Port Chester - Cheese Course

by Max Shrem, Posted Dec 2nd 2009 @ 1:00PM

Photo: 5 Spoke Creamery

Cheese-making is getting closer to the city. Lisa Schwartz of Rainbeau Ridge Farm farms in areas surrounding New York City, such as Westchester County which borders Manhattan to the north. Recently, Alan Glustoff of 5 Spoke Creamery finalized an agreement to operate the last remaining farmland in the county -- Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

For Manhattanites, this development means it will be easier to get a hold of Glustoff's Port Chester, an exceptional raw cow's milk cheese. Glustoff already produces small batches for city restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, Per Se and Dirt Candy and sells at select stores nationwide.

"This bold cheese packs an olfactory journey to the field," says Glustoff. Indeed, the earthy taste has a lot to do with the cows' rich diet. "The Holsteins are on pasture during the grass season, which is roughly from early March until the end of November," Glustoff explains. "Their varied diet of different grasses, flowers and herbs contributes to Port Chester's flavor and appearance."

Glustoff takes pride in the agricultural possibilities in Westchester. "Our mission has been to bring back traditional cheese-making practices to Westchester County," he says. In fact, Port Chester is named after the old industrial town where most of his early meetings on the dairy took place.

By making interesting cheeses, like Port Chester, Glustoff hopes to not only revitalize dairy farming in the region but also to encourage people to partake in a healthier lifestyle. "Our creamery is named 5 Spoke Creamery, a reference to my passion for cycling and my belief in a balanced lifestyle -- eating well and daily physical activity. To this end, we support local bike clubs and encourage people to spend more time outside regardless of the time of year."

The healthful ingredients of the cheese support Glustoff's claim to live a well-balanced lifestyle. They include Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats, and conjugated linoleic acid, one of the most potent cancer fighters in food.

Filed Under: Cheese Course
Tags: america, cheese, CheeseCourse, east coast, local food, local food movement, LocalFood, LocalFoodMovement