About Us!

ABOUT US!

Sorry to get all your hopes up but there is just Me! However I manage to do the work load of a family of oompa lumpas. Everyone always wants to know how a nice Jewish-Irish girl ended up in Chehalis, Washington making cheese. Let me tell you.

One night shortly after I dropped out of law school and started an Internet company with my newly found business partner and boyfriend I was up late reading a book. When I came to the part of the book where the grandmother was to take her granddaughter and teach her how to make the family cheese I put the book down and went straight to my computer. Incidentally the same one I am typing on now! So I looked up cheese making classes and found one in the Berkshires. I called in the morning and managed to albeit the 3 month wait since I called one second after a cancelation. The lady told me she was just going to give me the spot. That was exciting! I was pretty pumped up about going to the class. I had absolutely know idea what cheese making was about, but I also found an apiary and a very charming B&B and selected a Mustang GT to rent for the trip so who wouldn’t be excited????

After letting everyone in my small town of White Salmon, Washington know I was going to make cheese, I hopped on a plane, hopped off and away in my GT to go learn cheese.

On a side note I accidentally hit one of the most gigantic raccoons every to roam this earth, he was fine but the GT was a bit dented L It did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm. I loved The Cheese Queen and her class and asked a thousand plus one billion questions. I loved learning the bizarre and unique a process of cheese making. I mostly somewhat understood it, and made up the rest in my head (which I usually do) to fill in the blank spots. This is a brilliantly unique trait I have, with cheese making I really did not know a lot.

On my way back with honey and 25 year old aged white balsamic vinegar that I want more of to this day, I thought about the cheeses. I also talked incessantly to the very charming couple on their 45 wedding anniversary about cheese making. I remember liking that conversation greatly. Shortly thereafter I decided that I wanted to open a creamery and called the department of agriculture. This was a bit of a blow; the requirements for a facility and equipment are quite expensive. I thought I would call every single cheese maker in Oregon and Washington to see if I could rent a day in their facility. Low and behold someone said yes and Jacobs Creamery was born.

People often remark at what gumption I had to do such a thing, so I should mention that I had never stepped onto a farm before I negotiated rental terms for a licensed facility.

I actually had aspirations from about the time of 1^st grade to be a lawyer. Having family in Ireland I visited often and had lovely cups of tea in delicate china in castles with my grandmother and most loved aunt. I only mention this because no one else seems to think that it is hilarious that cows poke their tails out and pee out their butts! They say its not funny because they have seen it a lot, but I have seen it a lot now too and it still gets a smile out of me. I am not entirely sure it was all gumption; I had no idea what I was getting into. I think the correct term is naïve.

Fast forward 4 years and I still managed to possess some of that brilliant Irish luck, and landed myself a farm and cheese making facility in one swoop. Now I have plenty of space for my chickens to roam (I have lots of hens who eat cheese and whey!) and parking spaces for my trucks (I have a milk truck and a cargo van!) and of course aging rooms to cure the cheeses in. I also have a cheese shop on the farm, as part of the creamery and welcome you to visit!

I would like to thank Vodka, my fairy cheese monger, and my parents!

Since the way way very beginning of my cheese making career (as a cheese maker) I made cheese, and hung it. I loved the smell of the fresh cheese draining in cheese bags and loved the taste even more! So did ya'all so the fresh cheeses have been a large part of my product line up and also my life since they take a good amount of work to get them just right :) I just hung the first batch of fromage blanc this evening and now this place feels like home. It is a wonderful thing to have my own creamery now, and have it licensed to do everything I want!!!!

I am super duper excited to say that I have my fresh cheeses back. I will save you all the dramatic stories of how long it took me to get here (three times longer plus seven weeks more than expected), the truck driver with little to no clothes that delivered the wrong cheese press, the re wiring and pumps (I know the difference between 110 and 240!), All of it came to fruition at 9pm the other night when my most loved dairy inspectors came over to license my pasteurizer! Heilda! is fantastic she has a 275 gallon capacity and its sits low so yours truly doesn't even have to have a step to work in the vat! There were some last minute things like a 3k dollar air space heater that had to be created in two hours and a couple other things that required lots of money and deep thought but the bottom line is people that thanks to vodka, my fairy cheesemonger, Sedy Construction and my parents and a lot of hours in the creamery! this week we will have...
datatdatdtat dada tam!
Mozzarella! Creme Fraiche and two flavors of our very popular fromage blanc!! Yum Yum Yum
Gosh that felt good on my lips- they taste as good as they sound!!
We will also have butter, jarlsburg, cheddar, gouda and the most amazing feta ever!!!!

In two minus no weeks we will have blue cheese! And its super yummy in your tummy (also might put some hairs on your chest!)

I decided I love this industry not only because it allows me to be physical, artistic, scientific and amazing all in one day but because it so constantly challenging. I decided this morning that if I ever have a girl I am going to teach her how to do her own electrical and that she will know how to go shopping and hook up a compressor to a cheese press before she can drive!!!

Did you know there was an explosion at a cheese factory in France, all that was left was de brie!!
What did the cheese say after it got attacked by several blades?
It left grater!

I hope those jokes were not whey over your head!!

Have a lovely weekend!!!
Yours always
Cheese Czarina !!!!

Where o where has the Cheese Czarina gone???

My dear cheese eating shower singing butter on your toast reading cheese fans!
Since spring has sprung and its been a mere five months without a newsletter you might be wondering where o where the Cheese Czarina has gone!
The rumors that I was carrying around raw creme fraiche into restaurants in Normandy are actually true. I made myself at home in Ireland and France by turning our rental car into a cheese cave and meeting the best cheesemakers in Ireland and France.

Besides visiting family and cheesemakers in Ireland and eating my weight in cheese, butter and candy in France I have been hard at work at securing a new location for Jacobs Creamery. The trip to Europe was very educational and I learned a lot from seeing how other producers lay out their facilities from milk production and receiving to processing to aging and packaging. If any of you want to talk about cheese in Ireland I will fill you in on the best 'piece of mind' rental insurance and what to do when your sat map re-reoutes you through an irrigation canal!!! I had not been back to Ireland for many years, I left when I was a young one. It was fantatsic to see all my lovely family members over there and experience the country as a cheese maker. Coming back I had plenty to do!

