Today, the Callahans make cheese from both Jersey cows from a near by dairy and from East Fresian sheep, a breed they raise, but that originated from Northern Europe. The sheep milk cheeses are San Andreas (aged for 2 months, smooth and nutty) and Pepato (aged for 2 months with whole peppercorns). Their cow's milk cheeses are Fromage Blanc (chef's ingredients with excellent flavor); Creme Fraiche (traditional French cultured cream cheese for sauces, soups and desserts); Ricotta (creamy and sweet); Crescenza (buttery soft, ripened cheese with a creamy, slightly tart flavor); and Carmody (Semi-soft table cheese aged for 6 weeks with a smooth texture and subtle flavor).

While the type of animal used and the terroir play a major role in the resulting style, flavor and quality of the cheese, so to does the cheese making process itself. Although the cheese making process is essentially the same around the globe and consists of four basic steps in curdling, draining, pressing and ripening, various measures can be undertaken before and during the process to produce a variety of results. Here's a short explanation of the processes:

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Curdling:
When a bacterial culture high in lactic acid is added to the vat of milk, souring begins, with an increase in acidity. When the milk has obtained a desired temperature and acid level, the cheese maker adds rennet. Rennet is ground calves (also lamb and baby goat) stomach. (A microbial enzyme from plant origin is used in some cheeses for vegetarian markets.) Rennet stimulates thc coagulation of the proteins.

Cutting, Stirring, Draining, Cooking:
The coagulated mass is cut in various ways, depending on the cheese to be made. Cutting expels more whey. Whey is the water-soluble elements of the milk. Depending on the desired texture and acid level, the curds may be ladled into molds to drain naturally. Or they may be stretched in hot water until they take on an elastic-like texture, pasta filatas such as Mozzarella). Some cheeses are made by cooking the curds in the whey. Generally speaking, a lower temperature produces cheeses with a high moisture level and a high temperature brings about a low moisture content in the cheese. During the process the curds may be gently agitated (for making soft cheeses) or rapidly stirred at a high temperature (for making firm or hard types). Stirring keeps the curds from forming a tough skin.

Milling, Salt, Pressing:
Once drained, some curds are milled, cut into smaller cubes to expel more whey and fit into a perforated mold of a desired shape. The perforations allow even more whey to drain away. At this point the curds can be dry-salted for flavoring, heated or pressed. Firm varieties, for example, Cheddar, undergo a heavy pressing for several hours.

Ripening:
Ripening is the final stage in cheese making. Rinds are formed by introducing the cheese to various elements. Some cheeses may be dipped into a brine solution to form the rind, such as Brie and Camembert can be sprayed with a Penicillium culture to form a white bloomy rind.

Marin French Cheese Company is an example of a dairy that has developed a unique style through the cheese making process rather than through the terroir. All the cheeses are made from a blend of Jersey cow's milk from a few neighboring farms. The milk is also vat pasteurized. But the cheeses have been 'handmade' since 1865, making this company the oldest continuously operated cheese factory in the United States.

Joining the company in 1904, Howard Bunce is head cheese maker at Marin French Cheese Company. Bunce and his cheese makers hand craft their cheese in the old world artisan tradition. An example of this can be found during the souring process. When a bacterial lactic acid producing culture is added to the more than 100 individual small vats of milk, souring begins with an increase in acidity. Once the culture has primed in the milk (come to temperature and become fully active) mold cultures and then a coagulant are added to the milk. The coagulant breaks the protein chains and allows the calcium in the milk to bind the protein together into a large mass, which separates quickly from the whey, after the mass has been cut into cubes using a wire knife. The traditional coagulant is rennet (ground up calf stomach), which contains an enzyme called chymosin that naturally grows in the cow's stomach.