Friday, Jan. 11, 2008
Cheese Maker Shows Off Goats
Local Woman Brings ‘Divas’ to 2008 Stock Show
By Kathleen Bynum
Staff Writer
Jones, who is a licensed veterinarian in addition to a prize-winning artisan cheese maker, will be showing several of her “divas in training” who haven’t started producing milk just yet. Jones will be showing her gals Jan. 13 and 14.
Jones names all her goats after “divas,” including “Talk Show O” named after Oprah Winfrey, of course. Another is named Marie Laveau, after the Louisiana Bayou legend, and a third is named Bonnie, after Bonnie Parker, the female namesake of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde gang.
It was Bonnie who last year pranced away with the Junior Reserve Grand Champion award from the State Fair in Dallas.
Showing her divas, however, is secondary to Jones’ daily grind.
With the Grade A milk her Nubian and LaMancha goats produce, Jones hand crafts artisan cheese that she sells exclusively to Central Market in Southlake, Fort Worth and Dallas, and in season at the Grapevine Farmers’ Market.
She sells chévre, feta and brie varieties. Jones also makes Argento capra and has been testing a gouda.
Jones learned her craft from Sara Bolten of Pure Luck Farm and Dairy in Austin. After attending Bolton’s workshop, Jones established Latte Da Dairy and has been producing cheeses since last April.
Central Market isn’t the only establishment that’s recognized Jones’ talent. She recently entered the American Dairy Goat Association cheese contest with four of her cheeses and came away with two blue ribbons and one second place. Jones’ Latte Da Kalamata Feta took first place in the commercial feta category; Latte Da Argento Capra, a St. Maure style cheese, placed first in the commercial soft ripened category; and Latte Da Fresh Chévre took second in commercial chévre.
A lot of work goes into the creation of Jones’ savory artisan cheeses, and it all starts at home.
“My cheese doesn’t smell like goat,” Jones said in a previous interview. “I love seeing people taste it for the first time.”
Jones prides herself on keeping a clean operation, and credits that for eliminating the goat smell in her cheeses.
Before the twice-daily milkings, Jones carefully cleans the utters and teats because “[goats] love to take dust baths.”
Eight of the milk-producing goats are milked by machine and three by hand.
“I have three divas that refuse the machine,” Jones said.
Jones, her family of goats and her supportive husband, Johnny — a Grapevine police officer — share a home and farm in Flower Mound. Jones makes her cheese on site in a separate commercial kitchen where the milk is kept in a cooling tank and later transferred to a pasteurizer.
The milk is tested monthly by the Texas state Department of Health to assure quality.
For details about Latte Da Dairy and goat cheese recipes, see www.lattedadairy.com.
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