It’s time someone told you the truth: the moon isn’t made of green cheese and neither is the “cheese cave” at Brazos Valley Cheese, one of the newest vendors at Westchase District Farmers Market. About 200 employees at the artisan cheese-making company produce 2,000 pounds of handcrafted, award-winning cheeses every week on a 550 acre farm in Central Texas.
None of the cheese is green, but it is made from raw cow milk from grass-fed cows that are hormone- and GMO-free. “That means the cheese includes lots of probiotics and healthy bacteria,” said Rusty Cohorst, Houston representative for Brazos Valley Cheese, LLC. “It’s nutritionally as beneficial as eating yogurt.”
And what of this cave? Well, it’s not a cave made of cheese, but rather a man-made cave dug 20 feet underground – the only one of its kind in Texas – where the raw cow milk cheeses are aged for between two and 18 months. Using traditional aging methods that enhance the unique flavors of their cheeses, the artisan community offers between 15 and 20 varieties. They also feature six award-winning cheeses that are nationally recognized by the American Cheese Society.
“Through our farmers markets and distribution networks, we ship our cheeses all over Texas,” said Cohorst. “Chefs at top flight restaurants, resorts and hotels such as the Hilton Anatole and the DFW Grand Hyatt, the Hilton Post Oak in Houston, the historic Driskell Hotel in Austin and many others regularly feature our cheeses on their menus.”
Cohorst added that the company’s main cheese shop, which includes a café and bakery, is part of Homestead Craft Village, located north of Waco. The village is also a campus where thousands have learned sustainable homesteading skills – from spinning and beekeeping to horse farming and, of course, cheese making. It’s a way for visitors to learn about traditional green living – minus any green cheese. Learn more at brazosvalleycheese.com.
