Pleasures of the Table

Welcome to Bobolink Dairy in Vernon, NJ. You won't find it if you're not looking for it.

I lived within ten miles of this place for several years, but had never bothered to follow the sign off route 94 until I saw Tony Bourdain's NJ show. I figured I'd check it out for myself.

Nice picture of a rustic setting. This was located on the way up to the pigs pen.

This is Rennie. He's a very friendly dog who roams around the farm and keeps everyone in check. If you e-mail me the scientific name for the condition of having different colored eyes you'll win a prize!
This is one of the fabulous bakers. They were good for humoring me as I intruded on their workspace. Notice the wood fired brick oven in the background.
When these folks get ready to slaughter a pig, you'd better be on their e-mail list and act quickly. From what I understand the meat goes in about twenty minutes.
This is me in front of the main building which houses the cheese making equipment and the retail counter.

Last but not least, this is what the experience is about. A nice slice of cheese, a cold glass of wine, and a piece of bread crafted by artisans. This particular loaf was chiabata with garlic roasted in duck fat. Now THAT was tasty.

So, here's the scoop. Organic is good. Check out their website. These are good people. They love their animals and treat them humanely. Their stuff is a little more expensive than what you find in your local grocery, but it's got more character. It's got flavor. It's not homogenized, iradiated, whipped, pulped, machined, or dumbed down. Support your local growers. I'll step off my soap box now.

My next blog will be about another favorite you'll only find in New Jersey, the Jersey Girl.