Random Cheese

Shepherdista

Sheep Milk

Raw Milk • Natural Rind • Aged 2-3 months

Created in 2011, this cheese is called "Shepherdista" which is a play on the words 'shepherd' and 'fashionista' as inspired by my commitment to infuse my own style and flair into my new-found agricultural pursuits....silver farm boots? Damn right. A pink cheese room apron? Naturally. Wearing lipgloss when hauling milk cans? Of course. Bleating Heart's Shepherdista is made exclusively from the milk of Lacaune-East Friesian dairy sheep who live and graze on a 28 acre farm in western Sonoma County, on the outskirts of Sebastopol, CA. The cheese is...

Mixtress

Mixed Milk

Raw Milk • Natural Rind • Aged 2-3 months

Availability:

Intermittently available, depending upon milk supply

We are totally committed to our sheep milk cheeses here at Bleating Heart, but the sheep milk is seasonal, subjecting us to a long dry spell. Even when things get going again, it takes a while for the milk to really start flowing enough to meet our needs. So what’s an insatiable cheesemaker to do? Well, we had to look for some extra milk action on the side. We fulfilled our bawdy appetite by stepping out and getting some luscious jersey cow milk to mix with our beloved sheep milk. This 60/40 sheep/cow blend left us feeling quite satisfied and we named our new creation: “Mixtress”. This supple cheese is made exclusively by hand in small batches and then aged on wood for two months in our aging room located on an apple orchard. We are proud to admit that we prefer our molds a little wild, so we let the rind develop spontaneously. The suave buttery-yellow paste has a few small holes and contrasts beautifully with the natural rind. Intriguing flavor notes include nutty essence from the sheep milk and buttery goodness from the jersey milk. This cheese is produced off and on during sheep milk season and everything we produced so far is already sold out. We do plan to make more of this cheese later in the season so we will update availability here. Despite its short time on the market and limited availability, Mixtess has managed to make it on the cheese roster at various tasting classes at the Cheese School in SF, several restaurants featured it on their menu, and it was also written up as one of 12 California Cheeses Everyone Should Know...

<<Subtle, nutty and, well -- just right. This blended cow and sheep's milk cheese is modeled after French Basque cheese. While it is firm enough to slice, you may be surprised by the creaminess of the texture as it melts on your palate. Pinot Noir fans will adore the way this pairs with their favorite bottle.>>

Raw Sheep & Jersey Cow Milk
Natural Rind
Traditional Rennet
Aged at least 2-3 months
Wheels average 2.5 to 3 lbs each

Where To Buy

Click on the Buy Cheese menu link above to see where you might find Bleating Heart cheeses. Keep in mind that due to our small and seasonal production, the cheeses are not always available, so call ahead to see what's in stock! If you have any questions about buying Bleating Heart cheese, please use the contact form available under the contact menu link at the top of this page to get in touch with us. Feel free to contact one of our distributors directly if you wish to make a wholesale purchase. Our cheeses are sold at fine food purveyors and dining establishments, or may be shipped to you direct by contacting Cowgirl Creamery at (866) 433-7834

Cheese Availability

Sheep milk is seasonal, dairy ewes only produce milk for about 6 months out of the year. This means our sheep cheeses are seasonal as well, with availability from spring through fall. From time to time we also make cow milk cheeses and mixed milk cheeses, with intermittent year round availability, it mainly depends on how much space we have in our aging rooms. As our cheeses come in and out of availability, we will announce it here and on the Bleating Heart Facebook page. If you are looking to buy our cheese, click on the Buy Cheese menu link above.

Cheese is fun.