Monteillet Fromagerie

Artisanal cheese from the Walla Walla Valley

Everyone can appreciate a great piece of cheese whether savoring it alone or pairing it with a beverage to bring out the best of both. But visiting a farm and fromagerie, seeing the animals, and watching how they interact with each other and their humans, gives a completely different perspective on that perfect bite.

Monteillet Fromagerie, owned by Pierre-Louis and Joan Montiellet, is about a half hour away from Walla Walla. For three generations, Joan's family raised cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and chickens near Colfax. They had a large garden where they grew their own food. Pierre-Louis grew up in Millau, France, near Roquefort where cheese has been produced for thousands of years. They raise French Alpine goats, and East Friesian-Lacaune sheep, both of which produce milk high in butter-fat that creates creamy cheese. The sheep and goats pasture graze; this diet is supplemented with high-quality alfalfa hay and natural grains. They also raise chicken, ducks, and whey-fed pigs.

Cheeses are natural, without additives, antibiotics, preservatives, and all made by hand using traditional techniques from the Roquefort region of France where Pierre-Louis grew up. He returned to the area in 2001 to study and make cheese with Dominique Castainier. These techniques, combined with Joan's skill with animals, allows them to create French-style cheeses that reflect the local terroir.

They make soft (chèvre, fresh herbed chèvre, wasabi pickled ginger chèvre, feta); soft-ripened (Larzac, Cardabelle, Le Roi Noir, La Fleur du Midi, Provençal); semi-hard and hard cheese (Causse Noir, Sauveterre); mozzarella; and ricotta. Being natural means cheese production is seasonal--another reason to enjoy each season as it comes.

In addition to cheese, the Monteillets also have a farm store on site where they offer other items grown and produced on the farm, including chicken and duck eggs, sheep and goat milk, lavender, pasta and cheese-filled ravioli, and gelato using seasonal fruits.

If simply eating cheese doesn't satisfy, they offer both short and 2-day intensive courses on cheesemaking at the farmstead. In addition, they participate in various farm-to-table events like "Outstanding in the Field" where a local guest chef creates an amazing meal in a beautiful setting--in their case, on the farm.

And if an afternoon visit isn't enough, staying onsite may be just the ticket. They built a gite (holiday house) with three bedrooms, tile floors, and an old-school bathroom with a large cast iron tub. A full kitchen offers a working antique gas/wood range, and a refrigerator stocked with farm products (milk, eggs, cheeses, butter, meats, cured bacon or sausage, fresh locally roasted coffee beans, and bread). Guests can even pick seasonal vegetables from the garden. There is satellite TV and Wi-Fi, but we would suggest staring at the sun and moon instead.

Two Airstreams (one with two single beds, the other with two double beds) and tent camping are also available. Campers and Airstreamers have use of an outdoor kitchen and full bath with limestone/slate walk-in shower. Check their website for prices.

Monteillet Fromagerie 109 Ward Rd Dayton, WA 99328 509-382-1917 or 509-876-1429 www.monteilletcheese.com

Their cheese can be purchased at their farm store in Dayton, shipped anywhere in the U.S., or found at the Walla Walla and Pasco farmer's market (please call to confirm their schedule). They also sell to numerous restaurants.

Connie Adams/August 2013