Vegetarian Suitable
The Lady has become online friends with the Bellwether Farms’ Folks. She was able to get their Carmody Farmstead cheese into her kiosk and brought a wedge home for me to sample and review.
WOW!! This is a delectable cheese and one I hope graces the cheese table at the manse often…
Before I review this special cheese, let me tell you about Bellwether Farms and Liam and Cindy Callahan. Back in her day, Cindy wanted to find a way to keep the pasture grasses under control…I guess she was opposed to mowing…so she bought some sheep. That simple act started the (cheese) wheel rolling that put the Callahans and Bellwether Farms at the forefront of the revival of artisan cheesemaking in America.
Cindy began milking the sheep and in 1986 founded Bellwether Farms. Liam, her son, was finishing up a Political Economy Degree at Bezerkley and decided to join his mom at the farm. To this day, Liam has made every wheel of cheese produced on the farm. In 1996, Liam married Diana and she joined the family and the family business.
The sheep are a Northern European breed, East Friesian, known for being among the best milk producing sheep in the world. The cows are Jersey and their milk is richer with higher fat and protein which makes its superior to milk from Holsteins and other breeds used in cheese making. All-in-all, the Callahans have really got it going on when it comes to great milk…which translates into great cheese…
This year alone their cheeses have won seven awards including two 1st Place Awards at the American Cheese Society.
Now, let’s get down to the reason for this party…Carmody…this unpressed Farmstead Cheese made from 100% Jersey Cow milk is firm and creamy with a golden color and a slight, pleasant hint of earthiness…all the makings of one fine cheese. It is so buttery that it simply melts on the palate and finishes slightly sweet.
The Lady served the cheese to The Man and me with 34° Sesame Crispbread Crackers and freshly picked Grape and Cherry Tomatoes from The Man’s Deck Garden (I skipped the tomatoes).
This Feline Foodie gives Bellwether Carmody 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got). If I had more I would give more to this cheese which has quickly been added to my short list of favorite cheeses.
Serving Suggestions: On the Bellwether Farms’ website there is a recipe for “Fundido”, a Mexican Fondue. The Lady has printed the recipe and plans to make it later today while she watches The Barclay, the first of the Fedex Cup Playoffs…you know The Lady and her PGA Golf. ..She’s so addicted, she requested the weekend off from the cheesemines…a place she prefers to work on weekends, being an action-junky and all that goes with that… Their website also has recipes for Carmody and Potato Au Gratin, which makes perfect sense considering how creamy this cheese is…it must be very meltable…
Wine Pairing: The Lady loves to go with the terroir theme and therefore likes to pair cheeses which wines from the same region. Because Bellwether Farms is located in Sonoma County, there are so many wines to consider. After much fretting, The Lady and I decided to go with a 2007 Windsor Vineyards Chardonnay, Private Reserve.
Beer Pairings: Ditto on that terroir thing that The Lady so believes…Russian River Redemption Blonde Ale.
Source: Pasteurized Jersey Cow’s Milk
Awards: Many, including the 2009 Silver Medal, Unpressed Cheese, North American Jersey Cheese Awards and the 2006 Bronze Medal, Semi-hard Cheese, World Cheese Awards, London
And a last note…I hope The Lady brings home more Bellwether farms Cheeses for me to sample and review…
Marcella The Cheesemonger ACS CCP
It's All About Cheese, Baking, Binge TV, Poker and Anything Else That Captures My Fancy… In Other Words "It's All About Me"
