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New Year, New Opportunities:
We currently have a part-time, seasonal position open for a Cheesemaker. Experience preferred. Contact Rhonda for more information.
email: rhonda@gothbergfarms.com
We will post updated details soon.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
New Year's Eve 2012
We will be open here at the farm stand on Saturday, December 31st, from 10am-2pm for cheese sales.
If you have special requests it is very helpful if you can call ahead so we can have them ready. Don't forget you can also purchase cheeses by the wheel (they range in size from 1 to 5-ish pounds). Pricers vary depending on type of cheese and how long it is aged (after all a 3 year gouda does have to pay rent!).
Wishing all of you a healthy, safe, cheese filled New Year. Thank you for your support.
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| Maybe the Snow Geese Will Be Close |
If you have special requests it is very helpful if you can call ahead so we can have them ready. Don't forget you can also purchase cheeses by the wheel (they range in size from 1 to 5-ish pounds). Pricers vary depending on type of cheese and how long it is aged (after all a 3 year gouda does have to pay rent!).
Wishing all of you a healthy, safe, cheese filled New Year. Thank you for your support.
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| Maybe the "Girls" Will Come Out & Greet You |
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Wine Wednesday
If you have been following along, you know I had an awesome cheese sampling at Metropolitan Market-Admiral Store last week. When I go there, I fall in love every time. The customers, the staff, and then...when I am done working...the STORE!!! I promise you we have nothing to compare in Skagit County. So, what is girl to do? Of course, she must shop the perimeter of the store quickly before the long, dark drive home. And, being the girl she is, and the shopper she is, of course, cheese gets a prominent place in the cart. In the store, it felt like a "few" interesting choices. When I got home and spread them out.......they had multiplied. Not to worry, a cheese girl cannot have too many selections.
The basil leaf topped cheeses are the house made mozarella from them. I always bring us farm girls home a treat when I can!
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| Met Market Cheese Delights |
So now to get to the selections & pairings for this evening. The wine chosen is Sharecroppers, from Sunnyside WA. We have had this wine before and found it pleasant. It is found with our favorite at Slough Food in Edison (and other places to be sure). The cheeses selected are:
#1 12 Month Raw Manchego Sheeps' milk
#2 Rodin Pasteurized Sheeps' Milk
#3 Woman of LaMancha Raw Goats' Milk
The crackers are Gothberg Farms Olive Oil crackers. The dessert to the left is our Lemon chèvre Cheesecake. So at this point, I tell Hubby "Dinner is done!". He is such a lucky man and doesn't even realize it!
Cheese #1-Raw Manchego: This is a delicious cheese. Sweet, nutty, & mild. Also a tad on the dry side. The wine was a bit too tart for this cheese.
Cheese #2 The Mold ripened Pasteurized Sheeps' milk cheese: This cheese has a lovely aroma from the rind. There are numerous eye holes. It is sweetly pungent. The wine brings out the full flavor of both the cheese and the wine. Good choice for pairing.
Cheese #3 The Woman of LaMancha: The cheese has a closed texture surrounded by a smoked paprika rind. It is full flavored and quite creamy. It has a unique tartness that speaks "quality milk". It pairs nicely with the wine, not overpowering for either of them.
The Gothberg Farms Olive Oil Crackers were a perfect compliment to all of the cheeses. They were each sampled alone & then with the crackers. These crackers have just the perfect crumb & saltiness for all of the selected cheeses. Each cheese experienced flavor enhancement with the crackers as opposed to just the cheese by itself. Considerable testing has gone into these crackers to have them deliver just these characteristics(sic).
And then the cheesecake. Oh YES, the cheesecake. It was the perfect palate transition. This cheesecake blends well with all of the selected cheeses. However, I do recommend finishing off the wine before the cheesecake. A small snifter of Limoncello is the perfect finish!
#2 Rodin Pasteurized Sheeps' Milk
#3 Woman of LaMancha Raw Goats' Milk
The crackers are Gothberg Farms Olive Oil crackers. The dessert to the left is our Lemon chèvre Cheesecake. So at this point, I tell Hubby "Dinner is done!". He is such a lucky man and doesn't even realize it!
Cheese #1-Raw Manchego: This is a delicious cheese. Sweet, nutty, & mild. Also a tad on the dry side. The wine was a bit too tart for this cheese.
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| Pretty Rind Manchego |
Cheese #2 The Mold ripened Pasteurized Sheeps' milk cheese: This cheese has a lovely aroma from the rind. There are numerous eye holes. It is sweetly pungent. The wine brings out the full flavor of both the cheese and the wine. Good choice for pairing.
Cheese #3 The Woman of LaMancha: The cheese has a closed texture surrounded by a smoked paprika rind. It is full flavored and quite creamy. It has a unique tartness that speaks "quality milk". It pairs nicely with the wine, not overpowering for either of them.
