I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: good dairy is where it’s at in Sonoma County. There are cool ocean breezes to woo the cows, sheep, and goats, and a synergistic relationship between farmers
Achadinha Cheese Company
that means one man’s waste is another flock’s food. For instance, the goats on the Pacheco’s farms sup on spent beer grain from a local brewery in between munching on tall native grasses.
Continue your exploration of divine dairy at these great farms, or find their cheeses at local markets like John Raymond Cheese Company (www.raymondcheesemongers.com, Jack London Village, 14301 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen, 707.938.9911), or Sonoma Market and Glen Ellen Village Market (www.sonoma-glenellenmkt.com, 707.996.3411), also at local farmers markets. Here are two more milky treats, and we still haven’t even left Petaluma! I guess that means there will have to be a part Trois…
Spring Hill Cheese Company
Creamy Jack, sharp cheddar, and bright yellow churned butter from Spring Hill Dairy come from very happy cows indeed. In between grazing on grasses on the rolling hills of their pasture, this herd of 400 Jerseys feeds on a “forage” mix with fava beans and white oats frown by owner Larry Peter and his crew. Roaming about on the lush Sonoma lawns of Petaluma is the place to be if you are a dairy cow.
And there’s lots to do with the milk at this “estate” cheese-making facility, which means everything from milking, to pasteurizing, to aging happens at the same company. Portuguese cheeses, aged up to eight months, and Gianna, with a washed rind, are two other favorites, and I hear that a raw milk cheese will soon be on offer. For something entirely unique, but also traditional in the “old world,” quark is a perfect pairing with a grainy toasted bread, or tucked away in a fluffy omelet. Petaluma Creamery will be re-opening soon, where you can purchase these cheeses, plus order an old-fashioned milk shake. Or you can go meet the cows in person near Two Rock on Spring Hill Road.
Petaluma Creamery: 621 Western Ave., Petaluma, off of Petaluma Blvd. S.
Spring Hill Jersey Cheese Farm: 4235 Spring Hill Rd., Petaluma, off of Bodega Ave.
Achadinha Cheese Company and Pacheco Family Dairy
Continuing the family tradition of dairy farming, the Pachecos moved from Bodega Bay to Petaluma in 2004 to focus on their two favorite cheeses: a lovely, melt-able Broncha, and a hand-rolled, semi-hard cheese called Capricious. Using their own family recipes and creating something totally unique to their estate operation, these goat cheeses are as pretty as they are tasty. Pronounced “osh-a-deen-a,” this is not the chevre you are used to, rather rolled loaves made in the old California, and Portuguese tradition. Ask about their fresh feta too!
750 Chileno Valley Rd., Petaluma, 707.763.1025, www.achadinha.com