So basically over the winter we got a makeover and are bigger! We now have a new facility and are awaiting various pieces of equipment to bring us back to our full production capacity and product line. As many of you have been heartbroken to notice we do not have all of our fresh cheeses and dairy, but we do have a tastey new aged product line. We will be having the fresh cheeses back when our new vat pasteurizer arrives. Last month we got our new facility licensed and last week our smaller vat arrived allowing us to start production of the aged cheeses!!! Which is fantatic news because its been awhile since these arms have felt the sily smooth and bouncy texture of curds!
It has been a lot of work but I am finally getting excited seeing that it will all work! On the property is 38 acres divided by a stream- I will be taking over the farm house making it the first cheese processing facility where I will also live! No commuting! At an 1.15 min from Portland and a little further to Seattle its a great location. The small vineyard means that I will be attempting my hand at wine making this year and grape jelly and the small orchard will hopefully produce some nice fruit that I will make into jam for some fall cheese pairings! Boooyaaaa It really is a dream come true for me :)

Hopefully you have discovered that we are selling at the PSU farmers market and next weekend we will start the King market which we will be in every Sunday.
We also had a booth at the Beer and Wine Festival in Portland this weekend and hoped you enjoyed some of the cheese bites we had for tasting. The blue cheese crumbles and honey butter was such a HUGE hit we will be adding the flavor to our butter line! Its the perfect mix of sweet and savory and the european style butter is the perfect base for complimenting those flavors. Our gouda has been our number one seller this spring, it has a beautiful creamy texture with a nutty finish. It was only surpassed this weekend by the debut of our Jarlsburg which has been aged for eight months and seems to be something that no one can refuse!!! I just enjoyed some on my matzo this fine easter morning! The Jarlsburg is the best cheese I have ever made and will be submitted to some competitions because I think it might actually have a chance at a medal (its that good)!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are trying to become a little classier and what better to help with that than a cheese class right??
May 15 at 5pm at the Silverton Grange is our first class this year, please send me an email to sign up the class is $40 and will cover a variety of cheeses and methods.

For those of you who love to experience Spring at the Tulip festival you will be able to find a Jacobs Creamery booth at the Tulip Wine Down in Woodburn Sat and Sunday 12-8
http://tulipwinedown.com/default.aspx
The above link has information about the massive tulip farm that is open to visitors for this weekend before it closes and also the wine, music, food and of corse cheese event along side it!!!!

Since its Easter I thought I would conclude with some cheesy jokes!!!

Why did the Easter egg hide? - because he was a little chicken!!!!

What’s long and stylish and full of cats? The Easter Purrade!

What did the Easter egg say to the boiling water?- Its gonna take a while to get me hard, I just got laid by a chick!

OOh yeah I almost forgot! Our new flavored butter made its debut this last weekend at the wine and beer festival in Portland. Our european style cultured butter with blue cheese crumbles and honey! It was amazing at what a perfect pairing it is the blue cheese makes the butter salty and savory and the honey gives it a little sweet kick!
We have a small amount for next weekend!

Until then have a lovely week!
Yours truely,

Your very own terribly cheesy
Cheese Czarina!!!!

OOh its been three weeks!

oooHH It's been three weeks since you looked at me!
Five days since I laughed at you saying
Get some pudding and come back and see me!
Three days since your withdrawal hell
Like harrison Ford I am getting frantic!
Yesterday you'd dreamed of me!
But its still one day till you'll say 'I am happy" (because youll be able to shop at the Hillsdale farmers market!)

How can I help if the chickens think your funny when you look sad
I am trying hard not to smile at the cheese I have
Can't understand what I mean? Well you soon will!

(The Farmers Market is this Sunday!!!)

I like vanilla because its the finest of the flavors
Cause its so dangerous you'll have to sign a waiver
Its all about fresh flowers and cheese
smoked salmon and meat
Don't fill up your basket because Sun Gold Farm has some beans!

Its been three weeks since you looked at me
But only one more day till you can say 'I am happy'


Hello ya'all
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that this next year is full of wheels of brie and wedges of blue, bowls of cereal with fresh farm milk and scrambled eggs for breakfast, sips of wine savored with wedges of cheese from Jacobs Creamery and many cheesy memories for everyone!

This Sunday we will be at the Hillsdale farmers market with a variety of our aged cheeses, butter and a bountiful amount of our fresh farm eggs! I have missed ya'all greatly so please come by and say hi! I will be there in any weather from 10-2pm! Its the first market of the year people!

Until then
Your very own 'cant write or sing a tune'
Cheese Czarina!

Gouda Times Novemeber Issue

There have been many mornings lately when I wake up and the moon is still out and the stars twinkle brightly in the sky- mostly in a jesting way saying 'you look tired you should really be in bed while we are still here'. I look out where I think the pasture should be as I back my truck up and over the fence (whoopsy) and admire the thick fog that has hindered me to the state of an old blind man.
Even in the dark and thick fog I still have a huge smile on my face- thankful that I am a cheesemaker.

As Thanksgiving approaches I look back on what has encompassed the season.
I think of my life in spans of seasons and large blocks of times- and sometimes even think of my life as one week after the other.
**When I do this I seem to break out into a choreographed dance (that I made up and sing tirelessly off key)***

I don't care if Mondays blue
Tuesday's great and Wednesday too
Thursday I don't care about you
Its Gouda that I love!

Cheddar you can fall apart!
Swiss and Chevre break my heart
Oh-Tomme doesn't even start
It's Gouda that I love

Washed rind cheeses can wait and the Jarlsburg is ready too late!
But Gouda just never seems to hesitate

I don't care if my fromage blanc is black
Too much butter and yogurt- HEART ATTACK!
Cheddar - no one seems to care about you!
Its Gouda that I love!

Cultured up to the eyes- its a wonderful surprise to
see your curds and your spirits rise
I am just smiling at the sound, a sleek cheese mold spinning round and round
Always take a big bite-its such a gorgeous site
to see the finished cheese in the middle of the night!
You can never get enough
Its Gouda and all my cheeses that I love!

WWWhhhooo hooooooooooo!!! curtsy bow curtsy bow curtsy!

We are very close to one of the most exciting holidays of the year. A special time which almost everyone wants to make special with bountiful amounts of wine, cheese, wine cheese and turkey and stuffing followed by a game of WII and more cheese and wine and lots of turkey!! Right?

Having everyone circle around Tom the Turkey is a once a year special event and I would like to assure you that Jacobs Creamery will have some very special delicacies including duck eggs and truffle butter and of course eggnog pudding that will be must haves on your shopping list along with our ready to go cheese plate.

On behalf of Jacobs Creamery I would like to cordially invite you to attend the PSU holiday market and the Hollywood holiday market on Saturday 11/20 as well as the Hillsdale holiday farmers market on the Sunday before thanksgiving.

We are currently taking orders for any products that you would like to specially reserve for your holiday table. We will be churning a holiday batch of butter and can custom package any amount of butter, creme fraiche and cut and wrap any of our aged cheese to order.
We will also be able to consult on arranging a cheese plate to fit your party size as well as palate!

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year one which requires a huge amount of preparation for everyone including your favorite cheese maker (who still seems to have some dislocated ribs but is hardly complaining about it anymore).
I am so very thankful to each and every one of you that supports me and my business. I wish for you a lovely holiday as you consider what you are thankful for in your life.

Hopefully your not thinking that I will ramble on till the cows come home because most of what I say is tongue and cheek but you should keep in mind that 'variety is the spice of life' and the more cheese you eat the better things are~ Remember you are what you eat so if you want to be a little cheesy eat more cheese!
Please remember to not cry over spilled milk and to not put all your eggs in one basket in case they should break while at the market!

Have a lovely week and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Yours always
Cheese Czarina
tirelessly producing varieties of fresh and aged cheeses for your happy consumption!

I could not wait for success so I went ahead without it- JW

Last weekend was a BIG weekend for cheese in the NW. Thousands of people flocked to Seattle for Cheese-a-Topia! (sounds like heaven don't you think?) a huge conference all about cheese!

