Greener pasteurs

Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; May 17, 2007

Owned by some of Israel's most interesting personalities, goat and sheep farms are becoming increasingly diverse.

The people of Israel have a long history as shepherds. Many of our forefathers, among them Abraham, Moses and David were herders and the nurturing qualities needed for their profession stood them in good stead for leading the burgeoning Jewish nation.

Modern Israelis have continued in their footsteps. But as Israel becomes increasingly sophisticated gastronomically, consumers are favoring goats' and sheep's cheese over cows' milk produce. Unlike their bovine counterparts, most goats and sheep are free to roam and graze; antibiotics aren't - usually - a part of their diet; their cheese and milk contains lower lactose content, and their taste is unmistakably distinct.

As consumers have become more enthused, cheese makers have become more creative, and many new goat farms have opened around the country while others have considerably increased their range.

Shavuot is now on our doorstep and as Israelis prepare to mark the holiday with the traditional dairy foods, an unconventional and patriotic way to celebrate the holiday could be to visit farms and their boutique delicatessens for an authentic dairy experience grounded in the land of milk and honey.

The following is a partial list of select dairy farms in Israel for whom cheese making is its own Torah.

Eretz Zavat Halav U'Dvash, Moshav Nehalim
A favorite among locals and tourists, Eretz Zavat Halav U'Dvash is in Moshav Nehalim near Petah Tikva, about 15 minutes away from the airport. Ahhh... what a great place to land for brunch after a long flight, or on any morning for that matter. A colorful, lush garden adorned with a fish pond opens to an outdoor patio with sheep grazing nearby.

At his cafe, Aharon Markovich, who grew up on the religious-Zionist moshav, explained his decision to raise sheep rather than the more prevalent goats. 'Sheep milk doesn't have the heavy aroma of goat cheese. Cow's milk is flavorless,' says Markovich, quick to bring out a container of fresh sheep's milk to drink.

The taste and texture of the milk was indeed sweet and creamy, and the personable Markovich abides by the adage that rarer is better. Sheep produce about half the amount of milk that goats produce, and the results truly are exquisite.

The Markovich dairy produces 40 different kinds of cheeses: fresh, semi-hard, hard, and ripened, but Markovich gets annoyed when people ask him to categorize his cheeses according to well-known kinds, such as Camembert, Tomme or feta. While he has mostly taught himself traditional techniques, he refuses to bow to European customs, instead seeking to forge his own.

'I wanted to create an Israeli brand of cheese,' he said, hence the name of the dairy, which means 'land flowing with milk and honey.'

Markovich makes original cheeses using unorthodox ingredients: wine, fig leaves, rosemary, bay leaves, to name just a few, and of course, 'lots of love and soul.' At the morning buffet brunch he serves flavored cheese balls, breads, Greek salad, roasted peppers, marinated eggplant and spicy carrots, but the highlight is the opportunity to create a cheese platter from among the dozens of cheeses sold at the deli.

Given its city-edge locale, Eretz Zavat Halav U'Dvash is among the most urban-tinged dairies. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is quaint and relaxing, with Israeli background music mixing with bird chirping. To preserve the quiet, Friday brunch is closed to children under 12, to the dismay of some parents and the relief of others.
For the perfect dairy dessert, stop by next door at Neta's chocolate shop where gracious Neta offers samples of her handmade, uniquely flavored pralines.

Brunch: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Deli: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed Shabbat and holidays). Kosher certificate. Tel: (03) 033-2979. www.2eat.co.il/eretz.

Zook Farm
Located near the Ela Valley not far from Beit Shemesh, the Zook Farm offers a taste of rustic Israel. Reaching the farm is an experience in and of itself. A kilometer long road leads to the picturesque, delightfully landscaped outdoor seating areas adorned with roses and vines. At the Zook Farm cafe (opened to the public on weekends), cheeses and homemade delicacies are served on red-and-white checkered picnic tablecloths that overlook the barns and bushy hills.

The Zook brothers, Yiftach and Tomer, moshav boys, are now at the helm of a fraternal food dynasty. Their other brother, culinary star Nir Zook, is the namesake of the famous Zook Compound in Jaffa, home to the exclusive Cordelia restaurant. The Zook Compound is the only venue aside from the Zook Farm where Zook cheeses are sold to the public.

A delightful brunch is NIS 100 per person; pricey, but it includes homemade wine and high-grade cheeses made from whole goat's milk: delicate Tzfatit, aged Roquefort and earthy Tomme cheese. Cheeses come with an array of dips and appetizers, including labane, feta cheese spread, eggplant in cream, artichokes, roasted peppers, fennel, ful, humous and tehina. Gingerbread and coffee cookies top it off.

Tel: 054-523-9117/8; Open Fri., Sat., and holidays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; http:// www.mitchatnim.co.il/mem/havat_tzuk/

Goat Path
A new addition to the goat farm landscape of Israel, Goat Path in Tal Shahar was founded about a year ago by the Saban and Einy families, who make a large variety of whole milk goat's cheeses: Gouda, cheddar, Emmental, labane, yogurts and yogurt drinks. A lovely country cafe set up in a wooden cabin opens on weekends. Visitors are welcome to visit the large goat pens and tour the attraction-rich area.

Fri. and holiday eves: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m; Sat. and holidays: 9 a.m.-6 p.m; Sun. to Thurs. (limited menu): 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tel: 052-258-9900; (08) 949-5964.

Kornmehl Farm
Located in the northern Negev, overlooking ancient farm ruins, the Kornmehl Farm was founded in 1997 by husband-and-wife team Anat and Daniel Kornmehl, both graduates of the Agricultural Science department at the Hebrew University. Daniel studied cheesemaking in both France and Israel, and the farm employs the French cheesemaking tradition while preserving the unique flavors of the Israeli desert, where the goats graze.

Cheese varieties include their version of Tomme, Camembert and Brie. Visitors are welcome to watch the afternoon milking at 4:30 and learn about the cheese-making process. Kornmehl cheeses are now sold in gourmet food shops in the center of the country (try Buy the Way in Tzomet Ra'anana).

Cheeses sold daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tel: (08) 655-5140, 052-278-8051.

Jerusalem hills
A fixture in the Israel cheesemaking community with his long, white beard, Shai Seltzer is certainly a candidate for the godfather of modern Israeli goat-cheese making. This Israeli veteran and award-winning cheesemaker has been raising goats for the past 32 years. Following ancient tradition, the gourmet cheeses are aged in a dark cave, and they are sold only on-site at his base in the Sataf nature reserve, only on weekends, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tel: (02) 533-3748.
www.goat-cheese.co.il/

If you're in this region, you can also pop into the Har Haruah goats' cheese farm, just behind Abu Ghosh. Despite the fact that they no longer have a restaurant, Dalia and Haim Himelfarb now package their 'pundak' in a picnic basket filled with a platter of cheeses, salad, olives, bread, and pita. Tel: (02) 534-5660. Thurs: 7 p.m, to 12 midnight; Fri. and holiday eves: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sat. and holidays: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; or by appointment. www.harharuach.com