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cheese
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DRAMATIC EFFECT Virginia locales are reflected in international cheese-making styles
SARA CRAMER SHIELDS
BY NICOLE ZEMA
A
Cheese flavors are influenced by what Gail Hobbs-Page’s goats eat at Caromont Farm in Albemarle County.
cast of international characters is ready for the spotlight. Funky, nutty, rich or smooth—the personalities of Virginiamade cheeses are a showstopper, and the state’s cheesemakers are continually rewriting the script. Distinct styles of old-world cheeses are infused with the essence of Virginia’s seasons—a production you don’t want to miss. “Seasonal changes, the weather, humidity, the vegetation, it really makes a difference,” said goat cheesemaker and chef Gail Hobbs-Page of Caromont Farm in Albemarle County. “Your job as a farmer is to navigate those changes successfully and keep your stock healthy, and then as a cheesemaker, channel the components of that milk into the right cheese at the right time.” Inspired by a smattering of Virginia goat cheesemakers, Hobbs-Page opened Caromont in 2007. She produces 25,000 pounds of dozens of styles of goat cheese each year. vafb.com / FALL 2020
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