My guest this week is John Esh from Goot Essa Cheese. From Amish country in Pennsylvania, this family produced artisanal craft cheese offers the finest quality, freshest ingredients directly from the farm.
The Esh family produces numerous varieties of natural cave-aged artisan cheeses in the traditional European style with milk from 6 nearby Amish farms. Their baskets of cheeses and condiments make beautiful and delicious gifts. www.gootessacheese.com
John says:
“We work our fields in the traditional way – with horses and manpower instead of machines. Every member contributes to the good of the farm, the family, and in turn, the whole community. Our farms are small, allowing each acre and animal to be cared for with love and respect for nature.”
Goot Essa’s small-batch approach to cheesemaking ensures our products are flavorful and unique. We want you to experience food fresh from the farm, processed at the peak of flavor. In the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, “Goot Essa” means “good food” or “good eating.” It’s only natural we named our group Goot Essa, because we want to share our love for handcrafted, European-style cheese with you — so you can share it with friends and family. Follow Good Esa on Facebook!
Later in the show I’ll tell you all about Formaticum Cheese storage bags and storage papers.
Cheese storage bags maintain freshness and flavor longer—all in a quick, easy-to-use bag. The material is porous enough to let cheese breathe while retaining ample humidity to prevent it from drying out. Reuse the same bag for the same type of cheese until butterfat stains become visible on the paper, then switch it out for a new one. Made in France and designed for cheese storage, bags are perfect for quick cleanup of leftovers and make a great gift for cheese lovers. Formaticum is on Facebook!
Good Life Guy’s Wine of The Week:
2023 La Cheteau Lorie Valley Les Chataignieres Vouvray
The 2023 growing season in Vouvray was marked by unique climatic conditions. The year began with a mild winter, followed by a warm and dry spring, which prompted early bud break and flowering. However, a sudden frost in late April posed challenges, leading to some crop loss in certain vineyards. Despite this setback, the summer brought consistent warmth and sunshine, allowing for even ripening of the grapes. A temperate autumn with cool nights allowed for extended hang time, contributing to the development of complex flavors and balanced acidity in the wines. These highly favorable summer and autumn conditions yielded grapes of excellent quality.
100% Chenin blanc fermented in stainless with no oak or ML. Ripe pear, crisp green apple, and hints of flower blossoms on the nose, with nuanced minerality that brings elegance and bright tension to the palate. The mouth feel is rich and rounded with crisp acidity balanced by a tasty sweetness on a full-bodied palate. Serve this with an array of fine cheeses, spicy Asian food or with desserts. ABV11%