Cowgirl Creamery

[Barbara]

Is this something that they import or make in-house?

They know some guy in California with a small herd of water buffalo. I'm assuming they make the cheese in CA and ship it here. I'll find out on Thursday when I visit them (and the Penn Quarter farmers' market).

[jm chen]

It's insaaaaaane. They have several fresh mozz's so make sure it's the bufala you get. The bocconcini are nice, but not mind-blowingly tangy and rich in the same way as the big knob of bufala.

Now I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to use the leftover cheese water.

[Barbara]

I went today to pick up some buffalo mozzarella. It is made in California by some Italian guy and the brand name is "Bubalus Bubalis." They now have a small selection of wine for sale and I became the first person to buy a bottle! I didn't even win a prize. However, when the young woman running the joint asked me, perfectly deadpan, if I was "over 21" hilarity ensued.

The wine, BTW, is an Alsatian Sylvaner which, I believe, is the same stuff I've drunk by the boatload at Corduroy. The label looks awfully familiar. I didn't think the $12 price was out of line, either. Then, I spotted the date bread from Spain and thought that it might go well with some Purple Haze goat cheese. . .

[Waitman]

Sometimes the tomatoes are rotted by Thursday or I decide that I'd like to get my peaches early, so they're not so crunchy at Saturday dinner, and I head down to the diminutive but feisty Penn Quarter market.

I dropped by yesterday, for the first time in ages, and discovered that the baker there sells the only bread in DC that has gotten my ninnies hard in quite some time, a massive, round pugliese [Anna Blume will correct my spelling in a subsequent post], that weighs in at 2 kilos, has a bulletroof crust with big holes inside, and will make the finest bruschettas in the region.

But I was in the mood for cheese, and so wandered over to Cowgirl to check out the spread. The store seemed oddly short on washed rind cheeses and a little long on goat for my taste -- though this could be a seasonal thing -- and when the woman behind the counter gave me the exact date a round of Vermont sheeps cheese was made, the temptation to say "was that a good day for sheeps cheese? I read somewhere that Thursday was better," was almost overwhelming.

Nonetheless, excellent selection. If I need Gubeen, I know where to get it elsewhere; and all those loos curds of goat will be good when I decide to get my Greek on. More to the point, seeing a lot of new names on the counter was great -- like seeing new friends to make on the first day of school.

At the checkout, distracted by the pricy cheese tchotchkas, I absently dipped a breadcrust in a bit of oil which turned out to be good enough that I had to actually pay attention to it for a moment. Maybe I'll bring an empty mason jar in for a fill up next time.

I walked away with some Red Hawk and a sheep cheese gently spiced with paprika, and the idea that any Thursday afternoon spent with the baker and the Cowgirls would be one very well spent.

[giant shrimp]

Update: they are still planning on opening 7 days a week after Labor day.

closed today, so no cowgirl pizza tonight.

[LittleWing]

not open 7 days yet, but sometime in the middle of october. i'll let ya know...

[Heather]

I wandered over here last Thursday after the Penn Quarter market. It was a freaky little trip down memory lane, past the luxury condos and Spy Museum where the peep shows used to be on 9th, and down F St across from my favorite long-gone nightclub. Heading that way twenty years ago I probably had $5 for the door and another $20 for who knows what at the club. Now I'm perusing $20/lb. cheese.

Picked up some Keen's cheddar, so sharp that my 4-year-old shuddered when he tasted it, and some Maytag blue. Oh, and a Purple Haze (all in my brain), just because I liked the name. Initially the prices seemed shockingly high, but in some cases are lower than Whole Foods. Humboldt Fog was at least a dollar less per pound at Cowgirl. And, they carry salted caramel lollipops. I won't be back every week, but it's definitely a nice resource.

[zoramargolis]

Humboldt Fog was at least a dollar less per pound at Cowgirl.

Heather--I got some Humboldt Fog at the Takoma Park Co-op last week that was four of five dollars cheaper per pound than I have seen it in other places. It was shrink-wrapped in plastic, but was in good condition.

