CHEESE & DAIRY
Stonyman Gourmet Farmer
337 Gay St., Washington; 540-860-9090; www.stonymangourmetfarmer.com
open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday through Tuesday.
Entrepreneur Susan James grew up on a dairy farm and wants to keep the tradition alive. Her historic shop specializes in farmstand cheeses—produced at a half dozen, closely guarded local farms—ranging from days-old fromage blanc (wonderfully herby) to vintage Tommes (a 2009 carryover conveyed serious tang beneath its peppery rind).
Cheesetique Cheese & Wine Bar
2411 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria; 703-706-5300; www.cheesetique.com
Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
“How would you even make a choice?” a baffled shopper wondered aloud while struggling to digest the full scope—250-plus different cheeses, including around two dozen “really weird ones” (according to cheesemonger Jill Erber)—of Cheesetique’s heart-stopping displays. Standards (brie, cheddar, Emmentaler) shine, but innovative challengers (spice-crusted chevre, smoked mozzarella, vintage Gouda) beckon.
Fields of Grace Farm
11084 Sweetbriar Lane, Remington; 540-439-2309
Available locally at participating farmers markets and retail (The Farmer’s Wife, Miller Farms Market/Mine Run) outlets.
Lifelong dairy farmers (26 years and counting) Chester and Carol Beahm branched out into cheese making five years ago. They now make around 500 pounds per week of signature cheese curds (plain, sundried tomato-basil, garden herb) and cheeses (aged raw cheddar, smoked Gouda, Monterey jack) handcrafted from the milk of their 85 pasture-fed Jersey cows. “It’s made the difference for us to stay in business,” Carol says of the thriving cheese operation.
Holy Cow Delivery
Strasburg; 540-465-4742; www.holycowdelivery.com
Sam Stern’s fledgling delivery service has really taken off since last November. For $3.75 per trip (standard delivery fee) Stern will shuttle as little as a single half-gallon of her family’s pasteurized—but not ultra-pasteurized—milk or as much dairy (including cream cheese, chevre and yogurt drinks) as you desire, right to your doorstep.
Shopping key
(CSA) Participates in Community-Supported Agriculture
(DS) Direct to Consumer Sales
(FM) Available at Local Farmers Markets
(O) Online Sales
(R) Available at Local Retailers
(YR) Year-Round Operation
Bella Italia Market & Deli • 320 William St., Fredericksburg; 540-371-3354
Better Thymes Natural Foods • 417 South St., Front Royal; 540-636-9209
Blue Ridge Dairy Company • 19 Fort Evans Road S.E., Leesburg; 703-443-0200 (FM, R)
Chicama Run • 14809 Purcellville Road, Purcellville; 540-668-9828 (DS, FM)
Day Spring Farm • 21338 Steptoe Hill Road, Middleburg; 540-687-6036 (DS)
Everona Dairy • 23246 Clarks Mountain Road, Rapidan; 540-854-4159 (DS, R)
La Fromagerie • 1222 King St., Alexandria; 703-879-2467
Locke Modern Country Store • 2049 Millwood Road, Millwood; 540-837-1275
Oak Spring Dairy • 8370 Oak Spring Road, Upperville; 540-592-3559 (FM, O)
On the Gourmet • 703-957-9348 (DS, FM)
Screwtop • 1025 N. Fillmore St., Arlington; 703-888-0845