Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company: Bay Blue Begins

The tale of a new start that led to a very delicious (and different) new blue.

Cheesemaker Kuba Hemmerling traces the origins of Bay Blue all the way back to the day he arrived at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company in 2009. “I had just driven from the Midwest in my little red Honda Civic,” he recalls. “I was tired and a little nervous.” Somewhat understandably. Because, for all his cheesemaking expertise, Kuba was new to blue. From that day forward, however, Kuba would be committed to, and fully consumed by, the never-ending quest for the perfect blue cheese. Fortunately for him, and us, he’s also a quick learner and a consummate perfectionist. So, it didn’t take long for Kuba to realize that his journey would start by finding ways to improve the Original Blue recipe and cheesemaking process.

What followed was nearly eight months of refining and improving to give Original Blue a shorter aging period and more proficient blue veining. It was hard work. “After that,” Kuba said, “I swore I’d never make another blue cheese. It’s too hard, too delicate and technical.” He turned his efforts towards creating another beloved cheese – Point Reyes Toma.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company