Where For Art[isan] Thou?

• ARTISAN, ORGANIC, FARMSTEAD. All cool buzz words we Cheese Mongers like to toss about. But what do they really mean? Assuming this composition will not cure the insomnia from which I am suffering tonight I will delve into definitions, comparisons and why these words are important.
  
• AS with my favorite BORDEAUX region, Pomerol, the idea is quality not quantity. Would one expect anything less than perfection from a tiny communal region in France that produces less wine in a year than a certain giant Californian factory produces in six minutes?
  
• One year versus six minutes. Handmade, meticulously cared for, aged to perfection ARTISAN... or stems, leaves, insects and oh yeah grapes cranked out by a machine in six minutes. Hmmmm?
  
• And so is ARTISAN with cheese making.
  
• When I see a cheese maker's website feature pictures of their herd along with their children I think "they must care about their animals, right?"
  
  
  

• Artisan cheese making begins with caring. Caring about the welfare of these docile creatures from which you make your living. Caring about the integrity of the product you put to market, and caring about the craft and the artistry of the traditional cheese making process enough to stay this difficult path. A steel machine and a big sheet of plastic might be more profitable, but the cost of that profit is likened to selling one's soul.
  
• That brings us to the definition of the word Farmstead. A Farmstead Cheese is one that is made from a herd of animals owned by the cheese maker. The [ideal] flip side would be a cheese maker who does not own a herd of animals, but purchases milk from a local farmer [who posts portraits of his animals on his website] .
  
• Organic is a word that wears many hats.
  
• ADJECTIVE:
  Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms: organic matter.
  Of, relating to, or affecting a bodily organ: an organic disease. [yikes]
  Of, marked by, or involving the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin: organic vegetables; an organic farm. [thus organic cheese - milk producing critters fed crops that are not grown with nasty toxic stuff]
  Raised or conducted without the use of drugs, hormones, or synthetic chemicals: organic chicken; organic cattle farming. [yes.... this is what we look for]
  Serving organic food: an organic restaurant.
  Simple, healthful, and close to nature: an organic lifestyle.
  Having properties associated with living organisms.
  Resembling a living organism in organization or development; interconnected: society as an organic whole. [ooookkkaaayyyy]
  Constituting an integral part of a whole; fundamental.
  Law Denoting or relating to the fundamental or constitutional laws and precepts of a government or an organization.
  Chemistry Of or designating carbon compounds.
  
• Of course our main goal is, to sell you cheese :) BUT we want to be clear that we will not knowingly sell ANY product where an animal - or person [free trade is an entirely different insomniatic blog] is mistreated or chemically compromised.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Painting begins

The Cheese Shop On Park - brought to you in Technicolor!

Tile installation - we're looking more like a Cheese Shop every day!

Don't forget to visit our website http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/ - and forward our link to your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.

We love visitors - so please stop in and say hi if yousee the doors open during construction.

As always - if you have any comments, suggestions or favorite cheese requests - please send me an email or fill out our comment form below.

Till next time ! Kirsten