The biggest deal being -of course- was the much awaited Festival of Cheeses where all the winners from the 1462 cheese entries were displayed and tasted! Wowzers! Its basically like the academy awards but for cheese!
I really wished I could have been there to meet other cheese makers from all over the country and to taste the winners.
On saturday evening I got a call from Marc Bates and his lovely wife Janice telling me that my creme fraiche was awarded a ribbon!!!!! Me? OMG!! Me? Seriously????
Followed only by a txt from Becky telling me the same followed by another 'anonymous' txt telling me congrats on my creme fraiche win I always knew you could do it!!! Yippeee right?

I had a moment of extreme joy that was soon followed by a very depressed emotion (tears) brought only on by the fact that my ricotta was totally and udderly neglected. I might have been the only cheese maker to have cried after winning her very first ribbon but cry indeed I did, because I had so wanted my ricotta to win.
Perhaps it was just extreme stress and massive sleep deprivation?
I am feeling much better about it now and feel proud to be ranked up there against two other companies (Bellweather Farms and Vermont Butter and Cheese Co.) who I greatly admire. Both companies have amazing cheesemakers and a wonderful array of products. There is always next year for the ricotta :)

This week we have copious amounts of the award winning creme fraiche! Our new version of the age old farmers cheese and of course fresh churned butter!
Host a party in your mouth and try all three at once!
The farmers cheese is wonderful with tomatoes and absorbs a vinaigrette nicely for a salad.

This week you can find our products at PSU and Hollywood on Saturday the King market and Hillsdale on Sunday and Monday Pioneer Sq, Tuesday (me) at Cannon Beach (as long as there are no Tsunami warnings) and Hood River and the NW 23rd market on Thursday.
If you cannot make it to any of these markets you can find us at Sheridan Fruit company! They are now carrying the feta, butter, ricotta and fromage blanc!!


Until next time! (hope your udderly fabulous in the mean time)
Yours always
Cheese Czarina!

‎"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next."
- Gilda Radner

Lady Gouda and Nerdy Curdy in the News!

Ladies and Gentleman I have an announcement!
I just finished making the cheeses and butters that are now awaiting Judgment day in Seattle for the 2010 American Cheese Society annual cheese competition! OMG my cheeses will be competing against all the Big Guys throughout North America. I was planning on sort of pretending/ignoring the fact that I have entered four of my favorite products into the competition this year because I thought that I couldn't bare to have so many people know, but then I changed my mind, as I am apt to do (because I am whimsical and bc I am certain my chances of winning are higher if I submit my cheese.)

Jacobs Creamery certainly would not be here today if it wasn't for my tenacious spirit and along with my tenacity is a whole lot of hard work (and milk of course)! I don't give up easily so if it so happens that I am not an award winning blue ribbon holding Cheese Czarina by the end of the month than those Judges have another thing coming. I will continue to submit my cheeses until they realize what wonderful texture, flavor and charisma they have! SO there!
The competition is part of a conference Cheese-a-Topia! which is an event entirely dedicated to cheese and everything that surrounds it.
Cheese-o-philes come from all over the country and world to participate and I am deeply saddened that I will be unable to go. However a select someone has my mobile number and I will be called during the award ceremony (with the news!).

I am also deeply saddened by the fact that my most wonderful Twins (Ashley and Jacque) will soon be departing-good luck at school girls (you will be missed). I must say that I think that I have the most wonderful cheese slinging crew ever! Thankfully Vanae is still with us although she too will soon be departing as she will soon have a very new member of her family that will need her attention :) Added to the dairy babe ensemble is Emma who always has a lot to say and is starting to develop some cooler hauling muscles and Becky! Becky has volunteered for the American Cheese Society in Seattle and will likely be cutting all the cheeses for the competition! I feel so very lucky to have such wonderful ladies to work with.


New this week is cheddar cheese curds! Since our production of cheddar is successfully underway I have pulled out some of the hand milled curds for your enjoyment. So far we have the Nerdy Curdy original and Hhhhhot n Spicey! (which is somewhere between you feeling like you need to strip off all your clothes and run into the Willamette river and pure fiery enjoyment for your mouth with a smoked edge) and the Salt n Pepper which has some black and white cracked pepper! They are very very very skweaky and fun to eat.
For those of you waiting in anticipation for our other new cheese please remember Lady Gouda is maturing and will make her first live appearance in the fall.

Sadly this week Madam Honey Greek and Senior Fromage Blanc ran away together and will not be appearing at the JC booths. Hopefully they will be back the following week.

All right that is all folks! Please eat more dairy and farm fresh eggs (you know what happens when you eat eggs from the store now) and come try some of our Nerdy Curdies this week!

Tatata
Yours respectfully,
Cheese Czarina

Have a very gouda day!

Smashin and crashin this is the newsie of cheese!

It appears that I have forgotten about my dear old friend who is with me on the farm and at the markets, that has moved cheese and milk, butter and eggs with me for the last year. It appears my dear old friend Le Van du Fromage needs a break. I of course didn't listen until he put his foot down and demanded a night off (of which I was most grateful-except when the repair bill came)
So come Sunday afternoon with Le Van certainly not going anywhere for any apparent reason off to the beach I ran! Its lovely to be able to spend some time with friends, I get so busy wrapped up in cheese and markets that I seem to often forget to take a minute and enjoy things.I feel so very fortunate for all my friends and neighbors who help me keep my truck running and who happily hold ladders at 9pm so I can climb into an upstairs window (having forgotten my keys!) I was reminded how lovely it is to sit down to a long table filled with drinks, cheese and food and have a good laugh and relax! with someones else's butter on my bread. Always part of the meal is a lovely cheese and I am happy that I can play a part in peoples meals and celebrations that way. I have tons of recipe ideas for my delicate and lovely soft cheeses and dairy products and always let a little wimper/sigh when asked about the others.... the older ones.... the wiser and tastier ones.... the hard and sexier aged cheeses!!!!!
Since I am a cheesemaker I have decided to make more cheese!

I have decided to add some cheeses to the wonderful line of Jacobs Creamery products. This week I finished my very first batch of gouda!!! Gouda gouda gouda gouda! It will not appear for some time as I feel like a true love it only deepens and develops more character with time, but it will make for an exciting fall and winter :) There will of course be a coming out party for the new cheese and its sidekick (announcement next week) which will be a very fun evening indeed.


Now I hate to get to philosophical or feely weely on ya'all but I am going to do it anyway.

We each go about our lives concerned with traffic or getting kids off to camp or playdates, we worry about meetings and work and life's struggles. Regular day to day things make up our lives. Its easy to turn a blind eye to people that we can help and ignore things we can do to make our community a nicer place to live. I recommend (besides eating more good dairy) that you take a moment and do something for another and not expect anything in return (except a smile) you might be surprised at how lovely it makes you feel afterward. It can be something as simple as loading groceries into someones car or baking a pie and leaving it on your neighbors doorstep or mowing your friends lawn :)
I like the feeling of helping people so I am happy to announce the partnership between Jacobs Creamery and P;ear (yes that is the way it is spelled). The organization is assisting homeless youth and giving them the tools they need to succeed in life, part of which is cooking. We are donating product to assist them in developing their culinary skills and are thrilled that we can be a part of their education and are happy to support such a wonderful organization. If you are interested in volunteering or donating here is their web site information.

http://www.pearmentor.org/

Thankfully Le Van survived his ordeal. If he was a human he would have had the equivalent of a blood transfusion, a lobotomy, a c-section (just kidding) and a catheter put up his whatnots, as well as a transplant of some important intestinal organs. He is happily resting and recovering. Like all the Jacobs Creamery girls (and boy) hes tough as all hell and wont even consider taking a day off! Back in action we will be tomorrow- hopefully for a very very long time.

