Cave to Co-op, July 2018

Each month, your Neighboring Food Co-ops feature our region’s artisan cheesemakers by offering a specially selected cheese at a great price. Look for the “Cave to Co-op” sign in the cheese section at your local food co-op. To find one near you, visit www.nfca.coop/members.

This Month’s Selection: 
NEIGHBORLY FARMS ORGANIC SHARP CHEDDAR, RANDOLPH CENTER, VT
Rob and Linda Dimmick, cheesemakers

Established as an operating dairy farm in the 1920’s, Rob and Linda Dimmick are continuing this tradition of family farming. Nestled in the rolling hills of Randolph Center, Vermont, Neighborly Farms decorates the countryside with its red barn and white post and beam farmhouse built in the 1800s. The Dimmicks operate on 168 acres with cropland and grazing fields to support the dairy and a sugarhouse for producing pure Vermont maple syrup. The clean and tidy barn is home to 70 Holsteins—the black and white cows that symbolize rural living at its very best.

Rob and Linda are continuing the family farming tradition because they have a passion for the land and animals. They are a totally organic farm. This means the farm is run in complete harmony with the land and the animals; no antibiotics, no hormones, and no commercial fertilizers. Just pure and natural techniques that keep the cows healthy, happy, and the dairy products wholesome and chemical free. It means that the cheese produced at Neighborly Farms; cheddars, feta, colby, and Monterey Jack are pure and natural. And the best part? The organic cheeses taste great too.

Here is a great Marian Burros recipe originally printed in The New York Times, great for summer picnics.

Radish and Cheddar Salad from Marian Burros

serves 4

  • 8 ounces radishes
  • 3 small green onions
  • ½ C shredded Neighborly Farm sharp cheddar
  • 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ T white wine vinegar
  • ½ t Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste

Trim the radishes and slice them into a serving bowl. Trim and slice the green onions and put them in the same bowl. Make a vinaigrette with the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Dress the greens and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the shredded cheddar and serve.

Cornbread with Cheddar and Jalapeno

serves 8

  • 1 Cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 Cup yellow cornmeal
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1 t salt
  • 2 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
  • 1 Cup coarsely grated Neighborly Farms sharp cheddar
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ Cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Mix in cheese. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter in another medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated; do not overmix. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until bread is golden on top and tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.


CAVE TO CO-OP IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PROVISIONS INTERNATIONAL AND THE NEIGHBORING FOOD CO-OP ASSOCIATION (NFCA) TO SUPPORT LOCAL, ARTISANAL CHEESE PRODUCERS IN OUR REGION AND MAKE THEIR PRODUCTS MORE EASILY AVAILABLE TO CO-OP SHOPPERS.  THE NFCA IS A NETWORK OF MORE THAN 30 FOOD CO-OPS IN NEW ENGLAND, LOCALLY OWNED BY MORE THAN 130,000 PEOPLE LIKE YOU.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.NFCA.COOP.