Frederic Melton
Maryland is home to several cheesemakers, including Chapel's Country Creamery, P.A. Bowen Farmstead, and FireFly Farms. Chapel's Country Creamery, located in Easton, Maryland, offers a variety of artisanal cheeses, including Chesapeake Brie, Otterly Pale Cheddar, and Trace of Crab Cheddar. P.A. Bowen Farmstead, located in Prince George's County, produces four types of artisan cheeses, including a natural-rinded blue cheese and an aged Jack cheese. FireFly Farms specializes in goat and cow's milk cheeses, offering a range of gourmet items and locally made gifts.
While there is no specific mention of Maryland-made crackers, saltine crackers are a popular choice for Maryland Crab Cakes, a classic dish in the state. These crackers are crushed and mixed with fresh lump crab meat, local seasonings, and other ingredients to form delicious crab cakes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| History of cheese and crackers | Became common in American restaurants and bars by the 1850s. |
| Was served as a menu item in restaurants and saloons as an after-dessert course. | |
| Was used as a food ration by soldiers during the American Civil War. | |
| Became a common snack food or hors d'oeuvre. | |
| Was recommended as a snack for children in the mid-1980s. | |
| Consumption increased with the introduction of commercial products like Lunchables in the mid-1980s. | |
| Maryland cheese | High-quality aged hard cheese is now being made by artisanal cheesemakers in Maryland. |
| Popular cheesemakers include Chapel's Country Creamery and Firefly Farms. | |
| Maryland cheeses have unique flavors, such as Chapel's Woodbine and Chesapeake Brie. | |
| Maryland has strict regulations for cheese production, including the use of pasteurized milk. | |
| Some cheesemakers, like the Fosters, fought to legalize raw milk cheese production in the state. | |
| Cheez-Its | Are popular cheddar cheese crackers that can be made at home. |
| Ingredients include sharp cheddar cheese, butter, flour, ground mustard, salt, and water. | |
| A food processor is recommended for making homemade Cheez-Its. |
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What You'll Learn
Maryland cheesemakers are on the rise
In 2013, however, Maryland made a significant change by legalizing the use of raw milk in aged cheeses, allowing local artisanal cheesemakers to produce high-quality hard cheeses that can compete on a global scale. This change has fostered innovation and diversity in the state's cheese industry, with cheesemakers experimenting with different milk sources, flavours, and production techniques.
One notable Maryland cheesemaker is Chapel's Country Creamery in Easton, owned by Holly and Eric Foster. The Fosters were instrumental in advocating for the legalization of raw milk cheese in the state, and they now produce a range of award-winning cheeses, including Chapel's Woodbine, a hard-aged cow's milk cheese, and Chesapeake Brie, a mild and creamy cow's milk brie.
Another prominent Maryland cheesemaker is Firefly Farms, which offers seven unique cheeses made from pasteurized goat's milk, including tangy Allegheny Chèvre and ash-coated Bûche Noire. Firefly Farms has put its own spin on cheesemaking, creating varieties that cannot be found elsewhere. Their cheeses can be found at their retail shop in Baltimore's Clipper Mill neighbourhood, as well as various markets and gourmet food stores.
Maryland's cheesemaking renaissance is not only about innovation but also a return to the state's dairy roots. Early settlers, faced with a shortage of female colonists skilled in cheesemaking, often had to settle for butter or soft, spreadable farmer's cheese. Now, Maryland cheesemakers are reclaiming and elevating this culinary tradition, crafting cheeses that reflect the state's rich dairy history and local flavours.
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Strict regulations for cheesemakers
Maryland has 26 cheesemakers, which is 24 more than a decade ago. This rapid growth in the number of cheesemakers is due to consumers' demand for farm-to-table authenticity, farmers' innovation, and government cheese reform.
However, the regulation environment in Maryland is strict. Before 2013, making cheese from raw milk was illegal in Maryland, although selling it was not. In 2013, Maryland made a program permanent that allowed farmers to produce raw-milk cheese, joining 45 other states. However, there are limits: only hard cheeses, only with milk from one herd, only with a permit, and only under strict regulations for testing, record-keeping, labelling, and safety procedures.
The strict regulations in Maryland require cheesemakers to pasteurize milk, which involves heating the milk to kill off bacteria. While this may kill off some flavor, cheesemakers can work to reintroduce flavor through the use of various starter cultures. Adhering to the state's strict code has also been good for business, as it has allowed cheesemakers to develop relationships with large supermarkets that require good management practices.