[LittleWing]

For anyone who's been in the shop lately looking for a cheese (or olive oil, crackers, etc), but we had run out :

shipment is coming in tommorrow, so if you call or just wander in, we should have more of what you were looking for.

See you soon!

Carolyn

[dinwiddie]

We wandered in while at Art on Foot a couple of Saturdays ago and found Cowgirl to be a lot of fun. The cheeses were all availble to taste (I ended up going home with a quarter pound of about 6 different cheeses, ranging from a fantastic brie to an absolutely creamy and stinky blue) and the prices, while not the best I've ever seen, are not obscene like some places.

However, I don't think I'd buy anything else there. The fruits (the few that were there) were not in good shape and were expensive, even for organic. And give me a break. Trying to sell wine while next door to a wine shop. The wines they had were ordinary, to be kind, plonk that you can get anywhere and had no redeeming value. I was told that they were selected because they went well with cheese, but I wouldn't have chosen any of them as my first choice, even in that price range, to go with cheese. Great cheese deserves decent wine. They would do better to get with the folks next door and feature better wines. I'll go back for the cheese, but stick to what you do well.

[Waitman]

We wandered in while at Art on Foot a couple of Saturdays ago and found Cowgirl to be a lot of fun. The cheeses were all availble to taste (I ended up going home with a quarter pound of about 6 different cheeses, ranging from a fantastic brie to an absolutely creamy and stinky blue) and the prices, while not the best I've ever seen, are not obscene like some places.

However, I don't think I'd buy anything else there. The fruits (the few that were there) were not in good shape and were expensive, even for organic. And give me a break. Trying to sell wine while next door to a wine shop. The wines they had were ordinary, to be kind, plonk that you can get anywhere and had no redeeming value. I was told that they were selected because they went well with cheese, but I wouldn't have chosen any of them as my first choice, even in that price range, to go with cheese. Great cheese deserves decent wine. They would do better to get with the folks next door and feature better wines. I'll go back for the cheese, but stick to what you do well.

Actually, I would hope that they can get a good stock of $10-$15 wines in. I dropped into Central the other day and it is damn near bereft of mid-priced juice. Cheap swill? Check. Expensive Grands Crus? Check. $15 Zinfandels? Very few.

The fruit, btw, is from Toigo Orchards, which is generally excellent. I think it's more of a convenience (I need an apple for my cheese plate) rather than an attempt to foist masses of 75-cents-apiece apples on the public, kind of like premium price I pay for lemons and limes at my liquor store, rather than having to stand in another line somewhere else.

[dinwiddie]

Actually, I would hope that they can get a good stock of $10-$15 wines in. I dropped into Central the other day and it is damn near bereft of mid-priced juice. Cheap swill? Check. Expensive Grands Crus? Check. $15 Zinfandels? Very few.

The fruit, btw, is from Toigo Orchards, which is generally excellent. I think it's more of a convenience (I need an apple for my cheese plate) rather than an attempt to foist masses of 75-cents-apiece apples on the public, kind of like premium price I pay for lemons and limes at my liquor store, rather than having to stand in another line somewhere else.

I see what you mean by the fruit, but that day, and admittedly it was Saturday afternoon, the peachs were brused and the apples (both of them) were soft.

As to wine, I admit it, I'm a wine snob. I don't normally look for wine in the $10-15 range, I consider that cheap swill usually. The wines they did have were the kind I could buy at the supermarket (if I lived somewhere besides Montgomery County) for less. If you are going to buy great cheese, drink great wine with it. We went home and had the blue with some crackers, pears, and a 1991 Graham.

[Heather]

If you are going to buy great cheese, drink great wine with it. We went home and had the blue with some crackers, pears, and a 1991 Graham.

It's still nice of them to have a few $15 options for those of us who can't drink "great" wine everyday.

[Waitman]

I see what you mean by the fruit, but that day, and admittedly it was Saturday afternoon, the peachs were brused and the apples (both of them) were soft.

As to wine, I admit it, I'm a wine snob. I don't normally look for wine in the $10-15 range, I consider that cheap swill usually. The wines they did have were the kind I could buy at the supermarket (if I lived somewhere besides Montgomery County) for less. If you are going to buy great cheese, drink great wine with it. We went home and had the blue with some crackers, pears, and a 1991 Graham.

