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Goats, goats’ milk, and goat cheeses have been part of the American culinary landscape since the arrival of the Mayflower in 1620, in which they were reportedly part of the cargo. There is even some strong evidence that fresh goat cheeses were on the menu at the first Thanksgiving feast. Despite their early arrival on this continent, however, goats virtually disappeared over the next few hundred years as they were supplanted by the more prolific dairy cows. They were still here, of course, scattered about on family farms, state fairs and petting zoos, but in terms of any significant goat herding or commercial goat cheesemaking, we were essentially goat free until well into the 20^th century. That all changed when a young woman from Sonoma, Calif., Laura Chenel, went to France in the early 1970s to learn the craft of making goat cheese.

Upon her return to California, Chenel began making goat cheese from the milk from her own herd, and when she first sold her goat cheeses to the seminal Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse in 1979, she arguably launched a cheese revolution in America, goat cheese and otherwise. Indeed, those fledgling efforts on her part, coupled with national exposure on the Chez Panisse stage, signaled the beginning of the artisanal cheese movement in this country, and today, goat cheese is an indelible part of our culinary traditions and one of the hottest categories in the specialty cheese business. They are valued for their flavor, healthfulness, and versatility in the kitchen and at table.

Of course, goats and goat cheese have been fixtures in Europe for millennia, especially throughout the countries touching the Mediterranean Sea. Countries like France, Greece and Spain are particularly and justly famous for their goat cheeses, although curiously, it has only been in the last century or so that goat cheeses have been accorded much respect among gourmets. Derisively referred to as “the poor man’s cow,” goats were traditionally the provinces of the peasant class, usually offering the difference between a meager existence and none at all. Goats are unique for their ability to transform the meager flora of tough, arid landscapes into rich, wholesome milk and meat. The long-held notion that goats are walking garbage bins is a fallacy. They have a highly developed sense of sight, smell, and taste and a very discerning palate. In fact, they will often eschew easy fodder on the ground in favor of tender young shoots on trees for which they must stand on their hind legs to reach, not an uncommon sight for those who have spent any time around goats. Their varied diet is evident in the subtle differences in texture, aroma and flavor of the milk from area to area and from breed to breed.

From those early days of Laura Chenel’s eponymous company (still going strong and set to move into their brand new facility at the end of this year), scores of erstwhile cheesemakers, mostly women, have taken up the gauntlet, crafting beautiful and delicious cheeses and winning countless awards and accolades along the way. And while the genesis of our goat cheese industry was based initially on the myriad types of chevré in France (chevré refers both to goats in general and to goat’s milk cheese), and while we continue to look to France for inspiration and innovation, practical applications of goat cheese in this country don’t seem tied to any one culture, nor do goats belong to any particular part of the country. Additionally, cheesemakers here have developed many uniquely American examples, some of which have achieved cult status, such as the enigmatic Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove Chevré and Wabash Cannonball from Capriole, to name just two.

In addition to Chenel, many notable cheesemakers in the U.S. have helped shape the industry, including pioneers like Judy Schad, who has been making goat cheese in Indiana since the 1970s; Miles and Lillian Cahn, founders of Coach Farm in the Hudson River Valley; Allison Hooper of Vermont Creamery (formerly Vermont Butter & Cheese), who made her own pilgrimage to France to learn her craft; Jennifer Bice of Redwood Hill Farm who not only makes great cheeses – both fresh and aged – but one of the best goat milk yogurts to be found anywhere; Paula Lambert of Mozzarella Co. in Dallas, who although known best for her excellent mozzarella also makes several great goat cheeses; and Mary Keehn of the aforementioned Cyprus Grove. Others, like Arnaud Solandt of Montchevre-Betin in Wisconsin, take advantage of their Gaelic roots to make both classic chevré types in the French fashion as well as modern creations, exquisite cheeses that bear the stamp of time and tradition whether fresh chevré in a variety of innovative flavors or one of their aged varieties.

One of the most appealing aspects of goat cheeses are their perceived health benefits. The molecular structure of goats’ milk is different than cow’s milk, indeed closer to that of humans, and for many people, even those who are lactose intolerant, they find goat cheese easier to digest. It is for this same reason that many parents choose to give their children goats’ milk instead of cows’ (this was one of the primary reasons Mary Keehn began raising goats). For most of us, however, it is the wonderful flavor and extensive uses for goat cheese that is the benefit. Whether it is fresh chevré, drizzled with olive oil and fresh herbs or lovely, ripe aged varieties on a cheese board, goat cheese has become one of our most cherished foods. It can be used in baking (we recently made delicious blueberry tarts with goat cheese filling), on salads, swirled into sauces, stuffed into pasta, and baked on pizza. The possibilities are endless, and so it would seem, are the sources for this most wonderful of American cheeses.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SIAL 2010
The time is now to make plans for attending SIAL 2010, the Global Food Marketplace, from October 17-21 at the Paris Nord Villepinte, France. The theme this year is Retail and Foodservice: Bridging the Gap, and to that end there are a couple of new programs that should make the show particularly valuable to attendees. The first is the In-Store Service & Solutions, and area in the heart of the show dedicated to store concepts, merchandising services, an overview of private labels, IT solutions, point of sale advertising, shop furniture and equipment, and more. Also new to the show will be special tours of stores and restaurants in Paris, focusing on establishments that are less than 2 years old, with concepts including eco-friendly design, ultra-local, organic, and convenience stores. The restaurant tour will highlight the latest foodservice novelties and a “Wine & Cheese Tasting” session. SIAL 2010 is the best place to see trends and new products that will be coming across the Atlantic in the coming years. For more information, visit www.sial.fr