And that my friends is all I can say, until next time please eat more dairy and fresh farm eggs, walk your neighbors dog and let someone in when they indicate!
Cheers!

xoxox
Cheese Czarina

Until the Butter end!

Have any of you ever grabbed a mug of coffee or tea and sat down at the table to look at the paper?
Have any of you ever looked at the coupon sections?
When I do I find myself thinking that perhaps I need to buy some kittens because I would just love to save $3.00 on six bags of kitty litter- or I start wondering if perhaps I could use four cans of mens aftershave....
Those coupons are just never ever what you need but they always look so appealing.
I thought that Jacobs Creamery should make a landmark attempt and create a coupon for something people need and want!
So don't let it slip pastyoureyes! because coming out next Tuesday in the Foodday section of the Oregonian you will find a coupon valid at the Jacobs Creamery farmers markets for a cheesy discount on cheese!
You might think -NO WHEY! But yes it is for real and whey cool might I add that you can get a coupon to use at the farmers markets and also see some wonderful recipes for things that will be fresh from the farms that week! Whey cool!

Oh dear dear dear dear me! I must say that I really do love my iddy biddy little town and my Washington zip code. My town is so small that when Mr.Little came to check up on T-King he didn't even need to ask for directions. He just showed up and started topping the freon up! and I really do love the fact that I have a licensed milk bottling plant. What doesn't thrill me is the fact the federal government has made very strict regulations that apply to me when I cross over state lines with my milk.
So what's a girl to do?
Well so far this season I have had a ton of requests for my glorious leche but have not gotten very far with the feds and their regulations (which apply to all producers crossing state lines whether they have 20 gallons or 200,000lbs the rules are the same!). Thankfully T-King is fired up and will have a pick up spot for milk every Friday late afternoon in Washington- but very close to Oregon :) so it will make it very convenient for you Oregonians to get some farm fresh milk.
If you are interested in our 'milk stop' please email me and let me know what quantity you would like and I will give you all the glorious details for our milky meeting.
Our milk will be days out of the cow when you get it and unlike the store varieties it will be pasteurized in small batches according to the state minimum requirements which will make it a very tasty and highly nutritional.
We will be selling cream line whole milk in what every quantities you desire.

Sometimes I get calls very late at night from hostesses saying things like "Oh my gosh my dinner party just doubled and I need more of your butter!" eeekkkk! well don't have a cow! now if your are a scattered hostess or just feel like a little impromptu Jacobs Creamery after market hours there is no reason you have to wean yourself away from JC products! You can visit your favorite neighboorhood New Seasons store! They are very excited to be carrying our hand churned european style cultured butter and hand scooped Italian style ricotta. We do of course prefer to see your smiling faces but if your in a pinch and cant make the market its a wonderful alternative!

Sometimes I ramble on and on and on and on. To be clear I am dairy dairy sorry for my rambles and will review the hot points below :)

1)Get your coupon! Fooday Oregonian-Tuesday! - a good coupon that you can use for cheese at the markets!

2) Milk! Two day turn around fresh from our udder to you!
Pick up on Friday late afternoons in a soon to be disclosed location!

3) Don't have a cow! - New Seasons has our stuff!

There you go in three easy points! I really hope you all have a lovely weekend and that you have written Jacobs Creamery products on your shopping list (I love seeing that!) and that you have good plans for fresh butter and eggs n cheese and some glorious sunshine for the weekend.

A tout à l'heure! or until later!

Ciao

Your very own genuine cheese making and chicken chasing
Cheese Czarina !

Moooilicious

Hello! Welcome to this weeks Cheesy Newsie!
I have a story to share with you!

Last Friday I was driving Le Van du Fromage down state route six and T King was blaring up top and I was excited for the wonderful weather and all the wonderful farmers markets ahead. I had a huge grin on my face and was feeling pretty darn good until things got a little quiet.
For those of you that have not been around T-King you need to know that he has a 'large and in charge attitude' which mostly comes from his very important job of keeping all the product I make VERY cold! The attitude is expressed by the noise that bellows from his exhaust.
I pulled into the next gas station and prayed to GD that the reset button would get him up and running again. Oh dear oh dear please work please work please work please work!
Crap -what am I going to do if it doesn't turn on? Please work please work please work.....

I pull into the nearest gas station which was all empty except for one huge man leaning against his Thermo King repair truck. HHHmmmm.
At first glance I thought I was having a hallucination, but then I realized that the man was too big to be a hallucination. I took a flying leap out of the truck and ran over to where he was.
"Are you a thermo king repair technician?" and in a very deep voice he said "Yes ma'am - I was checking out your unit as you drove in"
"Well come take a closer look I seem to have a malfunction" the man was so tall he hit the reset button from standing on the ground! (I have to use the ladder). Since young ladies driving refrigerated box vans down route 6 isn't all that common of an occurrence he seemed really interested in where I lived and what I did with such a truck. With T-King once again blaring away (thanks to some tinkering around) I discovered that this huge man was actually my neighbor and that his most favorite thing to eat is cheese :)

So I think what happened was this. When I was born in Dublin, Ireland I was given a very lucky charm :)

Big weekend ahead! Although you wouldn't know it by the weather Summer is in full swing for the ladies of Jacobs Creamery! 11 markets a week and the New Seasons stores are keeping me in my rubber boots! My polka dotted rubber boots of course! Next week you will find Jacobs Creamery salted butter and Ricotta in the cheese cases of New Seasons :)

The farmers markets are a wonderful spot to do your shopping for the weekends festivities.
Whether you are planning a BIG slip n slide party or a BBQ you will certainly find ingredients to impress at your local market.
My cream cheese mixed with some of the Smokery smoked fish works wonders for a spread for crackers. I cannot think of a better topping than my mozzarella for a salad other than .... well pudding and strawberries!

I wish all your firecrackers go off with a flash and that your neighbors don't do a naked dash!

Until next time. Eat more dairy and remember that real smiles come from cheese.

Adieu Adieu!
So long farewell

Yours always-making you wonderful cheesy creations!
Cheese Czarina!

That brine of mine is more than fine its Sublime!

