Crop Rapport: Everona Dairy
Posted by Warren Rojas / Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
(spots shivering cheese salesman) “Yep.”
(wolfs down a sample slice) “Awesome. We’ll take a pound,” one ecstatic shopper proclaimed after seeking out, and successfully finding, the Everona Dairy display he’d been instructed to target while making his rounds at the farmers market.
Mission accomplished, artisan cheese hound!
The smooth, delicious sheep’s milk cheese the aforementioned shopper gleefully snatched up was Dr. Pat Elliott’s signature Piedmont–a creamy, Manchego-style cheese that coats the palate in nuttiness and salt.
Elliott has been perfecting her craft for approaching two decades, spinning her one-time hobby–”It started because I got a border collie and I needed something for her to do,” Elliott said of the serendipitous route she traveled to full-time sheep-tending (current herd stands at 500-600)–into a self-sustaining cottage industry capable of producing 500-1,000 pounds of cheese per week.
“We milk and make cheese every day,” an Everona aide assured me.
While the Piedmont remains her flagship culture, Elliott has branched out with over a dozen other specialty cheeses including: the wine-soaked Pride of Bacchus blend, blue cheese (seasonal offering), herbs de provence, Stonyman (Pecorino-style iteration that’s much saltier and drier than the Piedmont), cracked pepper, Marble, Skyline (soft, Brie-like cheese), Shenandoah (Swiss-style cheese) and ricotta (available as of March).
Not to mention the growing roster of side items, including: shaved Piedmont-laced olive tapenade, hand-rolled butter crackers, breakfast sausage and assorted membrillos (cranberry-pear, almond-fig, peach).
Everona is participating in the Columbia Pike, Purcellville, Dupont and Palisades farmers markets this winter.
The cheeses are also available at the Vienna Whole Foods or direct–”We ship all over,” Elliott asserted–from Everona. Or you could always take a chance and wait to see if they pop up on featured cheese boards around town (Restaurant Eve, Maple Ave, Delaplane Cellars and Linden Vineyards have all showcased Everona products in the past).
Meanwhile, Elliott said she’s still refining her slow-aged cheddar and pasta filata (coming this spring).
–Warren
————————————————————————————————————————————————
NoVA’s Winter Farmers Markets
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon
Clarendon Farmers Market • 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m., (summer); Sun, 10-1 p.m. (winter).
Del Ray Farmers Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 9-noon (Jan-Mar); Sat, 8-noon (Apr-Dec)
Farmer Girls • 8769 Old Dumfries Road, Catlett; 540-272-7839
Fredericksburg Farmers Market • George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon (May-Oct); Sat, 9-noon (Nov-Apr)
Loudoun Flavor • 39363 Stevens Road, Lovettsville; 703-350-2790
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market •9431 West St., Manassas – Sat, 10-2 p.m.
Purcellville Community Market • 130 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 9-1 p.m.
Smart Markets • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m.
Smart Markets • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Winchester Freight Station Farmers Market • 315 W. Boscawen St., Winchester; Tue, Sat, 10-2 p.m. (Jan-Apr); Tue, Fri, Sat, 8-1 p.m. (May-Dec)
Or click here for our full list of local farmers markets.
Tags: cheesemaking, Columbia Pike Farmers Market, Crop Rapport, Delaplane Cellars, Dr. Pat Elliott, Everona Dairy, farm, goat cheese, Gut Check, Linden Vineyards, Maple Ave, Northern Virginia Magazine, Purcellville Community Market, Restaurant Eve, Warren Rojas