Capricorn, Capra, the Goat

The season of the Capricorn fast approaches, and goats are on our mind! Well, on mine at least...

After the Soledad Goat Farm tour in October, we had an increased level of interest among meetup members to see a real working goat farm. So, thanks to one of our members, Moti, she suggested Drake Family Farms in Ontario, CA for our next meetup. Moti is also an intern there and is a fascinating person who is truly connected and devoted to the community gardening/farming initiative. On Saturday, November 3rd, we enjoyed a special day at the farm where owner Dan Drake provided us an in-depth tour of the goat cheese production process, followed by a tasting of their artisanal cheeses. Needless to say, first timers were truly thrilled at meeting these docile creatures, and those who were more curious gained in-depth information on the kind of lifestyle, challenges, and financial realities of operating a goat cheese business.

A perfect Southern California sunny day for a  neat learning opportunity about the goat-cheese process, from milking, to draining, to ripening. So much goes into this, and the final products are simply fantastic!

Like many cheese loving friends, I have developed a special love and affinity for a good goat cheese, or "chevre". Look at the French, they have perfected it for centuries. It is also quite versatile as an ingredient in recipes like creamy fettucini,  stuffed peppers, lasagna. Or just simply spread onto crackers or crusty bread with a  nice glass of Rioja or Merlot!  mm...mmmm....Also, goat cheese is naturally more alkaline and digestible than cow's milk.  It's a good source of vitamins and minerals. After all, these goats are free-roaming and relatively stress-free! So, you're getting a product close to what our ancestors lived on. Pure, unadulterated, straight from the land.....now how much better can it get?