Earlier this evening I went out to the barn to check on the little birds that recently hatched and as I was walking towards the barn I looked up and saw the half moon glow and a shooting star, and I of course made a wish! It was a super cheesy wish.
The business Jacobs Creamery was founded on an idea which basically was a whim that I wanted to make cheese and then more and more. It has sprung into something that brings me much joy. Looking through the catalog of winners from last years American Cheese Societies competition I am reminded that I have a long way to go.
I have many hopes and dreams in the forms of cheese that I still hope to make. Camembert, Tomme and aged Gouda would be fun and throw in a traditional Havarti and some Alpine cheeses and you get where I am going - more cheese please? Yes thank you.
Its good to have goals and struggles and successes and failures because that is what makes up life's experiences and make you look back and say 'I lived'. If I ever do get old (which will take a long time because I only age once every five years (milk keeps me young)) I will certainly look back and I will say "I did ten farmers markets a week!" I will be able to take my grandchildren into the cheese room and teach them the Jacobs Creamery recipes I will be able to look out onto the acreage and see them playing in the pastures and hopefully see them feed cheese curds and whey to the chickens, and read them my newsletters as good night stories. When I am old I think I will still have huge and amazing biceps and be able to move around hundreds of gallons of milk and product even though I am sure I will have a working milk pump. What I mostly look forward to is having a a real home for me and my business to grow and flourish a place where my grandkids can come and make cheese and where I can wake up in the middle of the night and run out in my nightie to check on the cheese. Those are my wants and dreams for when I am old.

Mostly when I look back on these last couple years I think of my Dad who has from day one been my hardest critic and also biggest fan. He was never too shy to tell me my cream cheese was too tangy and always had a good word for any yogurt and butter that was put in the kitchen. He carefully saves the smoked salmon trimmings for my chickens and loans me tables and tents in a flash and always lends me a hand packing up at the markets- even though my stuff is super heavy. We laugh when we get up in the middle of the night for markets and laugh when we are sore after sitting down on saturday afternoons. Most people assume that Jacobs Creamery is a family company and I often correct them and say - Ah no that is my parents business right next door. My Dad brought me up to think and act for myself so its only natural that I have my own business and sell right next door to his. Jacobs Creamery is a family business because without my Mum and Dads help it just wouldn't be the same.
In honor of fathers day I am having a Daddy's special on greek yogurt since its my Dads favorite thing to eat!

I am still young and vibrant and still full of vinegar, coagulant and cultures! So this week we have lots and lots of mozzarella.
Thank you Portland for your mad Mozz love! It loves you too. This week you can find some new recipe ideas up on Facebook! We have enough mozzarella for all of your salads!
Please come check us out we have updates on products, markets and availability!
We also have feta which is a creamy delight and I promise you I did not add cream - its just wonderful. That brine of mine is more than fine- its sublime! Come by for a taste!

This saturday we will be at PSU and Hollywood and Sunday you can find us at King, Milwaukie and Hillsdale.
Monday you can find us at the new Pioneer Square market, Tuesday Cannon Beach
Wednesday Interstate Farmers Market, Thursday Hood river and 23rd!
If you can say all of that in the correct order without a cheat sheet I will give you a pudding!

Be well and please eat more dairy. Give your Dad a hug and by him some yogurt - its very good for the digestion.

Quotes!
Customer "If I buy this will I get pregnant" Vanae "Oh no its not the cheese you have to worry about its the wine that can be a problem!"

"Are your eggs pasteurized" - this cracked me up because if you heat eggs up to 145 degrees for half an hour you would have baked eggs!


Adieu Adieu
Until next time
Yours always
Cheese Czarina!!

Fromage Blanc no bake strawberry Cheesecake!

No bake Strawberry topped cheesecakes!

Crust!
½ cup Jacobs Creamery butter
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

The Inside!
8oz Jacobs Creamery Fromage Blanc
1 1/4 cups Jacobs Creamery European Style or Natural Greek Style yogurt
2 Jacobs Creamery happy curd fed fresh farm chicken eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
I tablespoon of gelatin
2tbls of very cold water

The Top!
Two to four pints of strawberries (depending on how many you eat when you hull them)
2/3 of a cup of Jacobs Creamery creme fraiche
a handful of sprigs of fresh mint for garnish!

What to do!
Grease 10 muffin cups. To prepare crust, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in graham cracker crumbs. Press mixture into bottoms of greased muffin cups. Set aside. To prepare filling, beat Fromage Blanc, yogurt, egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until smooth (hand mixer works great). Combine gelatin with water in a small saucepan. Simmer until gelatin is completely dissolved; stir into cheese mixture. Spoon filling into prepared crusts. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until set. Remove cheesecakes from cups. To garnish, slice strawberries and arrange on cheesecakes. Whip cream until stiff. Put a dollop on top of each cake and top with a sprig of mint.

Serves 10

The Sun will come out!

First off I should let all of your reading know that I am do indeed have whey all over me! I have whey soaked hands whey in my hair and whey even in my... well you get the point!
It was the very first Thursday in June and instead of being at the markets I was singing "Just a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down medicine go down medicine go - in the most delightful whey" to my very last batch of fromage blanc for the week which totaled a whopping 250 lbs!
Fromage balnc is a cheese that has rennet and the rennet does sort of look like a tonic so it inspired me. While hand scooping some serious poundage of ricotta today I was listening to the Alabama soundtrack which made my Italian style ricotta have a special country flare to it. You will definitely be able to tell as it was an especially special batch. This week we will have some very fresh squash blossoms at PSU. Squash blossoms are wonderful stuffed with ricotta and lightly sauteed in some Jacobs Creamery butter with a pinch of salt and pepper. The recipe will be up on our facebook page so please come check us out!

We are now in six markets a week with a new one starting next week which I will be doing on Sunday- it is the King Market!
Please come see me we will also be in Hillsdale which will be operated by the Twins and Milwaukie which will be operated by Vanae!
In addition to our markets New Seasons will of course be carrying some products, but if you are feeling like a treat and want some JC goodness to be involved you can sit down at one of the lovely cozy tables at DOC for a very local sourced and wonderful meal or Fenouil in the Pearl who is also making some lovely creative dishes with Jacobs Creamery products.

I am waiting for a glimpse of sun to whip up a batch of our signature crumbled mozzarella so if you all think supper sunny thoughts and repeat "The Sun is coming out" ten times a day I think I might be able to pull it off sooner rather than later.

Oh yes a recipe. This recipe is brought to us today by Nancy Cunningham all the way from Waco, Texas.

You have to like fennel!

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh green beans trimmed you can also you snap peas
  
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into very thin slices
• 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1/8 cup Jacobs Creamery salted butter
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2-3/4 cup crumbled Jacobs Creamery feta cheese

Directions

1. Fill a saucepan half full with water and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and fennel slices; cook until just beginning to become tender, about 4 minutes. Pour into a colander to drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. Return the empty pan to the stove and set heat to medium. Pour in the olive oil and butter and let it heat for a minute. Return the green beans and fennel to the pan. Season with basil, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until coated and warm. Transfer to a serving dish and toss with feta cheese and viola!.

It is good to laugh and for this reason and this reason only I have included a joke.

Two cows are eating grass and talking in the field. One cow says, "Have you heard about the Mad Cow disease that’’s going around?"

The other cow answers, "Yeah, makes you glad you’’re a penguin, doesn’’t it?"

That's it ladies and gentleman until next time

Don't forget our new mantra "The Sun is coming out" - (which sorta makes me want to sing a song from Annie "The Sun will come out tomorrow!")

Yours always

Cheese Czarina!

Boom Boom Pow!

Boom Boom Pow!
Wow for those of you that are used to my lyrical tendencies don't worry! I haven't written another Ode to my Blue or and snappy rhythm to Lovely Feta (o the feta I made...) But I have pulled some fun lyrics from some tunes from a club out in Doty.... which is my Ipod in the cheese room of course (sadly there isn't even a stop sign in Doty never mind a club to visit after cheesemakes).

So I have one busy Cheese Czarina! Let me tell you!
Starting in a week and a half Jacobs Creamery fromage blanc will be offered at all nine New Seasons Stores!
Boom Boom Pow! I know! We will be cranking up production to make sure everyone gets some! We will be featured in the New Seasons special flyer! Yee Haw!
A selection of Jacobs Creamery products will be appearing in the New Seasons stores throughout June so keep it in mind if you cannot make it to one of our nine farmers markets! That is right nine markets. This next week the JC booth will be at the brand spankin new NW 23rd market. This used to be my old hood and it is a pretty kick ass place to be. There are great shops and restaurants and wonderful variety of happy hour locations. Thankfully the market goes 3-7 so if you go early you will be able to get happy later :)
We will also be back at the Hood River market so think of us on Thursdays!

This week we got 6 tons of flax seeds for our dairy cows! Flaxseed is very high in omega-3's which if you have stood close to my parents booth you most likely heard all about how salmon is very rich in them and how wonderful they are for you. Well! Flaxseed next to fish has the highest levels of omega-3s and is very good for the overall health of the cow. It also helps makes the Mighty Bull go Boom Boom with the Moo Cows so we can have more little moo cows which eventually means more milk which eventually means more cheese which should all make you all very happy.


HHmm did I mention that I am going to be in all nine New Seasons stores in a week and a half????....

Since its a berry fabulous long weekend we will be celebrating with a berry special special on our creme fraiche. Our creme fraiche is a summer favorite and pairs beautifully with some fresh berries. The product originated in France where I studied in college and its also where I fell in love once- before the whole french affair ended I was able to get the family recipe for creme fraiche and now happily duplicate it (with their blessings of course). My recipe is modeled after the dairy rich region of Brittany in France and I have had people from Normandy come and tell me how wonderful it is. If you add a pinch of sugar and vanilla you might go to dairy heaven. If this happens please send us a postcard. The Doty address is on our Facebook page! Yes Jacobs Creamery is on FB! So please fan us and talk to us about cheesy stuff, recipe ideas and whatever pleases you.

I know the weather lately hasn't been supper summery but the conditions have been ripe for grass growing-when the grass grows the cows eat it and I am very fond of churning butter when this all goes on so we whipped up a very large batch of fresh cream cultured butter in both the salted and unsalted varieties this week and even got some super cute little glass jars as packaging. Quantities of the super cute glass jar packaging are limited and are sold as a first come first serve basis.

Our chickens have stopped their molting and are back in production (thankgoodness) we have been a little low on the ol eggs these past weeks but the small breaks of sunshine (and the five gallon tub of yogurt they ate) have encouraged the laying and the eggs have been shooting out the vents this week! We will also be selling the very last of our very popular Two Faced Blue this week. This is a particularly wonderful batch that I did in February right before my Moose Milk Hunt in Montana and it has aged wonderfully. We will also have some Fresh with Ewe which is a blue bloom cheese made with full sheep's milk specifically designed for the cheese connoisseurs.

Saturday you can find us at the PSU farmers market www.portlandfarmersmarket.org as well as Hollywood.
Sunday we will be in Hillsdale and Milwaukie.

May you all be very well and come see us soon.
Here is a delightful recipe adapted from the Epicurious website without their permission.

Yummy Strawberry Gratin with Creme Fraiche!

What you need is.....

• 1/2 cup unsalted Jacobs Creamery butter
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (freshly ground is best!)
  
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar such as Sugar in the Raw
• 1 cup Jacobs Creamery crème fraîche (on special this week!)
  
• 4 cups (from about 2 pounds) strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise - from your favorite farmer (currently mine is Happy Harvest :)
  
• 4 tablespoons wildflower or regular honey

Next...
Preheat the broiler!

In 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add panko and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cinnamon, and sugar, and toss to combine. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside.

Spoon 2 tablespoons crème fraîche onto center of each ovenproof plate. Arrange 1/2 cup strawberries on top of each circle of crème fraîche. Drizzle each plate with 1 1/2 teaspoons honey and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon panko mixture. Working in batches, place plates on large rimmed baking sheet and broil until the crème fraîche starts to bubble and turn light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Keep warm while broiling other batches and serve immediately.

Eat and be happy. Drink some wine with it and be merry!
Have a wonderful extended weekend!
Kiss Kiss
Yours always
Cheese Czarina!

O the places we go....

Time to reflect....

There are many times during the season that I am pulled in many directions and try to do my best to forget as little as possible and get the most done, with added daylight hours its a busy day. Even on the longest and busiest of days I still take time to think about what I am doing, who I am doing it with and think about how awesome it is that I make cheese! but I also think how lucky I am to have found something so early in my life that makes me so content. I always thought that I would find that contentment in practicing law-so the fact that I walk by a cowing peeing out her butt in the morning on the way to the cheese room makes me laugh! Even though it happens nearly every morning (my timing must be perfect) it still makes me laugh. As I laugh I look at the cows grazing and the green hills and the flowers blooming and hear the birds chirp and the rooster crow and I am enjoy the ambiance.
Being a farmer and a producer of cheese is very enjoyable on many fronts. I choose who surrounds me I listen to wonderful hip hoppping tunes all day and I create products people enjoy.
I pulled up to the Hillsdale market on Sunday and got hello how r u good mornings from my favorite vendors, I got a handful of berries from each booth that had some and I got some freshly picked first of the season squash blossoms!
The squash blossoms are my favorite and the fact that I was the very first to get some made them taste even sweeter when I stuffed them with a little herbed ricotta and sauteed them!

I think of the farmers markets as a great representation of the American opportunity. Its a wonderful tool to bring communities together, bring great produce and artisan goods to the city and fresh eggs of course! The connection that people have with the person that grows their tomatoes or makes their cheese or provides them with their thankgiving turkey all benefit the community and it is something that I have enjoyed watching grow and experience.

Since the connection with your dear Cheese Czarina is very important you can now find me on FACEBOOK!!!
WHoot Whoot! Yes please make Jacobs Creamery a fan of yours and stay in touch with your favorite dairy producer!
We will also shortly have photos of the creation process as well as more farm photos so please check us out!

The forecast for this weekend is warm and with the warm weather and added markets I decided that it was time to put Le Van du Fromage back to work! Its the maiden voyage of the season for Le Van so wish us luck!

This morning I hand scooped the ricotta and found it so light and pillowy and creamy and absolutely delicious I thought that there would never be a better weekend to promote it! So this weekend we will have a very special special on our ricotta :)
We also have a small amount of fresh curds from today's batch of cheese - since they have been requested as well as our herbed fromage blanc which has been gaining popularity every week!

Enjoy the lovely sunny weather while eating some dairy this weekend!
Until next week.
Yours always
Cheese Czarina!

ps don't forget to find us on facebook!

Mati, Mai, Ma, Moeder, Madre, Máthair, Majka!

