Dec 21, 2007
Redding
At New Pond Farm: Farm-fresh cheese is for sale year-round
|
by HAMPTON CAREY
Almost every day in some form we grapple with the best means of giving to someone for whom we care, we wish to thank, or want to celebrate in some form. Next time you encounter this dilemma, consider something inherently natural and totally homemade, from a process as old as recorded history itself. And it may be found practically in your own backyard! You need look no farther than New Pond Farm, where Chris Casiello, the farm manager, has been perfecting the art of cheese making.
The results are now so delectable and widely diverse that they offer a great opportunity for a terrific gift for loved ones and friends given from both the heart and the land of our region.
What began for Mr. Casiello as a pilot project at New Pond Farm more than two years ago has grown tremendously, especially upon the purchase of a far larger pasteurizer that can take 50 gallons of fresh, raw farm fresh milk, which comes from the diverse herd of dairy cows on the farm.
One of the most unique aspects of New Pond Farm’s cheese is that some are derived from “raw milk.” Mr. Casiello explained, “Very few cheese makers use raw milk,” and it yields a product with an especially flavorful, memorable taste.
Over the years, Mr. Casiello has experimented with the making of all different kinds of cheeses, some of the raw milk derivative, others not. His repertoire now includes quite a selection, each honed from different European traditions. There is a soft Camembert. Then there is a far harder Welsh variety called Caerphilly, which Mr. Casiello said he picked because it works so well with the New Pond Farm milk. In describing this cheese, he said it ages quite quickly or is “young” and tastes fairly sharp and tangy — a bit like cheddar. Other cheeses that are produced include a hearty English Cheddar, a traditional Derbyshire, a Channel Isles Double Gloucester, Swiss Gruyère and Jarlsberg, Dutch Gouda, and a kid’s perennial favorite: Farmer’s Cheese.
Mr. Casiello’s enthusiasm for the art of cheese making and its results are infectious. He describes the refined artisanal process of making cheese with such passion and enthusiasm that you know is sure to reflect upon the end product itself — from grazing, to the addition of varied cultures, to curding and then aging it is all there to be witnessed. The end results reflect this care and commitment so much so that New Pond Farm was recently recognized with the Connecticut Dairy Farm of Distinction Award. Still, Mr. Casiello and his team are hardly resting on their laurels. There are active plans afoot to expand the cheese selection to offer many more varieties, including some blues like Stilton. And plans are also in the works to offer cheesemaking demonstrations.
Cheese, milk and yogurt (and during this holiday season, eggnog) are sold in the Farm’s Dairy Annex. New Pond Farm is on the corner of Marchant and Umpawaug roads. There is parking in the circular driveway between the barn and farmhouse, and a small sign by the annex door. The annex is open between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day.
Hampton Carey wrote this article for New Pond Farm.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
|
