Questions:
Answers:
- Q: What kind of cheese do we make?
- We make aged raw milk cheeses from cows’ milk. We currently offer Belford and have more varieties coming soon.
- Belford – Belford is our signature cheese. We sell it in both a young and mature form. It is similar to an aged gouda but has some cheddar – like qualities. It is very creamy and has a lovely tang. Belford is a delicious table cheese and goes especially well with apples and pears. Belford (particularly the younger) melts well and is delicious in recipes.
- Andalo - Andalo is an Italian-style cheese made from whole cow’s milk. It is matured for 6 months to a year. It has a piquant flavor is a lovely match for dried fruits. Dried figs are our favorite. It is also delicious grated over pasta or in a soufflé.
- Leyden – Leyden is a traditional Dutch-style cheese made with whole cumin seeds. We sell it at 3 months old to one year old. The cumin seeds impart a subtle lemony flavor as it matures. Leyden is a wonderful table cheese with bread and a good red wine.
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- Q: Where can you buy James Ranch Cheese?
- Right now we are focusing on our local market and encourage people to buy as much of their food locally as they can. We limit our shipping to whole wheels (9-15 lbs.).
- Our cheese is available at the farm stand at the James Ranch, Bread Bakery, Durango Farmer’s Market, and the Telluride Farmer’s Market. There are a few select restaurants in Colorado that feature our cheese. See "find our products" page for details and directions to these locations
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- Q: How should our cheeses be served?
- To truly get all the texture and flavor from our cheeses, the portion you are eating at the time should be allowed to reach room temperature. Our cheeses are meant primarily as table cheeses to be enjoyed with a good, crusty bread and other accompaniments. They do generally melt well (depending on the age and variety) and can be used in cooking. See the above descriptions of each cheese for specific suggestions.
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- Q: Do you make farmstead cheese?
- Yes!
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- Q: What is farmstead cheese?
- Farmstead cheese is made on the farm with milk from our own animals. This is important because when the cheese maker has an intimate knowledge of the pastures, seasonal cycles, and the animals he is able to adjust and take advantage of the nuances the variation of any of these factors can produce. This also means we control the quality of the cows’ feed and the cleanliness of our facilities and therefore are able to have great confidence in the source of our milk. This is not factory-produced cheese.
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- Q: Why do you make raw milk cheeses?
- Because we have such confidence in the quality of our milk, we choose not to pasteurize or homogenize which can destroy some of the milk’s flavor and health characteristics. Any cheese maker will agree that using unpasteurized milk makes a better cheese. There is ongoing research into the health benefits of raw milk cheeses. We invite you to visit realmilk.com to learn more about raw milk and raw milk cheeses.
- Note: All raw milk cheeses sold in the United States must be aged for at least 60 days and our cheeses are.
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