Isn’t it often the case that a treasure trove in one’s own neighborhood is often overlooked? That would do such a disservice to Pleasant Valley Dairy in Ferndale, WA. I drive by this family-owned and operated dairy frequently during the course of a month. It just makes sense to start my cheese sojourn close to home.
Ownership of the dairy just recently passed to the third generation of Snook: Seth and Jenny. Joyce Snook is the cheesemaker, and they create raw whole milk Gouda, Farmstead and Mutschli (Moo’shlee).
All of their cheese is from fresh raw whole cow’s milk. Their “ladies” have consistently won top quality milk awards. They look peaceful and well cared for as they wander about the fields. Several came up to me and let me scratch their foreheads. Soft brown Poppy was particularly sweet.
Because the Pleasant Valley cheese is made with raw milk, they age the cheese for at least 60 days. They also offer a longer aged Farmstead, which imparts an agreeable sharpness.
Joyce makes the Pleasant Valley Gouda in the tradition of a Dutch culturing process, with the European style red wax covering. It has a creamy texture, mellow with a nut-like flavor.
Their Farmstead is created using a French process. Compared to the Gouda, it is a little dryer and the texture is firmer, and the flavor isn’t quite as sweet as the Gouda.
The third type of cheese they offer is Mutschli, made with a process from the mountains of Switzerland. It’s a smooth, firm cheese; sweet with a nut-like flavor.
If that weren’t enough, Joyce hand blends their Gouda with caraway, cumin, jalapeño, Fines Herbes, and/or peppercorn. They also offer a natural, wood smoked Gouda. And during the Christmas season they offer a clove blended Gouda.
I particularly enjoy the Fines Herbes and the smoked Gouda.
Joyce makes the Pleasant Valley Gouda in the tradition of a Dutch culturing process, with the European style red wax covering. It has a creamy texture, mellow with a nut-like flavor.
Their Farmstead is created using a French process. Compared to the Gouda, it is a little dryer and the texture is firmer, and the flavor isn’t quite as sweet as the Gouda.
The third type of cheese they offer is Mutschli, made with a process from the mountains of Switzerland. It’s a smooth, firm cheese; sweet with a nut-like flavor.
If that weren’t enough, Joyce hand blends their Gouda with caraway, cumin, jalapeño, Fines Herbes, and/or peppercorn. They also offer a natural, wood smoked Gouda. And during the Christmas season they offer a clove blended Gouda.
I particularly enjoy the Fines Herbes and the smoked Gouda.
I threw together a bacon salad for dinner a couple of nights ago and decided to include thinly sliced farmstead, aged 90 days. I dressed the salad with a mango juice/orange juice/olive oil. What a lovely contrast in tastes!
Pleasant Valley shapes their cheese into 2 or 6-pound wheels, after which they are placed in a salt brine for a short time and then age them naturally in their curing room. If you don’t want a whole wheel, Jenny will cut your order to your specification.
Check them out for yourself!
Pleasant Valley Dairy is at 6804 Kickerville Road, Ferndale, WA 98248. You can e-mail them at cheese98248@yahoo.com. Credit cards are not accepted. Open 10am-6pm Closed Sundays. Their website is undergoing revamp and they hope to be shipping their delightful cheeses.
Pleasant Valley shapes their cheese into 2 or 6-pound wheels, after which they are placed in a salt brine for a short time and then age them naturally in their curing room. If you don’t want a whole wheel, Jenny will cut your order to your specification.
Check them out for yourself!
Pleasant Valley Dairy is at 6804 Kickerville Road, Ferndale, WA 98248. You can e-mail them at cheese98248@yahoo.com. Credit cards are not accepted. Open 10am-6pm Closed Sundays. Their website is undergoing revamp and they hope to be shipping their delightful cheeses.
No comments:
Post a Comment