The Gothberg Farms Olive Oil Crackers were a perfect compliment to all of the cheeses. They were each sampled alone & then with the crackers. These crackers have just the perfect crumb & saltiness for all of the selected cheeses. Each cheese experienced flavor enhancement with the crackers as opposed to just the cheese by itself. Considerable testing has gone into these crackers to have them deliver just these characteristics(sic).
And then the cheesecake. Oh YES, the cheesecake. It was the perfect palate transition. This cheesecake blends well with all of the selected cheeses. However, I do recommend finishing off the wine before the cheesecake. A small snifter of Limoncello is the perfect finish!
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| Lemon Chèvre Cheesecake |
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Chèvre Cheesecakes and Goat Cheese Lasagna
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| Berries NOT Included |
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| Cheesecake Tartlets |
Cheese Week December 13, 2011
While the goats are winding down their milk production for the year, we continue with many exciting and fun cheese opportunities. We are blessed with so many customer partners in the PNW. Of course our world tends to involve really good food, and that is a good thing. The last batch of chèvre will go out today for Metropolitan Markets. This is always a bittersweet kind of milestone each year. We (all of us girls, including the goats) look forward to the change of pace, but long for the days of summer and chèvre.
Thursday December 15th, 4-7pm
We will be at Metropolitan Market in Kirkland sampling cheeses to perfectly compliment ANY holiday cheese platter. There is also a complimentary wine tasting going on at the same time, so come on out and see what treats you can find for your Holiday Cheer.
Saturday December 17th, 10am-3pm
We will be at the final market for the year at the Bellingham Farmers Market from 10am-3pm. Debbie will have an abundant table stocked and ready for your Holiday Cheer needs there as well.
Saturday December 17th, 10am-2pm
We will be here at the Farm Stand with all the great choices as well. We also have a rather large 4-H group coming at 1:00PM, so you are forewarned.
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| Cheese Please! |
Thursday December 15th, 4-7pm
We will be at Metropolitan Market in Kirkland sampling cheeses to perfectly compliment ANY holiday cheese platter. There is also a complimentary wine tasting going on at the same time, so come on out and see what treats you can find for your Holiday Cheer.
Saturday December 17th, 10am-3pm
We will be at the final market for the year at the Bellingham Farmers Market from 10am-3pm. Debbie will have an abundant table stocked and ready for your Holiday Cheer needs there as well.
Saturday December 17th, 10am-2pm
We will be here at the Farm Stand with all the great choices as well. We also have a rather large 4-H group coming at 1:00PM, so you are forewarned.
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| Simple Pleasures |
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Goat Stats December 2011
Today is a monumental day on the farm. As of today, we will only be milking once a day!!!! WooHoo!!! The goats are ready and Debbie and I are surely happy to oblige. It is a time for us to get some semblance of 'normal' in our lives. We have learned to enjoy every moment of it, because the new kids begin arriving about Valentine's Day. But for now: supper, sleep, dates, appointments, cleaning, barn chores, painting, mending, well you get the idea.
We are finishing up the milking year with some healthy, happy goats. Keep in mind our goats are LaManchas. They are a dairy breed. They are known for their awesome personalities and the sweetest, best milk ever tasted (well, IMHO). We have been at this just about long enough to see improvements in the herd from year to year. That said, our foundation stock continue to produce quite well. Just a few of the stats from our last DHIA test:
Doe Lactation Number # Milk Days In Milk
Topaz #3 3440 276
Opal #4 3030 302
Pearl #5 3050 298
Zuppa #2 2510 259
Zippy #1 2020 261
Zora #2 2810 299
Ditto #5 4880 610
Ten of the does have Milk Equivalents (ME) over 3000#
One has a ME over 4000# (That would be Topaz)
And remember, we only milked 20 this year. Others are ending the year very close and some will easily make this next year. Sure, we are proud of them. But more than that, we marvel at them every day. They graciously give 110% every single day, year after year. Their milk is like melted ice cream. They are some of life's best companions. They are treated very well, and we genuinely love each of them for who they are.
We are finishing up the milking year with some healthy, happy goats. Keep in mind our goats are LaManchas. They are a dairy breed. They are known for their awesome personalities and the sweetest, best milk ever tasted (well, IMHO). We have been at this just about long enough to see improvements in the herd from year to year. That said, our foundation stock continue to produce quite well. Just a few of the stats from our last DHIA test:
Doe Lactation Number # Milk Days In Milk
Topaz #3 3440 276
Opal #4 3030 302
Pearl #5 3050 298
Zuppa #2 2510 259
Zippy #1 2020 261
Zora #2 2810 299
Ditto #5 4880 610
Ten of the does have Milk Equivalents (ME) over 3000#
One has a ME over 4000# (That would be Topaz)
And remember, we only milked 20 this year. Others are ending the year very close and some will easily make this next year. Sure, we are proud of them. But more than that, we marvel at them every day. They graciously give 110% every single day, year after year. Their milk is like melted ice cream. They are some of life's best companions. They are treated very well, and we genuinely love each of them for who they are.
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