Bobolink Dairy & Bakeyard

Every time I walk to the Union Square farmers’ market in New York on Friday mornings I feel great as soon as I see the little Bobolink Dairy stand. I think this is because it renews my belief that food may be changing for the better in this country, that what really counts, passion and an appreciation of the best local ingredients, is actually taking hold.


That is what Nina & Jonathan White, the Bobolink cheesemakers, are commited to. Let’s start with the cheeses. Their cows are pasture raised on 200 acres of land. The Whites make cheese from April through November from 100% grass-fed milk. They produce 12 different cheeses but depending on the time of year you usually have only 4-5 to choose from. They also make bread. Today, as I was waiting in line, a gentleman ordered two loaves of ciabatta. I noticed his accent and asked him if he were from Italy. He said yes, but that he now lived in NY. He explained that ciabatta meant shoe or slipper. I wondered whether he often came to buy his bread and cheese here. Every week he said.


The three cheeses that I bought today are all made from 100% raw cow’s milk and as far as I am concerned are some of the best cheeses in the world! The Drum is a robust cheese that is aged for 60 days. Everytime I serve it people think I smuggled it from France. The Frolic is a semi firm cheese with a very subtle finish. The cave-aged cheddar is mild and elegant.


Now to the breads: They are all baked in a wood-fired brick oven and made with organic grains and natural yeasts. Today I got the rosemary loaf, but I also love the rye levain with brine-cured Kalamata olives, and the loaf made with garlic and duck fat.

Here is more good news: Bobolink ships across the country so their bread and cheese are something everyone can try. They are at the Union Square location every Friday and the Lincoln Center greenmarket every Thursday and Saturday. Otherwise they are at their farm. Check their great website where you can get much more information on their philosophy, events, and products.

Bobolink dairy & Bakeyard
www.cowsoutside.com