DECEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 26, 2013 • VOL. 28, NO. 21 • W W W.NE W TIMESSLO.COM • SA N LUIS OBISPO COUNT Y’S NE WS A ND ENTERTA INMENT WEEK LY
The
cheesiest story ever told
Get an inside look at oper ations at Centr al Coast Cr eamery [24] BY STEVE E. MILLER
Central Coast Creamery Cheeses are available at the following locations: Le Vigne winery, Vivant Fine Cheese, Di Raimondos Italian Market, General Store Paso Robles, Pithy Little Wine Company, New Frontiers, Fromagerie Sophie, Cambria’s (Friday) and Morro Bay’s (Saturday) Farmers Markets.
cheese Everything is better with
STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVE E. MILLER
L
ocated in a nondescript industrial complex on the border of Templeton and Paso Robles is a dairy lover’s heaven, the Central Coast Creamery. Creamery owner and cheese maker Reggie Jones began his life in the cheese industry in 1991 when he started working at a lab in a cheese plant in Turlock, right out of college. It took 16 years for him to finally start making his own cheese in 2007, with the idea in mind that Paso Robles, with its thriving wine industry and past history of a strong dairy tradition, would be the perfect place to open shop. With more than 70,000 pounds of cheese produced in 2013, the plan is to produce more than 100,000 pounds in 2014, which will put the Central Coast Creamery between the large commodity producers and the really small artisan
producers throughout the state and the country. Jones wanted to start a company that would “make high quality, flavorful cheeses that could stand alone and be enjoyed and appreciated for the passion that went into producing them.” Currently, he makes five varieties of cheese at his Paso Robles location, using milk sourced from the Central Valley: Holey Cow Swiss (which is documented in this photo essay); Goat Cheddar made from 100 percent whole goat milk; Goat Gouda, which is the only domestic goat milk gouda available, and in the proprietary process of making this cheese a 4-month-old round actually resembles the taste and texture of a year-aged round; Seascape, which is made from a combination of goat and cow milk; and Big Rock Blue, which is an organic cow milk CHEESE continued next page
A locally owned and operated cheese manufacturer opens its doors to New Times
A CAT’S DREAM The pasteurization vat contains 500 gallons of milk—a combination of Holstein and Jersey cow milk that has a 3.8 percent milk fat content and is gently warmed to start the process of making the Holey Cow Swiss Cheese. It takes 10 pounds of milk to make one pound of cheese. (One gallon of water weighs a little more than 8 pounds, for reference.)
CHEESE from page 24
ENZYMIC REACTION When the milk has properly mixed with the cheese culture, rennet (a microbial enzyme) is poured in to start the coagulation process that separates the whey from the curd. The whole process takes about a half hour.
mild blue cheese. Jones mentioned that there are plans to start making surface-ripened cheeses when he can expand the ripening room in the spring of 2014. Also in the near future for the Central Coast Creamery is setting up a small classroom for private tastings and cheese classes. One of the factors behind the cheesemaking operation’s success so far is the proximity to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which has provided several highly motivated and qualified paid interns who have helped with the building of the brand and the operations. Grab a cheese knife and hop aboard the localvore revolution which is growing by the year. ∆ Steve E. Miller is the New Times staff photographer, and he loves cheese almost as much as he loves bacon. You can reach him at semiller@newtimesslo.com. CHEESE continued page 26
GOOD BACTERIA After the milk is heated to its regulated temperature, owner Reggie Jones adds the culture and allows it to mix with the milk.
CAPTIVE AUDIENCE Friends of Reggie drop in during the pumping of curd and whey from the pasteurizing vat to the draining tank. Cal Poly intern and Dairy Sciences major Lindsey Mendes helps Reggie control the flow.
COLOR AND STATE CHANGE The cheese curd is just barely starting to separate from the whey. It has a very light, sweet taste to it.
IMMACULATELY CLEAN Throughout the process of making a batch of cheese, everything is cleaned as they go. Additionally, all of the parts for the process are made of stainless steel and imported from Holland.
TWO SIDES On the left is the whey, which will be sold to a hog farmer. On the right is the cheese curd, which will make the Holey Cow cheese.
DELICIOUS SLICES Lindsey makes the cubes of cheese curd which will be placed into molds to create the rounds of cheese.
FIRST CHUNK Reggie pulls out the hardest-to-extract chunk from the compressed curd which will be placed into the molds.
CHEESE from page 25
PRESS TIME The chunks of curd are lined up in their molds waiting to be pressed into shape.
PNEUMATIC POWER The quiet process of cheese making is broken by the air compressor which powers the pneumatic presses that create the distinctive cheese rounds.
SALTY ROUNDS The day after the pressing, the cheese rounds are placed in a brine bath for three days.
PRESS THEN FLIP After an initial pressing, the cheese is taken out of the mold and then flipped to make a uniform shape. The cheese is then left in the press overnight.
FINAL PRODUCT A finished round of Holey Cow is ready for packaging; below is a ready-for-sale Seascape.
SPONGE BATH When the cheese has properly set, a cheese coating is sponged onto the round in order to protect the soft, delicious goodness within. Racks of aging cheeses surround Reggie.