Florida produces some admirable products of late and it’s not just about seafood and citrus anymore. Locally sourced items include grass fed Angus beef, Hereford pork, heritage breed eggs, honeycomb, delicate herbs, vegetables, beer, rum and even whiskey! The most exciting aspect is that Floridians are producing all of the above at a high level of quality. Of course, my favorite local finding would be cheese, and it is with great delight that I introduce you to Bleu Sunshine, a Jersey cow’s milk cheese from Winter Park Dairy. Bleu Sunshine is the first aged raw milk cheese made in our state. I love this cheese so much that I had to visit the dairy to learn how it was done straight from the cow’s mouth.
The typical traffic jams and slower than snail drivers in the fast lane marred the morning commute to Orlando, but patience paid off. Upon taking the final turn, I was surprised to still find myself on a residential road. Winter Park Dairy is situated on the picturesque ski lake, Lake Florence, with family homes on either side. There is an iron gate and a 350-foot fence that guard the dirt road and pastures, along with citrus trees that stud the property as additional protectors. Following the bumpy road to the horse stables (funds made from boarding horses help supplement income), it didn’t take long to find the tiny cheesemaking shop with David Green standing outside to greet us (I brought two recent cheese converts along for the ride). The cheesemaker gingerly welcomed us with a smile and a handshake.
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