Stalking New York Artisan Cheese

There are more than twenty cheese makers in New York State,and many of them are producing world-class artisan cheeses.  Some you may be lucky enough to find at your local cheese counter, while others you may have to seek out. Some are big producers, some are small, some are award-winning, and some have missions of their own — all are worth a mention, look, and taste.

This month I focused my sights on the Hudson Valley,and found an artisan cheese maker with quite a story to tell.

Sprout Creek Farm is a relatively new artisan producer located in Poughkeepsie, NY (about an hour-and-a-half north of New York City). The farm makes three cow’s milk cheeses from their own herd of more than thirty cows, mostly Jersey and Guernsey (of which twenty are milking cows). The 200-acre Hudson Valley farm is an attraction for much more than its cheese, however; it is also a center for learning.

Sprout Creek’s history actually began in Greenwich, CT, where in 1982, three high school teachers devised the idea of an alternative school experience that would teach children responsibility, commitment, and social conscience. Six months later, with a grant from the Society of the Sacred Heart, and animals gifted by friends, a farm was up and running, and the idea had become a reality. Initially, three-week summer programs were offered for girls, where they lived at the farm (sleeping in tents), tended the garden, cared for the animals, prepared meals, and even made baskets. In addition, they spent three mornings each week preparing a meal at a North Bronx soup kitchen. Later, a program for younger children and a summer day program were added.

In 1987, the estate of Elise Kinkead in Poughkeepsie,NY gifted Woodford Farm (in the town of LaGrange)Connecticut (which included organic gardening, animal husbandry, and homesteading crafts such as baking and spinning). In September 1990, Sprout Creek Farm became operational, and the program was moved from Connecticut to its present location in Poughkeepsie.

Now five thousand children visit Sprout Creek yearly, from the Noxon Road Elementary School program (a local school which visits a few times each year), to Brownie, Girl Scout, and other groups who visit. The program has been so successful that visits must now be scheduled a year in advance.

The farm’s mission and focus is to make the learning experience available to children of all ages, and cheese making is one way through which the education process is supported and complemented.  All proceeds from the sale of cheese and other items produced there support its educational programs and responsible farming practices.

Sprout Creek Farm offers three mold-ripened firm cheeses in their repertoire: Ouray, Toussaint, and Barat.  All are hand-made from pasteurized milk and then aged for at least two to three months in their ripening rooms.

Ouray is a hard buttery cheese with grassy notes and a hint of creaminess; it is their most popular cheese and very approachable. They suggest pairing it with sliced apple or using it in a favorite recipe.  Toussaint, meaning “all saints,” and named for a favorite lively heifer, has a stronger, sharper flavor, for which Pinot Noir is a suggested pairing.  Barat, also a hard cheese, has a definite nutty element, a distinctive flavor, and is easily grated. Named for the Society of Sacred Heart’s Saint Madeline Sophie Barat, it comes in a small compact wheel, and works well with pasta and risotto.

Sprout Creek also makes a Tuscan-style firm Ricotta cheese. It does not come in a tub, as it is a fresh cheese, ready within 24 hours of manufacture. The cheese is cut from wheels and is a pure white color, dry and a bit crumbly, and simultaneously a little salty and a little sweet. I suggest crumbling it over pasta or serving it as a light dessert with honey and almonds as an accompaniment.

More information about Sprout Creek Farm and its products is available on the farm’s website. For information on other New York State artisan cheese makers, visit the NYS Farmstead Artisan Cheese Maker’s Guild website.

Joanne Everitt is a cheese lover with a long-standing affection for the subject. As a child, she drove miles with her parents to seek out a particularly fantastic farmhouse cheddar (which was always eaten long before it reached home). Formerly a magazine publisher, she currently spends her time working with her husband Jack on their food, wine, and cheese website, www.ForkandBottle.com, and playing with their three-year old.

Photos: Georgie Blaeser