Here’s looking at you kid……

San Diego is not chomping at the bit in the boutique industry that is namely cheese, but it is on the trail of tastings in California…… Sonoma and Marin county selectively get the blue ribbon for best cheese category. The place to learn the 101 on cheese is Venissimo, San Diego’s official Academy of Cheese . I attended a Venissimo cheese making class at the ‘Pink Lady’ (for those in the know)…The Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, wrapped in swank retro style design, amidst a sea foam blue horizon. Where upon entering, you envision Humprey Bogart straddling a bar stool wearing an immaculate white tuxedo jacket and sipping a French 75 ~ Our class included Executive Chef Lance Repp, who would cook a meal showcasing the cheeses we made with a modest, “here’s looking at you kid (goat cheese) menu”, locally made cheese is not a grass-fed affair. With the balmy San Diego Mediterranean climate, goats and their off-spring (milk) fair far better in wooly weather – Northern California. For sustainability sake, I wondered if we were making solid milk products using locally produced goat milk? Farms such as North Valley Farms, a Grade A commercial goat dairy farmstead cheese making operation with a free range herd andBodega Artisan Cheese both bring permaculture practices to their goat ranch through sustainable water and solar systems, tree cropping, native plant restoration, and more. Yes, Goat cheese can be found at San Diego Farmers Markets, Nicolau Farms located in Modesto Ca, serves fresh Chevre available in Plain, Garlic-Chive, and Spicy Red Pepper, a regular at the Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market. And for all you Naa-Sayer’s cheese making is simple to do. There are many online sites to demonstrate, but one of my favorites is Farmer Henry Milker. Here’s looking at you kid…….