Lovely that you can drink an $80 port every time you pick up a few ounces of cheese. I suppose those moron peasants in France and Italy who enjoy exquisite local cheeses with a bottle of vin du pays have got it all wrong.

[TheCacaoTree]

As of this weekend, just in time for Halloween, Cowgirl Creamery will be featuring the chocolate confections of The Cacao Tree The Cacao Tree: scrumptuous English toffee made with dark chocolate; alfajores (al-pha-hor-es) - South American shortbread sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche made from scratch; and chocolate nut turtles filled with goat's milk caramel." Truly authentic and truly artisan like everything else sold at Cowgirl Creamery.

This is from Sandra Escobar, the chocolatier herself:

"Having The Cacao Tree chocolate creations featured at Cowgirl Creamery is an honor for us and attests to their true commitment and respect for food artisans in the Washington area and throughout the country. This is an exciting opportunity and because all of The Cacao Tree's products are purely delicious, they'll fit right in at this wonderful shrine to food, that is Cowgirl Creamery."

Also, if you're curious about Sandra's chocolate truffles, they are available on the website or on the dessert menu at Cafe Atlantico in Penn Quarter.

Thanks!

Michael. (cross posted in The Cacao Tree thread)

[giant shrimp]

we found a really nice mouse plate here, but i can't say any more or my mother-in-law will know what she's getting for christmas.

[edenman]

Red Hawk. Just go get some. Just the right level of funk, rich and creamy. Damn good.

And their Membrillo ain't bad either.

It's actually a good thing I don't live in chinatown or I would be broke and fat from going here constantly.

[Waitman]

Red Hawk. Just go get some. Just the right level of funk, rich and creamy. Damn good.

And their Membrillo ain't bad either.

It's actually a good thing I don't live in chinatown or I would be broke and fat from going here constantly.

I thiought the Red Hawk was a bit, well, subtle. By which I mean boring.

Though I do love the shop.

[CrescentFresh]

I never thought I could walk into a cheese shop like Cowgirl and actually walk out with nothing. Well, it's possible. It happened today. I was on a mission first, for some Blue Ridge Farm yogurt because with the holidays I did not get a chance to visit him at the Dupont or Courthouse markets to get more. Cowgirl doesn't have his yogurt anymore. The only cow milk yogurt they have now is from Keswick, based in Maryland.

Okay. I'll wait until Saturday and reload then at the farmer's market.

"Hey, is this butter from Trickling Springs cultured/European style?"

"I'm not sure."

Okay. At that price, it probably wasn't.

Ricotta. Now, I've said earlier that Cowgirl was selling ricotta cheese that was even better than the award winning ricotta cheese from the local Blue Ridge Dairy. Well, not anymore. Their former cow milk ricotta was, I recall, from California and to my taste it beat the pants off the local stuff. It's gone. In fact, they haven't had it in my last 3 visits. Now what ricotta do they have? Keswick. I was offered a taste. It was totally lacking that lactic, tangy flavor that the California cheese had....or even the Blue Ridge cheese had.

Alright. Frankly. Keswick Creamery sucks. It really sucks. It's flavorless and their cheese may as well be clay. I had their free samples once at Dupont and never tried it again I thought it was that bad. I appreciate that they're a local dairy and they're trying and making a go of it, but if your product is shit then your product is shit and that's what I think of Keswick. I'd rather spend less money on better tasting cheese that was cryo-ed in Wisconsin.

Everybody's taste is different, sure. But less than an hour away you've got a dude making cheese and other dairy products nationally recognized as the best in its class. Just don't look for it at Cowgirl. And if they can't get that great stuff from California, I'm having a hard time understanding why they're shunning the recognized national award winner that's made locally, for Keswick.

[Demetrius]

After too many weeks of not visiting my friends next door at Cowgirl, I decided to walk next door and catch up with the fantastic ladies (Jenny, Carolyn, etc...) and learn what I had been missing.

I would highly recommend that anyone visiting sample a soft cheese called: Grayson. They are practically giving it away it is that good of a deal, and will go great with just about any sandwich. It is also worth trying their little pickles: cornishons and then splurging on the prewraped shortbread cookies from POLLYstyle.

