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Cacio Pecora

Producer
Fruition Farms Dairy
Country
United States
Region
Colorado
Size
8-10 in diameter x 5 in height
Weight
6 lbs
Website
http://www.fruitionfarmsdairy.com
Milk
Sheep
Treatment
Raw
Classification
Firm
Rennet
Animal
Microbial
Rind
Natural

Alex Seidel purchased a ten-acre farm just south of Denver in Larkspur, Colorado in May of 2009. Partnering with Josh Halder from Verde Farms and former Fruition Restaurant sous chef Jimmy Warren, Siedel’s idea was to create a learning center and a sustainable relationship between farm and restaurant, spreading awareness among community members and local restaurants of the fundamentals of farming produce, animal husbandry and the creation of artisanal products.

After attending the Dairy Sheep Association of North America’s annual symposium in the Hudson Valley, the trio was inspired to create Colorado’s first artisanal sheep dairy and creamery. Less than a year later, in September of 2010, they welcomed a flock of 40 milking ewes and one ram. Cheesemaking began three days later. Today Fruition Farms sells lamb and sheep’s wool in addition to three farmstead cheeses, which are produced using whole sheep’s milk from twice-daily milkings.

Inspired by a combination of cheesemaking traditions from both Italy and Spain, in its early days, Cacio Pecora was produced in a ten-quart stockpot and aged in a wine cooler cave. Today it has upgraded to a 100-gallon make tank and 600 sq. feet of temperature and humidity-controlled caves. A recipe that took 18 months of trial and error to perfect, this semi-firm cheese develops its unique flavor and texture due to the use of raw sheep’s milk and the addition of mesophilic and thermophilic cultures. Pressed into six-pound molds and brined for two days, wheels are then aged for a minimum of six months.

Tasting Notes

Texture of Cacio Pecora is firm, while flavor is nutty, floral and grassy.

Pairings

Fruition Farms’ cheesemakers suggest incorporating this cheese into risotto or potatoes, or shaving it onto a salad.

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