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BREAKING THE MOLD
Local cheese makers pioneer farmstead production.
WRITTEN BY SUE EDMONDSON
PHOTOS BY CANDICE NYANDO AND COURTESY OF TAHOE CHEESE
Farming is best described as an agribusiness, where economic savvy is key to survival. That savvy is responsible for Nevada’s first two commercial farmstead cheese producers, a happy turn of events for cheese lovers.
Fresh cheese
Isidro Alves can’t imagine life without his dairy cows. After a childhood spent on California dairies and studying dairy science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, he moved to Fallon in 2003 to pursue a career in the field and open Sand Hill Dairy.
Alves says that, in his heart, cows are the driving force behind all his business decisions.
“Nevada is such a great place for dairy farmers,” he says. “There are so many opportunities here.”
As a businessman, he’s always looking for those opportunities. After researching the market, he decided to take a chance on fresh cheese, a decision not made lightly.
“No food is more regulated than dairy, and I knew zero about making cheese,” he says. “It was hard to take that next step.”
Those next steps took time and money — Alves studied cheese making, built a pasteurizing/processing plant, tackled rigorous licensing requirements, and hired a cheese maker. Queso fresco, widely used in Mexican cooking, was Sand Hill’s first cheese, which he began selling in 2012.
“It’s what my cheese maker knew how to make,” he says.
Sales were strong enough that Alves decided to add to his lineup and maximize use of the fresh cheese-making equipment he had; he added Oaxaca (a hand-braided mozzarella), fresh mozzarella, and queso panela (a Mexican cottage cheese) in early 2015.
Fresh milk is the foundation of Sand Hill cheese. It’s piped directly from the cow to a tank, where it’s heated to 145 degrees F for 30 minutes — enough to pasteurize without impairing the milk’s taste and nutritional content. Alves must be present for the entire processing operation, which starts with milking at 1 a.m. and ends in the late afternoon.
“It’s a long day, but I can’t complain because it was my idea,” he says.
While cheese is a small part of the business — he also sells his milk through area co-operatives — it’s a big hit. In 2014, his panela won third place in the prestigious American Cheese Society competition’s “Fresh, Unripened — All Milks” category. Alves has decided Sand Hill Cheese is here to stay.
“I’m in too deep to quit!” he says.
Aged varieties
David Green thought he’d always carry on his family’s tradition of Florida citrus farming. Then the industry took a downward turn.
“I knew I needed to find a better use for the farmland,” Green says. “When I researched high-value agricultural products, aged artisan cheese was No. 1. I decided to convert the citrus farm to a dairy farm and make cheese.”
That decision eventually led to the creation of Tahoe Cheese. Once he’d made the decision to begin dairy farming, then came the challenges, many similar to those Alves faced, as well as one he didn’t expect: The demand for product exceeded his milk supplies. He began a nationwide search for a dairy that could meet his needs.
“I met Chad (Charles) Turner through the Northern Nevada Development Authority,” Green says. “He owns one of the largest dairies in Nevada, Desert Hills Dairy in Yerington.”
The connection was fortuitous — Green and Turner became partners in Tahoe Cheese, ensuring more than enough milk for the two tons of blue, Cheddar, and other artisan varieties they ship each month. Green and his family moved to Yerington, a community they embrace.
One of the greatest benefits is immediate access to the fresh, Grade-A milk necessary for premium cheese. Milk piped from the cows reaches the vats at the optimal 98 degrees F. From there, it’s put into molds and placed in a 1,000-square-foot cooler to age for the requisite 60 days.
“The cooler is like the aging caves in France,” Green says. “We have floor-to-ceiling wooden racks filled with cheese rounds.”
Though there are few farmstead cheese operations in this region, Green and Alves wish each other the best.
“We’re all in this together,” Green says.
Freelance writer Sue Edmondson has written for various publications in Nevada and California. She enjoys seeing how the food she eats is produced, especially when it includes a trip to a farm.
EXTRAS
Big cheese
One of the largest natural cheese suppliers calls Reno home.
In 2005, Nevada’s favorable business climate and location helped draw Pacific Cheese Co., one of the country’s largest natural cheese suppliers, to Reno. The local manufacturing/distribution plant makes American cheese, and packages and distributes familiar brands, such as the California Select Farms cheeses sold at WinCo Foods.
Company leaders report it’s here to stay.
“We have 128 employees [here] and are hiring,” says marketing director Arleen Bandarrae. “We are committed to Reno.”
Resources
Sand Hill Cheese and Tahoe Cheese are available at many local markets and restaurants. Also, they are both sold at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op and Wedge Cheese Shop. Find Sand Hill Cheese at Sak’N Save in Sparks and Scolari’s in Yerington and Fernley. Raley’s carries Tahoe Cheese. For a complete list of additional markets, visit http://www.Sandhilldairy.com and http://www.Tahoecheese.com
Recipe
Sand Hill Dairy Queso Fresco Huevos Rancheros
(courtesy of Isidro Alves. Serves 4)
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 10-ounce can red enchilada sauce
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
Cooking spray
4 large eggs
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas, regular or fat-free
1 cup (8 ounces) Sand Hill Dairy’s crumbled queso fresco cheese
Combine tomatoes and enchilada sauce in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and juice. Set aside.
Place water and beans in microwave-safe bowl, and partially mash with fork. Cover and microwave on high 2 minutes or until hot.
Heat large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Cook eggs 1 minute on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spread about ⅓ cup beans over each tortilla. Top each tortilla with one egg. Spoon ½ cup sauce around each egg; sprinkle each serving with ¼ cup cheese.
