Cave to Co-op, January 2024

Along the Connecticut River, Boggy Meadow Farm has been in the same family since 1812, and has been a dairy farm for most of that time. In the mid-1800’s and the early 1900’s daily shipments of milk, butter, eggs, and produce were loaded onto the Boston & Maine railroad, destined for customers in Boston.

Cheesemaking began in the mid 1950’s and continues today with the same 10,000 gallon cheese vat, which makes 1,000 pounds of cheese. On the days they’re not making cheese the fluid milk is sold to a local milk co- op. Cheesemakers Marcus Lovell Smith and Evan Sabatelli, make three cheeses, Baby Swiss, Smoked Baby Swiss, and Fiddlehead Tomme.

The Boggy Meadow Baby Swiss is a moist, creamy, mild cheese that is unlike traditional Swiss in many ways. The curd is cooked at a lower temperature and the wheels are aged for a shorter period of time. The cheese has small eye formations, as well as the sweet nutty flavor associated with Swiss-style cheeses.

Use Baby Swiss in any of your favorite recipes using swiss cheese or try this one!

Baby Swiss Rösti

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
•  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 6 ounces Baby Swiss, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 8 green onions, chopped
• 6 thick-cut bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided • Additional cooked, crumbled bacon and
• chopped green onions
• Sour cream

1. Place potatoes into a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, for 20-22 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Drain. Cool completely. Peel potatoes; transfer to a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Shred potatoes; return to the bowl. Toss with the flour, salt and pepper. Stir in the Baby Swiss, green onions and bacon.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add potato mixture, pressing into an even layer. Cover and cook until the bottom is golden brown and crisp, about 8-12 minutes. Gently run a spatula around sides and underneath the rösti. (Pan will be hot!) Place a large plate over the skillet. Carefully flip rösti onto the plate.
4. Warm remaining olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Carefully slide rösti into the skillet. Cover and cook for 8-12 minutes longer or until bottom is golden brown. Gently run a spatula around sides and underneath the rösti; slide onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with additional bacon and green onions. Serve with sour cream.

Baby Swiss from Boggy Meadow Farm has been feature in the past as a Cave to Co-op cheese and you can find more recipes here.

Cave to Co-op is a partnership between Provision 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 40 food co-ops in our region — including yours — that are working together to advance their vision of a thriving regional economy, rooted in a healthy, just and sustainable food system and a vibrant community of co-operative enterprise.  For more information, please visit  www.nfca.coop.