it becomes gooey from the rind inward, resulting in more complex flavors. It pairs beautifully with wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. AuSable Valley Tomme is the Asgaard version of the Alpine style cheese made in the Pyrnees Mountains. Prepared from raw milk, it is an aged hard cheese with a smooth dry texture and mild nutty flavor. It is delicious with fruity red or white wine, and is excellent in baked dishes like macaroni and cheese or quiche. Fet.A.Ccomplis is a traditional Greek style feta cheese made from raw goat milk and aged for a minimum of 60 days. Salty, tangy and full of flavor, it is packaged in brine so it retains moisture and shelf life of at least six months. Great crumbled on salads, baked on a pizza or drenched in honey. Fet.A.Ccomplis is indeed a done deal. To learn more about Asgaard Farm and Dairy, their Community Sustained Agriculture program or where to find their cheeses visit www.asgaardfarm.com. You can also follow them on Facebook. u LOCALadk Magazine Spring 2013 51

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