[brr]

I stopped by there last week and while I did manage to pick up some excellent cheeses the overall selection seems to be smaller than when it first opened.

[crackers]

Last week in Pt. Reyes, I walked in to see what was going on at the Cowgirl Creamery. Turns out I'd just missed their weekly tour and tasting. Bummer. But, there was a brand new cows milk cheese they are trying out called Inverness. I got the last small timbale of the batch. It is a keeper - very good on crusty sourdough with a slice of summer tomato and a grind of coarse pepper. Would have been perfect with some of the Fatted Calf fegatelli I picked up at the SF Ferry Plaza farmer's market (but that didn't make it off the pier.) Anyway, it was 55 shivery degrees at Pt. Reyes. Perfect for an afternoon nap on the warm sands of Limantour Beach.

[Anna Blume]

Sometimes the tomatoes are rotted by Thursday or I decide that I'd like to get my peaches early, so they're not so I dropped by yesterday, for the first time in ages, and discovered that the baker there sells the only bread in DC that has gotten my ninnies hard in quite some time, a massive, round pugliese [Anna Blume will correct my spelling in a subsequent post], that weighs in at 2 kilos, has a bulletroof crust with big holes inside, and will make the finest bruschettas in the region.

I just caught this almost a year later and am quite amused that you think I can spell in any language.

To make this relevant [a fluke; I did check my widget dictionary], I'll simply add that I was startled by the number of extremely well informed cheesemongers there were behind the counters last week when the store was rather empty. The company's cheeses that we sampled were delicious, but what ummm...I'll go with "caught my eye" was a tall clear glass pitcher of crème fraîche.

* * *

Crackers, I'm envious!

[zoramargolis]

Anyway, it was 55 shivery degrees at Pt. Reyes.

IIRC, it was Mark Twain who said: "The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco"...or something like that. Did you venture up to any part of wine country while you were there?

[zoramargolis]

Washington, DC

Thursday, September 6th

Creating a Regional Cheese Board – Sue Conley, Cowgirl Creamery Co-Founder and Erica Sanford, Cheesemonger

We will explain the history of dairying and cheesemaking in the Chesapeake watershed and taste the extraordinary creations of today’s local artisan cheesemakers.

Thursday, September 20th - TBA

[soapy]

.

Alright. Frankly. Keswick Creamery sucks. It really sucks. It's flavorless and their cheese may as well be clay. I had their free samples once at Dupont and never tried it again I thought it was that bad. I appreciate that they're a local dairy and they're trying and making a go of it, but if your product is shit then your product is shit and that's what I think of Keswick. I'd rather spend less money on better tasting cheese that was cryo-ed in Wisconsin.

Everybody's taste is different, sure. But less than an hour away you've got a dude making cheese and other dairy products nationally recognized as the best in its class. Just don't look for it at Cowgirl. And if they can't get that great stuff from California, I'm having a hard time understanding why they're shunning the recognized national award winner that's made locally, for Keswick.

I don't think keswick sucks. I realy enjoy their 'Dragonsbreath" jack cheese, very spicy. I also like some of their fetas.

As for Cowgirl I have been meaning to return there. I had some Forme D'Ambert there last time that could probably make someone grow hair on their chest.

[Heather]

Was anyone else unaware that Cowgirl offers sandwiches? I'll be checking it out today.

(I concur with Crescentfresh's assessment of Keswick Creamery. Their cheeses just don't have much flavor. The exception is the dragonsbreath, which tastes of chilies, not cheese.)

[CrescentFresh]

Was anyone else unaware that Cowgirl offers sandwiches? I'll be checking it out today.

The Bread to Filling ratio is a bit too high in favor of the bread...but it is decent bread and they are tasty sandwiches. I wouldn't mind an extra slice of meat, cheese, and leafy green in there, though.

[Heather]

I went for the veg option: greens, olives, artichokes, and Humboldt Fog. Quite tasty, and the roll is very good.