It comes around every year even if some forget it! or try to ignore it or celebrate it a day early or late. Its something that cannot be changed, it is a most important day- because where would we be with out them? It sends men and women and boys and girls scrambling north, east, south and west and it makes any florist, cheese maker, pudding maker, butter churner, salmon smoker all work a little harder for their flowers and cheeses and pudding and butter and smoked salmon for all be loved and shared with their one and only dear and true. That is right ladies and gentleman it is Mother's Day weekend! Whoot Whoot lets hear it for the Mom's. So I thought I would entertain you with some motherhood quotes of my own- that is stories of my Mother not the other way around.

"My mother used to buy my shoes three sizes bigger because she was sure I would still grow"

So this week there has been a hip hopping tumble of cheese making fun! Oh my! One day we had four cheeses touch the walls of my little vat which made me think that perhaps..just perhaps....it may be time for a new one. I started my cheese making career in a thousand gallon tunnel of a vat which every time I looked at made my mouth go aaaawwww. Then I moved to an eight hundred gallon vat- which was still just a little too big and hard! Then one day I found myself in an 600 gallon Vat but still the fit was not quite right. Suddenly I found this little itty 100 gallon Vat and I snuggled in and was very content.
Until now. I think that I may be ready to ascend like Goldilocks did to a different bed so to speak. Until then I will happily churn and stir my little vat with much glee and happiness.

Happiness Happiness Happiness
"One day my mother told me a very funny story about hazelnuts and still to this day the slight mention of it makes me laugh- sorta hysterically and fall on the floor with tears in my eyes from laughing so hard" -what a wonderful Mum she is!

Happiness can be found in some very smooth and creamy mascarpone! I pumped out a strawberry flavor in addition to the sweet and creamy original and its berry wonderfulness at its best!
I know what your thinking. You are going to ask "But Cheese Czarina where o where will we find you this weekend?"
Of course you will want to cook your Mum breakfast in Bed with none other than our curd fed worm and slug eating chickens eggs! and you will of course want to put some cream cheese (yummy olive debuts this week) on her bagel and of course you will want to feed her strawberries and pudding so that she knows you got the very best and you will of course want it all on Saturday or if you are a very late bloomer early Sunday morning.
Saturday we will be at Hollywood and PSU in our glorious new spot and Sunday we will be at the Old Faithful Hillsdale farmers market and Milwaukie! Its Milwaukie's opening weekend so there should be a lot of hoopla there!

I will of course of course be standing next to my dear Mum and Dad saturday at the market it appears that the farmers market manager has a likeness for petting zoo style layouts and has placed us next to one another. We are again next to one another Sunday but mostly so that we can provide the other vendors and early shoppers with a good form of entertainment with my fathers discussions on the fondling of large kings (king salmon that is :) and my discussion of curd fondling and of course how good our eggs were that we had for breakfast!

The markets are all a lot of fun but not so much fun as a whipped cream fight!
"One day my older sister and I wanted to have a whip cream fight! So my mum dressed us up with bags on our feet and water proof jackets with the hoods tied down and gloves so that we wouldn't get dirty!!!"
When I was younger (but not much has changed) I had a likeness for singing-very loud songs that I would make up on the fly. Not understanding that you could not sing a drum beat or that I had no sense of key I would run around singing bits and pieces of whatever I remembered and would eagerly run up to my Mum and ask her "Mum what shall I sing" "Lisa dear please sing far far away"
Thinking that she was prompting me to make up a new song I would sing "Far far far away far far far away".
Wow I guess not much has changed! I still love to sing entirely off tune without knowing any lyrics-except now I do it while making cheese.

We will have a wide range of fresh cow and aged sheeps milk cheeses this week. I churned butter for almost five hours this week and have some of the loveliest spring pasture butter you will ever find! Please come and see us at the markets and enjoy spending the weekend with your beloved Mum! and make sure she knows that every single thing that she does for you does not go unnoticed and that you appreciate all that she had done and will do!

Her love is like the rush of life,
A bubbling, laughing spring
That runs through all like liquid light

And makes the mountains sing.

~Nick Gordon~

Adieu Adieu
Kisses and Hugs
Your Cheese Czarina!

I saw a strawberry the other day and I ate it and it was good!!

O the many cheeses I make!

The other day this guy asked me about the cheeses I make. It was part of a serious interrogation to see if I was actually the cheese maker. I get that a lot people-just don't seem to believe that I can really make cheese or that -shock - I actually do it on a farm.
Yes I do it on the farm!
Thankfully I passed the test.
After I told him all I do he was left with his mouth slightly a gap -sadly my Dad wasn't there to warn him the flies could potentially fly in.
"But how do you do it all" he asked.....

Well there are three reasons (and yes your about to hear about them!)
Actually I don't do it all myself I have a superduper wonderful team of curd slinging trash talking hard working girls :)

There is Zoe who is usually the first to rise- she digs getting things done which is why I like her. She sorta rocks in the best way because not only is she super dependable she loves hard work and let me tell you! Hauling 860lbs of milk from the cooler to the Vat is hard work. I like her for her dependability but I love her because she is handy and can fix a pump in under five minutes.
Then there is Kelsea Mae we like KM for her dead weight champion record of 695lbs! but we love her because she bakes us muffins and always tells me when I am making a funny face - which seems to be a lot. She also carries around snacks which often include some of my favorite candies-and since she is the tallest she can reach all those hard to get places that my vertically challenged self is faced with.
Both my girls are the reason we can run two creameries from one room.
The three of us produce and wrap and ship all the cheese on the farm. The girls care for it by flipping and salting and rotating it and I provide it with bountiful amounts of entertainment- by singing of course. The cheese just wouldn't be the cheese without me singing to it! (the hills are alive... with the sound of music ohhh lalalalala)
I manage the hours in the cheese room with Music! It makes the atmosphere fun and gets me going- especially if its late at night and I am packaging and I think no one is there I am likely to sing my favorite tune (usually off key but there is no onethere to complain).
That's three in case you can't count!

So you see I do sorta have a wonderful team to assist me in what I do :)

It does appear to have been a very cold winter. Very very very cold indeed since 3/5 of my Portland farmers market crew is pregnant! Oh my. Thankfully the twins will be back in town and showing their super double look at the JC booths across town and the Fraser duo (bro and sis this year yeah!) and of course Lovely Vanae :)

This week we have the Hollywood farmers market opening. Go visit Vanae and her delighful smile if you are in the neighboorhood. Next weekend the Milwaukie farmers market opens and I cannot wait! Summer is almost here folks! I just ate a strawberry!
Next week for our mother's day special we will be creating a delightful mascarpone and also a new secret flavor to accompany it! Its soooo secret in fact I am not even sure what it is :)

This concludes all the news that I am able and willing to share. However. There may be news. Large news. That I am unable to share. But like I said this concludes the news.

Have a beautiful week. I will think of you all very fondly consuming large amounts of dairy and eggs.

Much love!
Yours always
Your very only! Cheese Czarina!
Shebang bang!

Here He Here He

Ok think of yourselves all as share holders. More like Milo Minderbinder and the Syndicate (from Catch-22) than NYSE but you get the idea- ok.
This is our first shareholder meeting. All who agree email Eye which is backwards for eye but also means YES!

Who here wants the Cheese Czarina to start making lovely oozy goozy melt in your mouth "I can't believe its not Brie" Camembert!
Eye!
Who here wants the Cheese Czarina to put her Camembert in those cute little wooden boxes?
Eye!