Food safety is critical in cheesemaking, and failure to comply with food safety laws and regulations can result in severe consequences for businesses. Milk is a highly nutritious medium for bacteria and can support the growth of pathogenic organisms that cause diseases such as food poisoning. Therefore, it is essential for cheesemakers to follow strict food safety procedures and have robust HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) programs in place to prevent contamination and the growth of harmful microorganisms.
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Cheeses made from pasteurized goat's milk
Maryland is home to a growing number of cheesemakers. One of the most popular is Chapel's Country Creamery in Easton, which makes a variety of cheeses, including brie, blue cheese, and cheddar. While Chapel's Country Creamery does not specify whether they use pasteurized goat's milk, they do emphasize the freshness of their milk, which comes from their own farm.
FireFly Farms, on the other hand, is a Maryland-based cheesemaker that specifically uses pasteurized goat's milk to create their unique cheeses. Their seven cheeses, including tangy Allegheny Chèvre and ash-coated Bûche Noire, showcase the versatility of goat's milk. By combining pasteurization with a range of starter cultures, FireFly Farms achieves a balance of flavor and texture in their cheeses.
In addition to FireFly Farms, there are several other cheesemakers in Maryland that produce pasteurized goat's milk cheeses. These include Cherry Glen, which offers a selection of soft-ripened cheeses like Monocacy Crottin, Silver, Ash, Chipotle, and Gold, as well as ricotta. Atwater's Bakery, Eddie's of Roland Park, MOM's Organic Market, and Whole Foods Market are some of the places where you can find these local delights.
While goat's milk cheese is often associated with places like Spain, England, and the United States as a whole, Maryland is certainly making its mark in the world of cheesemaking. The strict regulation environment in the state may pose challenges, but cheesemakers are rising to the occasion, creating innovative and delicious pasteurized goat's milk cheeses that are finding their place in the market.
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Cheeses made from raw cow's milk
There are several cheesemakers in Maryland, including Chapel's Country Creamery in Easton, which makes natural farmstead cheese. In the past, it was illegal to make cheese from raw milk in Maryland, but as of 2013, the state has allowed farmers to produce raw-milk cheese, as long as they only use milk from one herd and follow strict regulations for testing, record-keeping, labelling, and safety procedures.
One of the raw cow's milk cheeses made in Maryland is Prince George's Blue, which can be found at the P. A. Bowen Farmstead Store in Brandywine, MD. This cheese is made from "un-messed with" raw milk, which, according to Holly, a cheesemaker at Chapel's Country Creamery, results in a more complex and flavourful cheese. Other raw cow's milk cheeses made in Maryland include Chesapeake Cheddar, Dreamy Creamy, and Aged Jack. These cheeses can be found at the Woodberry Kitchen in Brandywine, MD.
In addition to raw cow's milk cheeses, there are also several pasteurized goat's milk cheeses made in Maryland, such as Allegheny Chèvre, Bûche Noire, Merry Goat Round, Mountain Top Bleu, and Cabra LaMancha. These cheeses can be found at various locations, including Atwater's Bakery, Eddie's of Roland Park, MOM's Organic Market, and Whole Foods Market.
Cheese and crackers is a common snack food or hors d'oeuvre that has been consumed by sailors, soldiers, and pioneers throughout history. It can be served with various accompaniments, such as wine, fruit preparations, pickles, stuffed olives, or preserved meats. In the United States, it has also been served as a dessert, with the addition of sweet ingredients such as jam, jelly, or marmalade.
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Chapel's Country Creamery
In addition to their classic cheddars, Chapel's Country Creamery has introduced new flavours, such as the Otterly Pale Cheddar, a beer-washed cheese, and the Trace of Crab Cheddar Cheese, which adds a touch of crab spice to their classic cheddar.
The creamery encourages customers to support local restaurants, grocers, shops, and farmers' markets that offer their cheeses. They also provide options for online orders and deliveries, making their cheeses accessible to customers both locally and across the USA.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are several Maryland-made cheese and crackers available. Chapel's Country Creamery in Easton, Maryland, is a popular option for locals and offers a range of cheeses, including cheddar, brie, and blue cheese.
Maryland has a growing number of cheesemakers, and you can find a variety of options, including Firefly Farms, which offers seven goat's milk cheeses, and Carpenter's Wheel, a firm goat cheese cured in Brooklyn, New York.
While there are no specific Maryland-made crackers mentioned, you can pair Maryland-made cheese with a variety of crackers available in the market, such as Ritz or Jatz crackers, or even make your own at home using recipes like the popular cheddar cheese crackers, Cheez-Its.