[ol_ironstomach]

Red Hawk wins two more converts. Not as deeply funky (nor challenging) as a ripe robiola, but enough to discourage the timid, and just enough to kick up what would otherwise be an only mildly earthy paste. But what makes this one stand out for me is the texture...even though it's a cow's milk cheese, the interior seems like something between a triple creme and a goat's milk cheese. The Cowgirls ripen this one about 3/4 through, leaving only the center freshly crumbly, and yet the outer layer doesn't collapse into a liquidy mush. Fantastic on little slices of a ficelle.

[Heather]

Cowgirl has Jamon Iberico for $75/lb. I splurged on a 1/4 pound, and picked up a few cheeses to take to Nissan Pavilion tomorrow night, including a piece of Grayson that I can smell with the fridge door closed, and SF Drake, a washed rind cheese similar to Red Hawk but IMO more pungent. They have expanded their selection of accompaniments, which is good, and stopped carrying the salted caramel lollipops from Brittany, which is very sad.

[Anna Blume]

Cowgirl has Jamon Iberico for $75/lb.

That's nearly 25% less than what Obama's would have cost in Philly.

[Pete]

Cowgirl has Jamon Iberico for $75/lb. I splurged on a 1/4 pound, and picked up a few cheeses to take to Nissan Pavilion tomorrow night, including a piece of Grayson that I can smell with the fridge door closed

That Grayson is good, funky stuff!

[goodeats]

Oh dear Lord. I just put my name in for a 5PM seating at Coqueta, and, having three hours to kill, meandered into the Ferry Building Marketplace, where I haven't been in years.Starving, I got a snack at Cowgirl Creamery Sidekick, a little cheese-sandwich counter next to the retail outlet (think of Cheesetique)...

While I understand the SF is the home base, I found myself laughing when reading Don's post, since there is a beautiful storefront here in Penn Quarter, where he didn't have to travel all those miles to nibble on some glorious and tasty cheese....

(Btw, I am not being mean, just thought it was funny.)

[Rieux]

Sad about this:

 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2013/12/13/cowgirl-creamery-closing-at-the-end-of-the-month/

[lion]

Really a shame, it's a great store. We enjoyed going there and the staff was always super attentive.

[saf]

When I worked in that neighborhood, I would have their sandwiches for lunch regularly. That's one of the things I really miss about that job.

(Well, that and the paycheck.)

(And the fun work.)

[Pool Boy]

What a total bummer that they closed up. And another punctuation mark on there not being a damn fine cheese shop local to my wife's office in DC, or my office (Bethesda - ok so there's a Balducci's) or near our home in Laurel. Dang it!

[DonRocks]

What a total bummer that they closed up. And another punctuation mark on there not being a damn fine cheese shop local to my wife's office in DC, or my office (Bethesda - ok so there's a Balducci's) or near our home in Laurel. Dang it!

The good news is that cheese keeps when properly stored, so you can do your shopping once a month, working it into your trips to DC and Virginia.

Plus, you owe us reports from Laurel (which is remarkable considering how incredibly valuable your "not-Laurel" posts have been lately). When I say that, I'm not kidding. In fact, I believe you made website history with this "multiple postgasm":

Isn't that awesome? I couldn't resist taking a screenshot when I saw it.

[Pool Boy]

The good news is that cheese keeps when properly stored, so you can do your shopping once a month, working it into your trips to DC and Virginia.

Plus, you owe us reports from Laurel (which is remarkable considering how incredibly valuable your "not-Laurel" posts have been lately). When I say that, I'm not kidding. In fact, I believe you made website history with this "multiple postgasm":

Isn't that awesome? I couldn't resist taking a screenshot when I saw it.

True about the cheese, but I'd dearly love a really good Maryland cheese shop one of these days. As for Laurel, I need to try some new things. I tend to get in ruts on that front. There are quite a few places I have still never tried in 14 years living here - but I often check these places out online or hear it from word of mouth on the local neighborhood email list first and decide it isn't worth even a look - maybe I need to change that. I'll leave further comment for the dining in Laurel thread. As for the postgasm, well, I've been busy and my downtime I have left to other things. Just trying to work my way back in to posting about my experiences since I, as most of us here, gain a lot more from the site than I put in.