PETALUMA, CA
The 8th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival was held this weekend in Petaluma.
It was a great event, with more than 75 vendors and over 30 premium artisan cheesemakers.
I sampled every cheese in sight and I tried water buffalo cheese for the first time.
While the event was predominately geared towards consumers rather than industry, it was a good opportunity to sample and buy artisan California cheeses.
I was impressed with the tremendous diversity of cheeses from throughout California and elsewhere.
Some of my favorite cheeses were there, including those from:
Beehive Cheese Co.
Bellwether Farms
Central Coast Creamery
Clover Stornetta Farms
Cowgirl Creamery
Cypress Grove Chevre
Laura Chenel's Chevre
Pennyroyal Farm
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.
Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery
Probably the most exotic cheese I tried was the water buffalo cheese from Bohemian Creamery. I was told that there is currently only one water buffalo dairy in all of California. The gorgonzola dolce cheese made from this milk had such a unique and pungent taste, it is truly hard to forget.
This was a great event with lots of quality products on display. It makes me happy to realize that
there is such a vibrant cheesemaking culture alive in California.
8th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival
