Tag: artisan cheese

  • From soil to cheese

    From soil to cheese

    Top 2 from a Dutch cheese journey

    He drops down unto his knees and studies the fresh cow manure on the field. It has the right smell, fIies have already found it, and that’s a good sign. It is one of indicators of how the cow is doing. Jan Dirk van de Voort is a farmer and cheesemaker of Remeker cheese and he sees the world in quite a different light than most of his colleagues.

    Remeker
    Fresh manure with flies = healthy cow
    Remeker
    Manure after 2½ weeks = dung beetles and birds have almost done their job

    In accordance with nature

    Jan Dirk comes from a farmer’s family and their story is linked to the farm De Groote Vort for many generations. Despite family tradition, he has gone his own ways. Well, his father did too, he was the first in the Netherlands to start with jersey cows. They were actually the first in Europe to make gouda with jersey milk.

    Remeker

    The biggest change

    Jan Dirk turned the farm organic 30 years ago but the gamechanger came 15 years ago when they said goodbye to antibiotics, vitamins, insecticides, pesticides etc. From that moment he relied on nature and sustainability. It has become a combination of philosophy and earning model at the same time.

    Remeker

    The horns

    An example of his way has do with horns. It is common that you dehorn the cows in order to prevent them to harm each other and to minimize the need for space. Jan Dirk explains that the horns is a mineral depot which are used for the calves. If you take away the horns, the minerals for the calves come out of the hoofs and thereby creating hoof issues which need treatment.

    In order to avoid aggressions among the cows, the stable has no corners. where the cows normally could take out their aggressions.

    Remeker

    The 85 cows eat fresh grass when it’s possible and that’s most of the year. When they can’t have fresh grass, they are fed with things such as hay, grass sileage and pressed herbs.

    Remeker

    Drink coffee and let the worms work

    The farm generates six incomes but has many more employees if you count the worms. They do an important job. Jan Dirk tells us about a research project they run with the university right now. The worms count the Dutch local worms but also imported long Canadian worms. It takes around 30 years to take the fields back to a stage where no ploughing and working the soil is needed (and he can drink coffee in stead). Where the soil is in balance when it comes to water, calcium and other minerals.

    Remeker
    Remeker
    The compactness of these two soil lumps will dissappear within a few more years when the worms have done more work.

    Connection between soil and cheese

    When it comes to the Remeker cheese, the method is also in line with old traditions and nature. Milk is only heated to the natural temperature of the cow which means all important micro organisms are kept alive.

    In the maturing cellar, beautiful cheeses with natural rind marked Remeker lie on wooden planks and are turned now and then.

    But new ideas can come along. All cheeses are for instance covered with homemade ghee (clarified butter). This gives extra taste from the outside inwards.

    Remeker
    Remeker
    Remeker

    Remeker is an old name of one of the fields. It goes back to the 17th century and comes from two old Dutch names: Reem (surrounded by) and eker (oak).
    Remeker

    The cheeses are really good. Going from young (3 months) with buttery, creamy flavor which melts on the tongue to 1½ years with grainy texture and crunchy crystals.

    Remeker

  • Spanish goat cheese with pepper

    Spanish goat cheese with pepper

    Or: There is always a cheese moment around the corner.

    My husband and I were on a short getaway in Andalusia (south of Spain). We were driving around in the mountains when he suddenly stopped the car and pointed at a sign. It was a little rusty but the words were clear: Four kilometers (2.5 miles) away was the farm dairy Cortijo Júrtiga. Of course we had to check it out and turned onto a dirt road.

    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga
    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga

    Cool mountain air and silence met us when we stopped. A dog was barking somewhere and a motor was running. We saw several buildings and found the door to the cheese shop.

    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga
    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga

    Welcome

    Julia opened the door. She invited us into the small shop and told us about the family farm where they make goat cheese of unpasteurized milk from their own goats. They produce the Spanish fresh cheese requesón (ricotta style) as well as small round cheeses matured for 60 days. The cheeses mature as they are or with black pepper, paprika, thyme, rosemary or in olive oil.

    While we tasted, she explained that the farm had been in the family for many years and they had always had a few goats and produced cheese for their own consumption. Six or seven years ago they started to make cheese to sell and it has grown year by year. She is the one who converts milk to cheese every day at 7 am in the small dairy.

    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga

    Goat cycle

    Today the family owns 1400 goats of the local breed Granadino-Murciano, renowned for its milk. They give 1½-2 liters milk pr milking (0.4-0.5 gallons) for 5-6 months a year (in total 500-600 liter per year or 130-160 gallons). In order to have milk all year round they make sure the cycles are parallel.

    Every single day two shepherds take the goats out to feed in the area among oaks and olive trees. In the late afternoon they head home for the second milking. The cheeses don’t have an organic label but they might as well…

    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga
    Notice that the goats have eaten all they have within their reach
    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga
    Grass turns to hay and is given to the goats. Everything is made by the family.
    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga
    Queseria Cortijo Jurtiga

    Cheese and pepper

    Of course we bought several cheeses. The combination of the fresh acidic goat cheese and warm pepper is quite interesting.

    Goat cheese with pepper
    Goat cheese with pepper
    Goat cheese with pepper

    Do you want to see the farm dairy?

    If you are in Andalusia you can find your way to the small diary. Check out how right here.

    Goat cheese with pepper

    You can also read more about the dairy here.