Rainbeau Ridge Farm Visit

Rainbeau Ridge in Bedford Hills, NY is our primary source for local fresh goat cheeses. The cheese is light and creamy with a hint of grass and personifies what a fresh goat cheese should be.  So when Lisa Schwartz invited us to visit her farm and cheesemaking operation there, we marked our calendars and licked our lips in anticipation for the freshest samples of her amazing goat cheese. The day finally came and so did the rain! A little rain doesn’t stop the goats and so we didn’t let it stop us either. Being only 40 minutes from Ridgefield, it was easy to coordinate our food-loving group — myself, my husband Todd (thanks for the great photos, honey!), Terence from our wine store, and cheesemonger Patty with her toddler Ishbel in tow. Lisa must have known we were hungry, as she started us off in the farmhouse, sampling the cheeses we know and love as well as a new hard aged goat cheese she is experimenting with. We were all crazy about the new aged cheese, especially Ishbel, who at 18 months old, was happy she had the words “more cheese?” in her limited vocabulary! Nom nom…

Rainbeau Ridge feels like an old fashioned farm. Vegetables growing here, herbs there, and a variety of animals — sheep, cows, turkey, peacocks, cats, chickens, and of course, goats with their newborn kids! Can I get an E-I-E-I-O? Lisa, along with the help of a team of volunteers and interns, produces spectacular cheeses while finding ways to give back to the land and the community.  The farm includes a small-scale egg operation, organic vegetable gardens, a restored orchard, small pastures, barns designed for the farm’s many animals, and a very small cheese house, where Lisa Schwartz, the cheesemaker and owner, creates her award-winning farmstead goat milk cheeses. I think we were all in agreement that, despite the rain, our visit to Rainbeau Ridge went beyond our expectations.

The farm was a serene and peaceful place, the animals well taken care of, and the teeny tiny cheese house was a true example of cheesemaking efficiency!

You don’t have to be a cheesemonger to visit a local farm. While Rainbeau Ridge in not open daily to the general public, there are many programs at the farm for kids and adults offering an opportunity to experience the life there. Take a day to see where your food comes from. It is a wonderful family experience and always an adventure.  For details about Lisa’s wonderful cooking classes and children’s programs that offer a truly unique learning experience and environment, check her website: www.rainbeauridge.com.

We get a Rainbeau Ridge cheese delivery once a week and they do go quickly. Here’s the selection we currently offer:

ChevreLait:

Fresh, farmstead pasteurized goat milk cheese in 5” rounds

Meridian:

Ash-coated or ash/veined round (round with ash vein in middle and coated in same)

MontVivant:

Similar to France’s popular Valençay, this lightly aged cheese is slightly drier than the rounds; with an evolving taste and texture

Coming soon…

Luscious Lemon:

We’ve been patiently waiting for the re-appearance of this lemon version of fresh ChevreLait to make its seasonal debut. It is scented with lemon verbena grown on the farm and topped with pretty pansies. Almost too pretty to eat… almost.

Nom Nom..Cheese Please