Art Ludlow could not be happier. He and his family made a decision a few years
ago to stop farming potatoes, with the intention of starting a dairy operation. The
idea was that a few pastured cows would give premium milk and he would start
producing delicious, hand made, farmstead cheeses. Fortunately for the cheese
eating public, his plan worked.
Located near Bridgehampton, on Long Island, New York, his farm, Mecox Bay
Dairy, produces a fabulous variety of raw milk cheese that continues to gain
momentum among those who appreciate “milk’s leap toward immortality”, as
author Clifton Fadiman so eloquently wrote.
Anne Saxelby, from Saxelby Cheesemongers says Art’s cheeses “have a complex
and earthy flavor” and she compares his Atlantic Mist to a French Camembert.
That gave Art Ludlow, cheese maker, yet another reason to smile.
3-Corner Field Farm is located four hours north of New York City, near the
border of Vermont. Karen Weinberg, husband Paul Borghard, along with
daughters Emily and Zoe, raise lambs and sheep with the animal’s quality
of life their highest priority. And of all the well laid out farms in the region,
3-Corner has to be near the top. This is a beautiful farm and these people
are doing a great job.
When she’s not moving sheep or building fence (when is that, exactly?), she’s
making wonderful French-style sheep’s milk cheeses. The list of cheeses she
has mastered continues to grow. Her stand at the Union Square Greenmarket
on most Saturdays is crowded with fans of her lamb, her cheese and her smile.
Ever since she attended college in Perugia, Italy Paula Lambert has been in
love with good cheese, good bread and good wine. Later, when she was living
in Dallas, Texas she realized she couldn’t find the kinds of cheeses she enjoyed
in Italy. What’s a woman to do? She started making her own and formed the Mozzarella Company in the early eighties. Influenced by southwest chefs like Stephan Pyles, Dean Fearing and Robert Del Grande, Ms. Lambert started
adding herbs and chiles to her fresh cheeses. And never looked back. Her
cheese is now available from the Cowgirl Creamery in California to Murray’s
Cheese Shop in New York City. That’s a long way from Perugia.
His grandfather came to America in 1907 and opened a butcher shop in Perth
Amboy, New Jersey. He practically grew up in the grocery business working
alongside his father and uncle. But most people know Rob Kaufelt as the owner
of the venerable Greenwich Village institution, Murray’s Cheese Shop.
Cheese has grown almost exponentially as one of the foods people like to talk
about, study, evaluate, discover . . . and, oh yeah, eat. And for those who crave
the good stuff Murray’s is universally acknowledged as THE cheese temple.
The contacts he’s made around the world guarantee his shop has the best cheese
available. Murray’s has an affineur (cheese ager) constantly checking the wheels
and rounds in four separate temperature and humidity controlled caves - this
allows the cheese to evolve and develop unique flavor profile and appearance.
Watch part one shot at Murray’s Cheese Shop in New York.
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