Trailing After Cheese in Marin

February 15, 2022

Love Marin-made cheese? Then you’ll love the California Cheese Trail guide to some of the best cheesemakers in the county, including MALT producers Cowgirl Creamery, Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Ramini Mozzarella and Tomales Farmstead Creamery.

The California Cheese Trail spotlights awareness of artisanal cheesemakers all around the state. Since its inception in 2010, some of the participating cheesemakers have seen their sales rise by as much as 80%.

MALT board member Vivien Straus is the Cheese Trail’s founder and managing director.

Her affection for cheese is no doubt a product of her upbringing as the daughter and sister of Marin County dairy farmers. In fact, Vivien’s late mother Ellen founded MALT– along with biologist Phyllis Faber – in 1980.

This fall, Vivien – who is also a talented actor — will perform a play she has written about Ellen Straus at the MALT-protected Straus Home Ranch, an agri-tourism venue she owns and runs with her brother Michael and sister Miriam. No doubt there will be Marin-made cheese available during intermission.

Until then, why not embark on a cheese adventure in MALT’s backyard? When you visit three participating Marin cheese-making locations, you’ll be eligible for a 10% discount on an order from the Cheese Trail’s online store. Details are available on the Cheese Trail adventure page.

“We could all use a little fresh air – and, of course, cheese – especially in these Covid days,” Vivien says.