Jonathan White's Bobolink Dairy

[docsconz]

Was in the neighborhood (relatively speaking) this past weekend and zipped by to pick up some cheese and bread. The Tarte de Vache and cheddar are my two personal favorites. Wonderful food, wonderful place and wonderful people. Unfortunately we got a late start to get there and it was a little further than I anticipated, so we didn't have a lot of time to linger. Next time I hope to be able to stay a little longer.

[laurenmilan]

Wow, I lived in that area for 20 years of my life and never knew about it. ;-)

I smell field trip (and nice stinky cheese!)

[Fat Guy]

It has only been around for about a year.

[Jason Perlow]

Rachel, Jhlurie and myself went to Bobolink Dairy today to check out the facilities for our NJ eGullet Pig BBQ and Pot Luck coming up. Here's some digital photos we took:

Edited August 29, 2003 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[tanabutler]

Jonathan, I sent a link to this thread to the chef who does the farm dinners I'm involved with. The whole thread is fascinating, the pictures are wonderful, and it's exactly the kind of thing he likes to read about.

How far are you from NYC? I am coming in October for a brief visit.

[Rachel Perlow]

It's about an hour and a half once you get over the Hudson River. Why don't you come to the eGullet Potluck on September 21st?

[suzilightning]

just got back about an hour ago(took a look around me see which way the wind blow - sorry, couldn't help it)

we met susan and a lovely collection of cows, hens, roosters, and the most mellow barn cats on the face of the earth

tried several of the cheeses and came home with the drumm and the cheddar. john is leaving for another business trip tuesday and after tasting some of the samples of bread he is going away with a loaf of the garlic, garlic and rosemary and a cranberry/orange. i also have now been given the assignment to visit the dairy after i finish work at 3 on saturdays to stock up with product.

seriously wonderful stuff and lovely people and animals

couse now after driving 45 minutes each way john has lain down for a nap.

dinner we have already decided will be chicken and sun-dried tomato sausages cut into bite-sized pieces,slivers of cheese, fresh jersey tomatoes, a little salad and mixed olives, eaten reclining on the bed with only a paring knife. heck the sheets need to be changed anyway

Edited August 31, 2003 by suzilightning (log)

[tanabutler]

It's about an hour and a half once you get over the Hudson River. Why don't you come to the eGullet Potluck on September 21st?

Rachel, I'm in Santa Cruz, California, and will only be coming to upstate New York for the weekend of October 11-12 and perhaps another day or two on either end of that window. But thanks for the nice invitation.

[madziast]

this sounds so wonderful, the cheeses, the bread, the farm... the pictures were amazing. must go ASAP--can one get there using public transportation or is a car required? also, where can i find out more about the potluck on sept. 21?

[jhlurie]

this sounds so wonderful, the cheeses, the bread, the farm...  the pictures were amazing.  must go ASAP--can one get there using public transportation or is a car required?  also, where can i find out more about the potluck on sept. 21?

As requested... where to find out more about the Potluck on Sept 21st.

[Randi]

My friend Nancy and I decided to head to northwest NJ to go leaf peeping and I thought a good destination would be Bobolink for some cheese and bread! Evidently, we weren't the only ones with that idea - the cheese tasting room was packed and there was a line out the door!

We took our time, choosing some breads (a rosemary epi, cranberry walnut salt stick, and the rosemary garlic bread) but people were still arriving and the line was getting longer, so we got into the line. Jonathan was there slicing cheese, giving tastes and talking about them all. He is a delight to listen to. I don't think anyone minded the wait, as he is so warm and friendly, and they sent out a plate with cheeses to sample for the folks in the line outside the building.

I bought just about every cheese I tasted - how could I narrow it down! I ended up with 6 (maybe more, I can't remember now) which included: Frolic (YUM!) Pancake, Ale-washed, Jean Louis (double yum!), cheddar, and the as yet unnamed "wine and cheese" cheese.

I was pleased that Jonathan recognized me from the 9/21 egullet pot luck, as I hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to him that day.

I asked him how long they will keep and he said a week outside the fridge and at least a month inside the fridge. I adore the taste at room temperature but I think I would feel better keeping them cool. I haven't put them in yet...but I probably will before heading up to bed.

By the way - after tasting them this afternoon, I took samples of each to a friend's house where we made our own "cheese course" after dinner. I returned home around 1 AM and made myself another plate (and was happy I hadn't put them in the fridge yet).

Anyone have any thoughts or experiences they want to share about how they stored their Bobolink treasures?

(By the way - Rachel - I see your "waving bear" is still there waiting for you to adopt him!)

[Rachel Perlow]

(By the way - Rachel - I see your "waving bear" is still there waiting for you to adopt him!)

The guy wouldn't sell him, nevermind that it would cost $1200 if he would. Anyway, he's supposed to call me when he finds another log that wants to be carved into that shape.

[suzilightning]

i want the eagle...\

rachel there are a bunch waving bears in my neighborhood - course they are reallly furry and walk around

[Rail Paul]

The newark star ledger had an excellent article by pat tanner on bobolink farm this past wednesday.

Good run through on the origins of this organic farm, the presence in greenmarkets, and the ability to monitor every thing which touches the food. The humaneness of animal care, a little bit about Jonathan and Nina, and a lot about the cheeses.

The farm will be open weekends during the winter for eggs, cheese, bread, etc.

The article doesn't appear to be on-line yet...

[elyse]

Eggs? I should talk to him about eggs.

[tanabutler]

Because I read this thread, I recognized Jonathan immediately when he appeared at the Outstanding in the Field farm dinner on October 12. This was at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Sleepy Hollow.

Pictures of the dinner

Look at this gorgeous art.

Frankly, people adored him. And he seemed to have a good time.

As I have mentioned elsethread, the French pastry chef from Blue Hill served our cheese platter. He said, "Thees cheese iz hawsummmm!"

Every single bite was Hawsummmm, and my friend, Betsy, who lives in Ringwood, intends to visit Bobolink. I bet the place is crawling, after Jonathan's visit to this big crowd.

[elyse]

No, I meant to bring a bit of the region into my business. If his production is down it might not work. But I'll take a ride up to 116th to chat with him some Thursday. Like this coming one.

[Rail Paul]

You might want to check Bobolink's website, or e-mail Jonathan for locations / egg deals.

Robert Schonfeld mentioned Bobolink is at USQ on Monday and at Rock Center one other day.

[elyse]

Will do. Thanks, Paul.

[JosephB]

Jonothan and Bobolink got some nice exposure in the Nov. 10, 2003 New York Magazine. NY Magazine

I didn't know he co-founded Egg Farm Dairy with Charlie Palmer.

Edited November 11, 2003 by JosephB (log)

[tanabutler]

I guess I can’t emphasize enough how personal (animal?) the farm is—I was so happy when Jonathan introduced us to each cow by name. When he introduced us to Heike, I chuckled to myself as I have a friend from Germany named Heike and I had never met another Heike before I met the herd. Now I know two lovely Heikes. After we were introduced to the first row of milking cows, he corralled us over to the other side saying “You haven’t met the other cows yet. This is Eeyore and this is . . .” I didn’t even know that Chanticleer was Chanticleer until Jonathan posted on his behalf.

Revisiting this thread now, I was reminded by Ellen's post of a goat farmer I met last month. Her name is Amy Wend, and she runs Skyhill Farms in Napa. She provided "rigoatta" cheese and goat feta for the dinner at Frog's Leap Winery. Her quote that cracked us up: "Anyone who says they name all their goats is lying."

I think she's got a lot more goats than Jonathan has cows.