Destinations
Cowgirl Creamery
by Vanessa Touset
Nan told us sometimes you can even taste the sweetness of the grass that grows all around the Creamery.Cowgirl Creamery 80 Fourth Street Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 (415) 663-9335
Location
To avoid any confusion, Cowgirl Creamery has two locations in the Bay Area. One is in San Francisco and is located at the Ferry Building in the Embarcadero. The other one where all the cheese is actually made is located in Point Reyes Station, a little town about an hour north of the city.
This trip, we chose to jump in the car and head north for a beautiful and windy mini road trip. If you’re just visiting the city and you get more than a few days to take it all in, I suggest renting a car and using the Cowgirl Creamery visit as a great excuse to cross the Golden Gate Bridge. For local Bay Area folk, crossing the bridge is always fun. Through dense fog or clear blue sky it reminds us of the greatness of our fabulous city.
Take 101 N. to the Sir Francis Drake Blvd. exit. Stay on Sir Francis Drake heading west toward Point Reyes/Petaluma. You will travel about seven miles and you will see Point Reyes-Petaluma Rd. Turn left. When you come to the end of the road at Olema turn right and continue on toward Highway 1/Main Street. Now you will begin to see a bunch of cute Bed and Breakfasts and you will go through the Point Reyes Station. Cowgirl is one block in from Main Street on 4th Street on the left. There is a small parking lot.
Now for me, this drive was a main highlight of the trip overall. The overhanging trees and the cool air, the stream that we drove alongside for most of the way definitely gets me pumped up about the way northern California feels, looks and smells. It really can feel like you are in an untouched part of the country or another country. Along the drive you will see signs for a place called Spirit Rock., a great place for meditation retreats.
Olema is also a cool town to stop through. It was a major center for activists for the counter culture during the 60’s. I think the experiments with sustainable living and alternative community has left a strong influence on the way people live there today.
What It's All About
Sue Conley and Peggy Smith are the founders of Cowgirl Creamery and about ten years ago they converted and old hay barn into a cheese factory. Today they distribute all kinds of their very own cheeses across the country and just opened up a Cheese Shop in my hometown, Washington, D.C.
Matt and I planned ahead and signed up for the Creamery’s tour. We thought a few free samples of good cheese would be a good way to get a feel of what this place was all about. Nan Hanes, former park ranger, deputy sheriff and now cheese expert was our guide for the day. The discussion began with the four basic ingredients that make up cheese. They are: bacterial culture, Milk, Salt and Rennet. Next, we tried four of Cowgirl’s fresh cheeses.
Clabbered Cottage Cheese- I don’t even like cottage cheese but this was NICE. If you’re a fan of cottage cheese you are going to want to take more than one scoop. Small curds and even a little bit of a sweet tang, this cheese is made with organic milk from the local Strauss dairy farm. Nan told us sometimes you can even taste the sweetness of the grass that grows all around the Creamery.
Fromage Blanc- If you’ve scoped out the recipes here on our Sublime Delights site, you will know that Matt, founder and “food master,” is an amazing knower of taste and food. He got me very excited to taste this cheese which ultimately became my favorite and I will always look for it now wherever I go, (Thanks Matt!). Very French and very good, it has a consistency almost like sour cream but way better. You can eat this on a sandwich or as a dessert.
Niloufer's Creamy Panir- This is an Indian Style cheese and it’s GOOD. Definitely has a distinct taste, but it’s kind of sweet and a lot delicious-The kind of thing that is fun to try when you are on a cheese tour or when you want to talk as if you know about cheeses from around the world (also, might be found in Hindu and Turkish culture cuisines).
Chevre, Fresh- Made from the milk of goats representing Sebastopol, CA, it’s yummy for goat cheese. Not one of my favorites, but I saw the goat cheese lovers in the group pretty excited. This one was stinky which I believe some attribute its greatness to. It was light and fluffy and had a bit of a citrus kick which I did like.
*The tour did not include actually physically going inside to the creamery which consists mainly of one 200 gallon vat. This lone vat produces all the cheese that you can find at the other Cowgirl cheese shops and other high-end restaurants in San Francisco like Boulevard and Zuni and even Chez Panisse in Berkeley. You can watch the cheese as it’s being made and there is a different cheese featured daily. The cheese is made by a cheese maker and one helper. For more information about the tour call 415.663.9335.
Overall the tour was informative and I learned how to make cheese and I also learned what Rennet is: It’s an extract found in the lining of calves stomach’s which has the enzyme Rennin. Rennin is what is used to coagulate the milk and separate the curds from whey. The enzyme can also be found in plants and that is what Cowgirl uses.
Every part of this trip is fun and is a good way to take in that unique Northern California vibe. The windy road through the Redwoods and the innovative and laid back way of the locals makes this a great scenic get away for a day.
Help, Now I’m Hungry!
Whether or not you take the tour you might find yourself suddenly hungry amidst all the cheese and food smells. Don't worry because Cowgirl Creamery has a cheese counter and Cantina where you can purchase cheese, freshly made sandwiches & salads, salami and even a bottle or two of wine to go. There is a backyard with cute small tables where you can enjoy some food or the sun and fresh grass that surrounds you. Especially great when it’s a foggy day in the city and you need to remember that sun and heat does exist in northern cal.
Don't Forget
Comfortable clothes and layers. The day Matt and I went it was hot and sunny in Point Reyes Station but chilly in the city. If you are a first time visitor to the Bay Area and it’s summer you must know that you will always need a jacket or a layer to hang around the city. However, summer only stops in San Francisco. If you are layered up because of the city chill, be prepared to take off the layers as you head north, south, east or west. It tends to be A LOT warmer.
There are a few cool local drug stores in Point Reyes Station where you can get an extra pair of sunglasses or even socks. There is also a local farmers market and a grocery store across the main road from Cowgirl where you can also get some food and drink and go lay out in the grass and trees. If you’re in the mood, there is a skate and surf shop which I think you should check out.