Goat Cheeses

Goats are believed to be the oldest domesticated farm animals. It is likely that the very first cheeses were made with goat’s milk. Legend has it that a long time ago a nomad was carrying goat milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal. After travelling for hours in the warm sun he discovered that the milk had soured and coagulated, turning the milk into curds…hello, cheese. The enzyme in the lining of a young cow or goat is called rennet, the same thing cheesemakers use today when making cheese. There are vegetarian rennet’s being used as well, but most cheese made in the world today is made with animal rennet.

Goat cheese was first made popular in France, but during the past several years it has become very popular here in North America. Most people associate goat cheese with chevre, the French word for goat. Today, goat cheese is made in a variety of cheese styles including cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, and Gouda. In Wisconsin, the goat milk segment of the cheese industry is one of the fastest growing.

Goat cheese has had a stigma that has been very hard to shake…that goat cheese tastes “goaty.” Part of the reason for people feeling that way is because many of the early goat cheeses were made using milk that might not have been as “clean” as it needed to be. The well-established goat milk producers understand the importance of the quality of milk and the health and safety of the animal itself. Like I have said many times before, good cheese is only good if the milk is good, it is really that simple.

The genial nature of goats is one reason that some people choose to raise a herd. Cows and sheep tend to be a bit skittish, and fearful of humans. Goats on the other hand are playful and a lot of fun to be around.

In the United States we have grown up drinking cow’s milk, although experts have discovered that goat’s milk is much easier on the human digestive system. Nearly 70 percent of the world’s population relies on goat’s milk as its milk source. Wisconsin has grown to be the second largest goat milk producer in the U.S., trailing only California.

There are a number of great goat milk cheeses being made in Wisconsin, including the 2011 U.S. Cheese Champion, Evalon, from LeClaire Farms in Chilton. Evalon is a semi-hard Gouda style cheese aged anywhere from six months to a year. The young female cheesemaker is 27-year-old Katie Hedrich. Her family has had a large herd of goats for many years, but Hedrich wanted to become a cheesemaker. Her lineup of goat cheese is growing all the time and we suggest that you sample some of her wares; you will be pleased that you did.

Al Beckum, of Nordic Creamery in Westby, makes a number of good goat cheeses, including one of my favorites, Grumpy Goat. This cave-aged beauty is made with raw goat’s milk and loaded with flavor.

The Mount Sterling Cheese Cooperative in Crawford County is the largest goat’s milk cheese co-op in the country. They produce a variety of goat cheese, including very good cheddar. They produce the cheddar in both raw and pasteurized milk versions. Some of their flavored goat cheese is fantastic as well, including Jack-type cheese flavored with chives, onion, jalapeno peppers, tomato and basil. Generally, I am not a big fan of flavored cheeses, but the collection from Mount Sterling Co-op can change that thinking.

There are a number of other goat cheesemakers scattered throughout the state, many that are beginning to produce some new, original cheeses. Door County has a new cheesemaker in Jesse Johnson from Sister Bay. Jesse and his lady, Rachel, have a herd of goats and hope to begin producing cheese for sale sometime soon. We wish them nothing but great success in their new venture.

“The Cheese Insider” is going to be signing off for the season. I hope that you have enjoyed learning something about the world of cheese. I encourage you all to support the many talented artisan cheesemakers in Wisconsin…it feels good and tastes great.

Michael C. Thomas is co-owner of Schoolhouse Artisan Cheese with his wife Janice. With locations in Ellison Bay and Egg Harbor, they aim to bring the best of Wisconsin artisan cheeses to Door County, and with “The Cheese Insider” Michael hopes to bring all things cheese to readers of the Pulse. If you have a question for “The Cheese Insider” please email it to [email protected].