Lamb Chopper: A Biker Lamb That’s ‘Born To Be Mild’

When Cypress Grove founder Mary Keehn was developing the company’s first and only sheep’s milk cheese, she planned to name it “Lamborghini.” The car manufacturer’s legal team ultimately pulled the plug on that idea—but the concept of a lamb on wheels persisted. “So we ended up with Lamb Chopper riding his Harley through the redwoods and poppies,” Keehn explains.

Painter and native Californian Nancy Norman created the whimsical image to reflect the cheese’s tagline, “born to be mild.” Aged from three to six months, Lamb Chopper is buttery, sweet, and approachable, but not lacking in complexity, making it an ideal introduction to sheep’s milk cheese.

The wheel is one of the creamery’s best sellers, and Keehn believes the label has contributed to its success. “Names and logos are really important to people,” she says. “When I first started, every goat cheese had a French name…they were difficult to pronounce and relate to. People are celebrating when they buy a nice cheese, so we want it to be fun and casual, not stuffy.” The biker lamb speaks to Cypress Grove’s overarching philosophy: “We are really serious about the quality of our cheese,” Keehn says, “but we’re equally serious about having a good time.”

Kristine Jannuzzi

Food and travel writer Kristine Jannuzzi (aka @nyccheesechick) fell for formaggio the first time she tasted Pecorino Toscano in Florence some 20 years ago. She has been a frequent Culture contributor since 2013, and her work has also been published in La Cucina Italiana, Italy Magazine, and British Heritage Travel, among others. A bilingual dual American and Italian citizen, Kristine currently hosts private cheese tastings and visits to cheesemakers in Tuscany.