Sasha Davies’ West Coast Cheese Guide is a winner!

Got a foodie on your gift list this year? If so, your holiday shopping just got a little easier. Sasha Davies’ “The Guide to West Coast Cheese” is a perfect gift that helps the cheese lover in your life delve into left coast cheeses.

The book, published by Portland, Oregon-based Timber Press, explores more than 300 cheeses made by hand in California, Oregon and Washington. It is an indispensable resource, clearly and concisely written with expert authority.

The West Coast has been a unique and special incubator for cheese culture, with a deep history of dairy culture and a thriving renaissance today from north to south.

Father Juniper Serro, who put down roots in missions throughout (Southern) California, bringing with him cows, dairy, and Spanish-style cheeses. In the Bay Area, David Jacks transported his soft, buttery cheese from Monterey by boat to San Francisco in boxes stamped “Jacks, Monterey,” where locals nicknamed it “Monterey Jack,” one of the original “American” cheeses. Original”.

Off the Oregon coast, Tillamook, a schooner brought high-quality coastal dairy products inland, showcasing and launching an enduring brand. Small, local dairies flourished and defined the region in the 1950s and 1960s.

The 2000s saw a renaissance for artisan cheese in a region stretching from the northern Bay Area to Seattle and beyond, when a trifecta for good food emerged: a food-savvy population, a localvore vibe, and a farmers market friendly worldview. Recent history is fairly well known, with a flourishing of small artisan dairies gaining recognition regionally, nationally, and internationally.

This phenomenon struck home with me when I saw the maps of West Coast cheesemakers included at the beginning of the book. Little dots named after dairies that are hitting the mark with fine cheese after only a year or two in business abound. The sheer number of talented cheesemakers, both new and veteran, experimenting with original recipes and intriguing new flavors across such a wide area is simply impressive.

Davies’ book delves into the study of cheese in a unique and compelling way. From the beginning, she says, “I was interested in publishing a reference tool for people to introduce the many cheeses that are made in three states. It’s a guide for anyone who likes to eat cheese and wants to understand what is elaborated here. and understand how they are similar and how they are different”.

Like most cheese creatives, Davies didn’t start with cheese. Rather, a passion for it evolved and gradually encompassed his professional endeavors. His adventures with cheese began as an apprentice in the cheese caves at Artisanal in New York City. She ran the caves at venerable Murray’s Cheese and, in 2006, Davies and her husband began a four-month journey to forty American artisan cheesemakers, producing blogs and podcasts at http://cheesebyhand.com.

A move to Portland in 2008 put Davies squarely in the middle of the West Coast scene. She notes, “I felt (during the ‘Cheese by Hand’ tour) that this would be the next great region for artisan cheese. It felt that way 4 years ago and it still feels, not in a rivalry sense, but like an epicenter.”

“There are some scenic and geographical aspects that make it an interesting region, but,” he notes, “it’s also the fastest growing cheese region in terms of the emergence of the most new cheesemakers.”

The parallels were strong with Vermont, a cheese-making mecca of the Northeast. “When we arrived in the Northwest on our visit, I realized that not only were there a growing number of small producers, but a large number were producing high-quality cheeses similar to those in Vermont,” he says.

“People here were really focusing on cheese board cheeses, some modeled on European cheeses, some on whimsical cheese ideas that people wished existed,” he observes. “The density of artisanal cheese production in this area is simply impressive.”

As many authors and cheese experts like to point out, it helps that the West Coast, particularly the Northwest, has a climate and geography conducive to dairy production, since there are no harsh winters. Plenty of rainfall and mild weather mean a longer grazing season, making for excellent pasture that leads to excellent milk and cheese. Combine this with a growing group of talented and dedicated cheesemakers and it can only lead to amazing things.

So, for the perfect gift for the cheese lover in your life, look no further than a copy of “The West Coast Cheese Guide” along with a selection of various cheeses represented at your local cheese shop. Happy Holidays to all with this memorable gift meant to be savored and celebrated.