Email your votes please.
I hereby conclude this meeting. If you would like notes please contact the secretary. Thank you very much.

I would love some good Camembert! Back when I was younger and thinner and spoke better French I had a very French boyfriend and he had a very French house- in France of course. We would visit and get ourselves a wheel of Camembert de Normandie and a cucumber and some mayonnaise and the most delightful French (of course) baguette and have ourselves a little sandwich. It was wonderful but now I want to make it and put a very cool looking Jacobs Creamery sticker on it ;)

Things on the farm have been moving along. We are now milking lots of sheep and have lots of sheep milk and are making lots of wonderful cheeses with it. So wonderful in fact that the local paper got a hold of some of the wonderfulness and is doing a piece on what we are doing in Doty. They even sent a photographer and there will be photos and a lovely article all about our cheeses. I will have the link up on the blog www.jacobscreamery.blogspot.com when its published, since most of you don't get the Chehalis Cronicle :)
When the reporter asked me how I knew how to make cheese I told him "I don't I am just pretending, I am going back to Law School next week" I told him not to tell and the look on his face was priceless! I mean come on-I totally would never start law school in the Spring!

I always say when god gives you a surplus of sheep's milk - make yogurt!
So we will have some wonderful sheep's milk yogurt this week at the markets and also some more of that lovely herbed fromaged blanc that has been ubber popular. I also had a massive churning session today! Massive !Yeah for fresh spring butter! I scored some wonderful wildflower honey from the market on Saturday and made a special batch of Heavenly Honey butter-which is actually as fabulous as it sounds!
The Portland Farmers Market has launched its new Evergreen campaign this season and as an avid supporter I have used some very cool packaging! Come check it out!
This week is PSU and Hillsdale so please come by it would delight me to see you!


xoxoxo
Cheese Czarina
Smile, laugh and eat more dairy!

In the News!

Farmers market is back

Market at PSU returns for 18th season

By Corie Charnley

Vanguard staff

|

Published: Friday, April 23, 2010

Updated: Friday, April 23, 2010

Adam Wickham/Portland State Vangaurd

The farm in the city: Saturday Portland Farmers Market bigger than ever.

For the 2010 season, the Portland Farmers Market held on Saturdays at Portland State has grown in size after last year’s success. The market now includes another block, expanding its area to incorporate the blocks between Southwest Hall and Southwest Montgomery.

The market opened on March 20, attracting a record-setting 12,000 visitors, according to Deborah Pleva.

“We hope that trend continues throughout the season,” Pleva said.

Though the PFM received
650 applications this season, only 250 vendors were selected to serve at the market’s six locations throughout Portland.

“This is a record number of applications, second only to the 2009 season, which is recognized as one of the most successful years for the Portland Farmers Market,” Pleva said.

According to a press release,
the market’s extra space will allow the more than 120 vendors and 16,000 shoppers more space. However, although the market has doubled in size, it did not double in vendors.

The PFM has 19 new vendors this year, nine of which have booths at PSU. The new vendors include
15 Miles Ranch and Sexton Farms.

“We’re taking up twice the space,” said Jaret Foster, manager of PFM at PSU. “We’ve added around 20 vendor spots, but that doesn’t mean we’re adding twenty new vendors. What we’re trying to do is actually give more room to existing vendors.”

“We do give a priority to organic growers,” Foster said.

According to Pleva, PFM’s Market at PSU was established in 1992 by Craig Mosbaek, Ted Snider and Richard Hagan. It was originally held in a parking lot at Albers Mill in northwest Portland, but was moved to its current location in 1997. It is now the largest of Portland’s six markets, according to its website.

Commenting on what makes the location so popular, Lisa Jacobs, owner and cheese maker of Jacobs Creamery, said, “I think the varieties and the location, and also the fact that it’s pretty sheltered in the summer. The quality of all of the products that are represented here is pretty high.”

Jacobs Creamery, out of Doty, Wash., is the only businesses in the northwest to make specialty European dairy. Jacobs serves a variety of sheep and cow cheeses, as well as pudding, hand-churned butter and crème fraiche.

In conjunction with the season’s opening, PFM also launched its EverGreen Campaign. According to its website, the campaign is a green initiative that promotes the “eco-virtues of local living.” By 2012, PFM hopes to redirect 90 percent of the waste from its market sites to recycling and compost streams.

In addition, the market hosts a variety of events and musical guests throughout the year.

“Portland Farmers Market…serves as an incubator for emerging businesses, a leader of the local food movement, a source of education, a culinary focal point, a cultural destination complete with musical entertainment and a billboard for Portland’s sustainability movement,” Pleva said. “It creates community that represents the best Portland has
to offer.”

PFM at PSU is open every Saturday until October, from 8:30 a.m.
to 2 p.m. For more information about PFM, its vendors and upcoming events, visit its website at www.portlandfarmersmarket.org.

A horse is a horse of course of course!

So some of you may remember way back when I was on a hunt for Moose milk. It was wonderful how many of you turned into cheerleaders and did the splits with your pom poms and egged me on. It was sad, very sad when I returned on my Moose milk hunt with no milk A recent article on cheese made from a turtle again sparked my interest in cheese made from out of the norm animals. Moose milk cheese, turtle cheese maybe? What about horse milk cheese?
A week or two ago I was interviewing candidates to assist us in the milking of our sheep- its lovely to hear of the hum of the milk parlor again. When he answered my question "Have you ever milked anything before?' with a detailed explanation on how to milk a horse I knew I had found that special someone.
I filed this information away, not thinking that it would ever be useful.
One of my friends takes great pride in having his animals procreate. After moving on from breeding puppies he decided that baby horses were more interesting. Which is exactly how I came to have access to a lactating horse! According to an article in Draft horse Journal horse milk is a gourmet delicacy that has sweet undertones. The article states "Horse milk strengthens the body, boosts the immune system and increases a person’s energy and vitality."
The article also states "The adrenaline rush from milking a high-strung Arabian mare is like nothing else".
I am certain that I could use an adrenaline rush/energy boost and I would never ever say no to an increase in vitality so I have decided that I am of course going to milk a lactating horse! The last time I rode a horse was in the south of France in the country side - my horse obviously saw a mirage and took off through numerous amounts of corn fields with me screaming stop instead of arete! But milking is a WHOLE other ballpark.
I really do think that this will be a special moment in history and so I will be filming it and posting it up on my web site as part of a series of historical moments. It will be under the tab Jacobs Creamery moments in History. I am hoping that it will be amusing as well as informational. I promise that I will provide a review about the flavor of the horse milk.

This week I have pulled from the 'cave' some lovely Two Faced Blue which has been aged for a dazzling four months now. This is our sheep cow blend blue and this batch has a particularly sweet zingy tone and has some lovely creamy bluey undertones.
We will also have more of our fresh sheeps milk cheese and plenty of our fresh hand scooped italian style ricotta. Due to the fact that yogurt is very good for you and due to the fact that ours is incredibly tasty we will be having a special special on it this week. Please come by for samples and wish me luck!

Adieu Adieu
So long Farewell

Yours always with a zing and some bling
Cheese Czarina!