Thursday, July 24, 2003

By Woodene Merriman, Post-Gazette Senior Editor

KULA, Maui, Hawaii -- When the dairy farmer ran off with the milkmaid and the farmer's wife took up with a rock musician, Thomas Kafsack had the beginning of his own Surfing Goat Dairy.

	If You Go WHAT: Surfing Goat Dairy. WHERE: 3651 Omaopio Road, Kula, Maui, HI 96790. WHEN: Tours usually are offered at 9 a.m. two Saturdays a month. Reservations necessary. Price: $9. INFORMATION: 1-808-878-2870. Previous articles in series: Lilikoi's unique sweetness the perfect tribute to moms 'Hawaii Two-Five' might be the theme of Big Island second honeymoon

Kafsack, who lives on the neighboring island of Maui, had the goats shipped over from the Big Island of Hawaii. He bought a few more goats from Maui farmers, imported some from California and crossbred them. Now he has a herd of about 80 (and growing) and a thriving goat cheese business.

The creamy goat cheese, in flavors such as mango, herb and horseradish, and goat's milk feta from the Surfing Goat are sold here at the volcano-side dairy and at specialty stores throughout the island. Some restaurants on Maui and in Honolulu feature Surfing Goat cheese in their dishes, too.

So what is a surfing goat? A clever name, that's all. People surf; goats don't. But Thomas and his wife, Eva-Maria, wanted a name that said "Maui." Surfing Goat Dairy seemed to do it.

Jumping onto and tumbling off a small stationary surfing board in their kid pen is about as close as the Surfing Goat goats will ever get to surfing.

It was kidding season at the dairy the Saturday morning a small group of tourists showed up to help with the herding and milking. Energetic, wobbly-legged kids (baby goats, you city slickers) climbed on and off the surfing board and up and down the hillside behind it. Inside the barn, just-born twin kids were huddled in a bed of straw. Twins and triplets are common in kid-land.

Starting the tour, we troop off to a larger pasture where a dozen older, more placid goats are waiting to come in for milking. Kafsack and Amber, a dairy worker, know them all by name -- Coco, China, Oreo, Monster, Bunny and so on.

One obvious pet is Tufty. She gets a lot of cuddling. Unlike other goats, which have two teats, Tufty has only one. She developed an infection and the veterinarian said there was no hope for her. She lost the infected teat, but the dairymaids, not willing to give up on her, nursed her back to health by feeding her a lot of garlic, parsley and other fresh herbs.

With the other teat, Tufty now gives about a gallon of milk a day, the same as the goats who have a full set of equipment.

We pass one smaller pasture, where a billy goat gnawing at the gate looks as though he'd like to get out.

"He's bored," Kafsack says. "All the female goats in with him are pregnant now, and he has nothing to do."

Kafsack teaches guests how to recognize the different breeds of goats. The white ones are saanen, those with upright ears are alpines, and the ones with hanging ears are nubians. The rest are crossbreeds.

The goats we're taking to the milking station are "fresh." They've recently given birth, and their udders are heavy with milk. They take their places in the 12-slot milk stand and start eating their granola-like breakfast. (It's a supplement to the cactus, grass, tree bark and everything else they consume in the pasture). While they're eating, guests are invited to try milking them by hand. No one is very successful. So modern milking equipment is attached to the goats, and the milk starts flowing and is piped into two stainless steel vats inside the small immaculate cheese-making building.

Thomas and Eva-Maria Kafsack learned cheese making at goat farms in their native Germany, and in France and Austria. It's a complex and sensitive process, as he explains it, requiring gentle handling and careful ripening.

The dairy produces more than 20 different kinds of goat cheese, with names such as Udderly Delicious (plain chevre, salted) and It's Not Sushi, flavored with tuna and wasabi. Some of the ripened cheeses are coated with wax; some are packed in oil or brine.

By the time Kafsack has explained the cheese-making process, the goats have finished their breakfast and are ready to be herded off to another pasture to rest under the peppercorn trees and eat until it's time for the 5 p.m. milking. Guests are invited to relax with a cold drink and a generous tasting of the dairy's cheeses, all part of the 2 1/2-hour tour.

To build their goat cheese farm, the Kafsacks took over 42 acres of land that had been cleared for a golf course. It is in a dry area on the side of the Haleakala volcano but has underground irrigation that provides plenty of water for the goats to drink and to keep the pastures green.

Just two years old, it's a bit of a novelty here. But goat cheese farms are cropping up throughout the United States as interest in goat cheese -- or chevre, in French -- grows. Much of it is made at small, artisanal farms like Surfing Goat.

Soft, white, creamy and mild, it goes well in salads, melts to add richness into rice and pasta dishes, and blends well with other flavors (such as horseradish for Surfing Goat's Men's Challenge and caraway seeds for Danish Treat).

Shrimp and goat cheese risotto

• 1 quart chicken broth
  
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
  
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 cup arborio rice
  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as chardonnay or sauvignon blanc
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  
• 1/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese
  
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated fresh ginger
  
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the shrimp, cover and simmer over moderate heat until just cooked, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a plate to cool. Cover the stock and keep it at barely a simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until coated with oil, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Add 1 scant cup of the simmering stock and cook, stirring constantly, until it is absorbed. Continue to add the stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until it is absorbed.

The risotto is done when the rice is tender but still slightly firm and creamy, about 25 minutes total. Stir in the shrimp. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the basil, goat cheese, Parmesan, ginger and lemon zest. Season the risotto with salt and pepper and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Adapted from Food & Wine

Steelhead grill's goat cheese salad

This salad has been on the menu at the Steelhead Grill, Downtown, for several years. Chef Greg J. Alauzen says it is so popular he can't take it off the menu. Make the Red Wine Vinaigrette and French Bread Croutons in advance, and the salad goes together in a few minutes.

• 2 ounces goat cheese
  
• 1/2 roasted red pepper, cut in large dice
  
• Mesclun or spring greens for two (about 3 ounces)
  
• Red Wine Vinaigrette
  
• 2 French bread croutons

Place goat cheese and cut-up roasted peppers on a small baking sheet and heat at 350 degrees until soft, 1 or 2 minutes. In medium mixing bowl, toss melted cheese and pepper with Red Wine Vinaigrette, as desired, and greens. Place dressed greens in middle of plates and top with crouton. Refrigerate leftover Red Wine Vinaigrette for later use on other green salads. Makes 2 generous servings.

Note: Ready-to-use roasted red pepper, usually sold in glass jars, can be used, as well as freshly roasted red pepper.

Red wine vinaigrette

• 1/2 shallots, cut in small dice
  
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  
• 1 cup canola oil
  
• 1/2 cup extra virgin
  
• olive oil

In small saucepan, add shallots and vinegar, bring to a simmer, turn off heat and set aside for 20 minutes. In medium mixing bowl, combine shallots and vinegar with mustard. Slowly whisk oil into mixture. Makes about 2 cups, enough to use for goat cheese salad and to save for use on other green salads.

French bread crouton

Cut two thin slices of French bread, cutting on the bias. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a 450-degree oven until golden brown.

Woodene Merriman, retired restaurant critic, can be reached at woodene@msn.com.