Bob Eshman relays the story of how he and his family stumbled into being goat herders in the heart of the city, and then goat cheese makers.

Goats don’t bark or scratch. In our urban ecosystem, their odorless pellets work like plant steroids, replacing the need to buy fertilizer. They come when I call them, will stand on two legs for treats and enjoy a good scratch. As I write this, Goldie is rubbing her head against the card table I’ve set up in my backyard. In a moment, I’ll let her butt the palm of my hand. It’s a game we play.

Read the full story here.

This elegant main course is perfect for entertaining! Comté gets mixed with Dijon mustard, herbs and shallots to create a succulent filling for pork tenderloin. A simple pan jus is just the right finish. The pork can be stuffed and tied up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate; then bring to room temperature and season before proceeding.

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with oil.

PRI's Living on Earth has a great interview up with "fermentation fetishist" and microbe-connoisseur Sandor Katz.

Yahaya Wandwasi, a Ugandan dairy farmer, got his start with a single cow in 1994 from Heifer International. From this one cow, Wandwasi was able to build a financially sustainable farming life that now includes a dairy, property, and a small coffee plantation.

Wandwasi says he used to get 25 litres of milk daily from the cow he got from Heifer International – Uganda. He sold the milk and raised the money to engage in other farming ventures.

He says when he had saved sh400,000, he bought a piece of land.
“I started with 100 coffee plants and planted more as I got more money. I now have over 400 Arabica coffee plants,” Wandwasi says.

Read the full story here.

Photo by New Vision

Jackee Foster has a passion for cheese and local foods that has led her to set up a home on Martha's Vineyard. She began her culinary career in Ireland where she learned to appreciate local ingredients coming daily and fresh from nearby farms. Upon returning to the U.S., she was introduced to cheesemaking through Lourdes Smith and soon after relocated to Martha's Vineyard to work with Mermaid Farm making cheese. Foster is only beginning her career and is overflowing with further cheese and dairy development ideas.

"Since I started, I've been wanting to get into goat's milk cheese," she says. She is currently researching the possibility of setting up a mobile cheesemaking unit and a mobile milking parlor for use by local dairy farmers. "The idea is to build this infrastructure that can go mobile. There are other people on the Island who would like to be doing something like this."

The BBC's Fuchsia Dunlop writes about a trip to the Yunnan province of China, where she watched the making of "milk cakes," an unsalted goat cheese
used in local cuisine. China's cheesemaking industry is small, and Dunlop touches on why this cottage industry sprung up in Yunnan:

And even if in Yunnan, "milk cake" is regarded as part of a Chinese regional cuisine, there is no escaping the fact that this region is a special case.

The province lies on the fringes of China, its population a hotchpotch of nationalities whose dietary habits are far removed from those of the Han Chinese.

And although Mrs Luo's Han Chinese neighbours also make cheese, she herself is a member of the Yi ethnic minority - a reminder that dairy foods were never really part of the Chinese mainstream.

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Okay, so maybe you know about Raclette parties and their fun, backwards-fondue style, but what if you're all alone and find yourself craving that hodge-podge of cheesy goodness? L’Emporte-Pièce in Montreal has you covered: enter the Raclette grilled cheese, an epic sandwich packed with the Swiss cheese and all the fixings.

For Matthieu Bonneau of minuscule grilled-cheese counter L’Emporte-Pièce (and a co-owner of the new Smoking Valée in St. Henri), it was a sandwich waiting to happen. His version incorporates some of the fixings traditionally served with raclette, including charcuterie and cornichons.

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Photo by Like_the_Grand_Canyon

All this week the BBC is looking into professions where there's room for growth and farming is a good example. In this video, Gareth Barlowe, a sheep farmer in the UK, shares his story on becoming a farmer and the farming life. He started young - at 17 - and has grown to love working with animals. He says there are challenges to farming, but you get to be your own boss, have your hands in every part of your business, and spend all your time outside and away from a stuffy office.

Watch the video here.

Greek cheese is more than just Feta. Halloumi, a semi-hard, unripened brined cheese from Cyprus, is gaining popularity in New Zealand, thanks to the Matsis family and their cheesemaking chops.

The duo, of Greek heritage, told TV ONE's Breakfast they think the squeaky cheese still has scope to become more popular.

"It's like feta was when it started out, and now feta is a staple product. I'm not saying halloumi will be a staple product, but I think a lot of people will know what it is in a further 5-10 years", he said.

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Photo by Mr. T in DC

Emiliano Lee takes a look in his cheese case to provide us with some fail-safe drinking buddies.

Many people want to pair wine and cheese, and while I can dance to that, I'm personally more of the malt and hops persuasion. For me, beer is a more natural choice, and as many others will attest to, it plays tremendously well with cheese.

Check out the full list
Photo by Atilla Kefeli