To the finish line and beyond….

Welcome to this weeks Jacobs Creamery news update!

I doubt you will be very shocked to hear whats on my mind this week. It starts with c and yes it ends with e!
I didn’t get the title of Cheese Czarina for adoring anything else but cheese. Its on my mind and I am zinging with the excitement of it all.
However, before I divulge the object of my zinging excitement I would like for you to think back to high school. Think of leaves falling, crisp mornings, classes and that crush you had. Think of how you felt when your most special crush -the end all be all of your life- (your in high school dramatic is necessary) passed you a note that read
“I think your cute will you go out with me?” check Yes or No.
That’s the sort of excitement that I am feeling. True love -this week- comes in the form of a very hard, slightly salty aged cheese that yours truly made.
Ahh yes perhaps you thought I would not pull it off, but I did declare many weeks ago that I would debut something new (not something borrowed and blue) at my very first cheese event which just happens to be just a day away. Yes! The Wedge it is this Saturday! 928 SE 9th Portland 10-4pm outside Green Dragon Pub (link).
Perhaps I shouldn’t be so nervous but it is less than two years ago that I decided that I wanted to make cheese. Less than two years to actually making my first cheese.
When I noticed my knife wavering trying to slice through the firm thickness of my newbie I felt a sense of contentment. Whereas I am sure that market goers will always love me for my creamy mascarpone, delightful butter and delectable puddings I am certain that I will win an American Cheese Society Award for one of my creations that took a little more time to declare ripe. Which is why the unveiling of my new cheese thrills and delights me so.
I really do think that I am ready for the next step in my cheese making career, I am ready to start making some hard aged cheese.

My weekday markets came to a grinding halt this week. It went out with a bang. I was certain last week that my rib which was vacationing off in Texas, was ever going to come back. It forced me to make the executive decision to cancel the very last Cannon Beach market and head to Dr. Yang my beloved Chinese doctor to have my rib put back where it should have never left in the first place. Having a rib change lodgings is one thing, but getting it back is a black and blue painful experience. I was told to not lift and try not to move very fast for a couple weeks. Knowing this was never going to happen I decided to take a break and stay off of it for a whole day- I thought this would speed my recovery somewhat. Its left me feeling rather rested but still a little swollen so lets bypass any slaps on the back this week ok?

Perhaps many of you have heard of the new exhibit at the Oregon Zoo. In the throws of production this week I heard on the radio the announcement for the new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. Being a cheese maker and general rich milk enthusiast, I started to think about all the animals at the Zoo and their milk, and found myself wondering about the Elephants. Elephants have always been a favorite of mine, I actually have a collection of elephants from my travels abroad and seem to always be amazed at their grace and strength. On my last trip to India I rode on a back of an elephant in New Delhi in rush hour traffic and my admiration for the creatures grew. After thinking about the animal and its size, I came to the conclusion that elephant milk is most likely richer than Jersey milk, because a Jersey cow is nowhere near as large as an elephant. Some research confirmed my suspicion. Elephant milk has a 11.6% fat and 4.6% protein which is much higher than the 8% that Jersey milk has.
This fact made my love for Elephants grow but my love for sheep grow even stronger because sheep have the same milk fat as elephants!
I still count sheep before I go to bed at night which usually means that I am asleep before my head hits the pillow because I am still sheepless (but nowhere near Seattle).
This Monday I will be all about the sheep and plan to have a good run with the flock and taste some of their lovely rich milk on my first of the season farm visit to a sheep creamery.
Pictures will follow….
Come Tuesday I will be touring the very large Safeway dairy production plant. I am very much looking forward to my special private tour (from the former owner of LeVan my still very reliable truck). I even have a pair of dazzling never seen the ground pink rubber boots to wear for the tour!
Pictures will follow of that too!

It would delight me to no end to see all your smiling faces at The Wedge this Saturday.

Well its happened again you have wasted another perfect ten minutes reading my newsletter!
Don’t drive near my father (who will be race driving LeVan from the market for me on Saturday)

Adieu-Adieu

Cheese Czarina!