Buche

Producer

Juniper Grove Farm

Country

United States

Region

Oregon

Size

4-5 ins long, 2 ins diameter

Weight

7 oz

Website

www.junipergrovefarm.com

Milk

Goat

Classification

Soft

Rennet

Animal

Rind

Mold Ripened

Owned and run by Pierre Kolisch, Juniper Grove Farm is located on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountain Range, a stunningly beautiful area in Oregon.

The farm was established in 1985 and is home to a herd of 110 goats and a small, vibrant farmstead cheesemaking operation. The goats browse the pastures surrounding the dairy year round, eating shrubs, grass, and alfalfa. Since the geology in this region reflects its volcanic past, the soil is particularly rich in minerals, which is reflected in the flavor of the milk and Juniper Grove's cheeses.

An attorney by training, later in life Pierre decided to pursue his passion for cheese. Having acquired the farm, he worked in Normandy by apprenticing with Camembert cheesemaker, François Durand, and also earned a degree at the National Dairy School in Poligny before returning to the United States in 1987.

Pierre makes a range of farmstead goat cheeses largely inspired by French recipes, and uses European methods.

Buche is an 8oz cheese formed in the shape of a log with a straw of wheat running horizontally through the middle. The straw is not only decorative, as it helps to prevent the fragile log from breaking.

The Buche's characteristic soft, wrinkly rind is a result of the geotricum candidim mold that helps to ripen the cheese. It is a mold frequently used in France for the production of young goat's milk cheeses.

The texture of Juniper Grove's Buche is soft, moist and delicately fluffy. As the cheeses age, they become softer and runnier under the rind, while the center remains slightly firmer.

Flavors are rich and citrus-like, with notes of grass and hazelnuts. With age, Buche can develop a pronounced tang and become quite assertive.