DAIRY

New Smokehaus Blue from DCI Cheese
DCI Cheese Company (DCI) has introduced its newest product offering, Salemville Smokehaus Blue, an extension to its award-winning line of hand-crafted blue-veined cheeses. The new Applewood smoked cheese is aged 60 days and has a slightly sweet, lightly smoky flavor. Salemville’s internationally renowned blue-veined cheeses are produced by an Amish community in Cambria, Wis. The community collectively manages the company with an unwavering commitment to sustainable agriculture that is ingrained in every aspect of their lifestyle. Cows are hand-milked twice daily without the use of machines or electricity and milk is delivered to the factory in traditional 10-gallon milk cans. Salemville’s full line of blue-veined cheeses has been recognized as one of America’s best, most balanced blue cheese brands and was recently acknowledged at the 2010 World Cheese Champion Contest as the best American-made blue cheese, ranking fifth after four imports among 41 entries. Salemville Smokehaus Blue continues this tradition of excellence as a beautifully veined, Applewood smoked addition to the artisanal line, and was recently awarded first place in the Blue-Veined Cheese category at the 2010 Wisconsin State Fair Cheese & Butter Contest. All Salemville cheeses are farmer-certified rBGH-free and contain no preservatives or chemical additives. Smokehaus Blue is available as six-pound wheels and repacks this May at participating retailers nationwide. For more information, contact a DCI sales representative by e-mail at moreinfo@dcicheeseco.com, or call 800-782-0741, or visit www.dcicheeseco.com

Lactose-Free Yogurt from Green Valley Organics
Green Valley Organics® Lactose Free real dairy yogurt and kefir options are organic, certified humane, low fat, kosher, GMO- and gluten-free. Green Valley Organics is also the only dairy brand to offer Flourish^TM – a custom blend of 10 live active probiotic cultures that promotes optimal digestive and immune system health.

While Green Valley Organics is new to the dairy case, President and Owner Jennifer Bice is not new to the dairy business. Her parents founded Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery more than 40 years ago and her family has been producing award-winning cheeses, yogurts and kefirs made from easy-to-digest goat milk ever since.

Green Valley Organics uses organic blueberries and strawberries in its fruit-at-the-bottom yogurt and blends blueberries, pomegranates and acai berries for its fruit kefir. And because Green Valley Organics yogurts and kefirs contain no lactose, they are significantly lower in sugar as well – good news for diabetics or anyone watching their sugar intake. A six-ounce cup of Green Valley Organics plain yogurt contains four grams of sugar, while Green Valley Organics Blueberry yogurt has 16 grams of sugar compared to 29 grams found in some other fruit yogurts. Yogurt flavors include Plain, Vanilla, Blueberry, Strawberry and Honey. Visit www.GreenValleyLactoseFree.com for more information.

DELI

Bellentani Premium Italian Cured Meats
Salumificio G. Bellentani began making their award-winning cured meat products in Modena, Italy, in 1821, where the products were revered and ordered by the likes of Rossini, Garibaldi, and Emile Zola. Today, thanks to the folks at Fromartharie, these exquisite salami and prosciutti is now made here for the U.S. market. Their Domestic Prosciutto is aged for at least 270 days and is made from whole fresh hams that are never frozen. Both the Salami and Prosciutto are aged in the traditional Italian style – dried at low temperatures and neither heat-treated nor cooked. The Salami is made from whole muscle meat products and are seasoned with their own spices mixed according to traditional Italian recipes. The Salami is available in the following forms: Italian Dry Salami, Black Pepper Coated, Red Pepper Coated, Rustic Tuscan Coated, and Rosemary Coated, as well as Sopressata. The Salamis are available whole or in cut medallions. For more information, call Fromartharie at 908-647-6485 or visit www.fromartharie.com

Jones Dairy Farm Introduces All-Natural Golden Brown Pre-Cooked Turkey Sausage
Best known for all natural pork sausage, Jones Dairy Farm announces the introduction of All Natural Golden Brown Turkey Sausage Links to the company’s full line of all-natural precooked sausage product offerings. Jones Dairy Farm has applied all of their best secrets from more than 120 years of business to make turkey breakfast sausage with pure, natural flavor. Made from an a recipe that never includes mechanically separated turkey meat, Jones turkey sausage contains no MSG, nitrites or nitrates, and has 0g trans fat per serving. It’s fully-cooked and contains only 90 calories and 4.5 grams of pat per four-link serving. The Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO) also has granted the product gluten-free certification. All Natural Golden Brown precooked breakfast sausage product line is available in seven varieties, including Mild, Maple, Spicy, Bacon, Light, Beef and Turkey. Jones Dairy Farm also makes an All Natural uncooked breakfast sausage product line.

Based in Fort Atkinson, Wis., Jones Dairy Farm products offer the old-fashioned quality one would expect from a family business started in 1889. Jones Dairy Farm produces the highest quality sausage, ham, bacon, liver sausage and Canadian bacon for consumers around the world. The GFCO has certified more than 200 Jones Dairy Farm products as gluten-free. For more information, please call toll-free 800-563-1004 or visit www.jonesdairyfarm.com