Shepherdista

GOODBYE CHEESE LOVERS!

 

10 YEARS OF AWARD-WINNING CHEESES • 2009-2019

Bleating Heart Cheese enjoyed a decade of cheesemaking in California.

Our last remaining cheeses were sold in 2019.

It was our immense pleasure to share our handcrafted, award-winning

"American Original" cheeses with all those who supported us.

This site is no longer being updated,

but all content about our cheeses and our history will remain here.

***PLEASE CONTINUE SUPPORTING LOCAL ARTISAN CHEESEMAKERS***

Raw Sheep Milk • Natural Rind • Aged 2-3 months
Shepherdista sheep milk cheese from Bleating Heart

Created in 2011, "Shepherdista" is a play on the words 'shepherd' and 'fashionista' as inspired by cheesemaker Seana's commitment to infuse some style and flair into her new-found agricultural pursuits....silver farm boots? Damn right. Wearing lipgloss when hauling milk cans? Of course. Shepherdista is made exclusively from the milk of dairy sheep who live and graze freely on open pastures. The cheese is made by hand and then aged for at least 3 months on wood shelves. We let the rind develop naturally and spontaneously - it's molds gone wild. In the humid cave-like conditions of our aging room, the cheeses are turned and patted every few days, encouraging the natural molds of our region to take up residence on the rind. The microbial community that develops on the rind changes somewhat through the seasons, so the rinds on cheeses made in June may look a bit different than rinds from cheeses made in March, and we love that! The supple ivory paste has a few holes and contrasts beautifully with the stone-colored molds on the natural rind. With subtle grassy notes and a pleasant tang that only sheep milk can provide, Shepherdista is perfect on it's own paired with a light red wine or slightly acidic white wine, some crackers and fruit, but it's also the perfect candidate for a super chic grilled cheese or great shaved into a salad. 

  • 1ST PLACE RIBBON, AMERICAN CHEESE SOCIETY 2016
  • GOLD MEDAL WINNER, CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR 2016 
  • GOLD MEDAL WINNER, CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR 2015
  • BRONZE MEDAL WINNER WORLD CHEESE AWARDS 2014
  • GOLD MEDAL WINNER, CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR 2014
  • GOLD MEDAL WINNER, CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR 2013
  • SILVER MEDAL WINNER, CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR 2012 
Ewes on Pasture
Shephedista cheese being served at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Shepherdista cheese in the aging room