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Blue Jacket Dairy, 1434 County Road 11, Bellefontaine, was awarded two ribbons at the 2016 Ohio State Fair cheese competition, which included eight categories of Ohio-made cheese.
Blue Jacket’s Arrowhead Herb Chevre, made from goat’s milk, herbs and a touch of garlic, received first place in the Goat & Sheep Milk Cheese category. Arrowhead is their most popular savory cheese.
Blue Jacket’s Lemon Jewel Quark, a creamy sweet breakfast cheese, placed second in the Soft and Spreadable Cheese category. Lemon Jewel is made from pasteurized whole cow’s milk, fresh lemon zest and a touch of sweetness. Blue Jacket Quark is also available plain or with garlic.
“We are happy to be honored for our artisan cheeses and grateful to the judges for their evaluations and expertise,” Blue Jacket Dairy co-owner Angel King said. “It is exciting to be a part of the revival of cheese making in Ohio.”
As avid Ohio history buffs, Mrs. King and her husband, Jim, draw inspiration for naming their artisan cheeses from Ohio historical sites and famous people. The inspiration for the name Lemon Jewel was from “These are my jewels,” the first monument placed on the Statehouse lawn. The bronze, granite and marble statue honors Grant, Sheridan, Sherman, Garfield, Hayes, Stanton and Chase.
Among the chefs throughout the state utilizing Blue Jacket cheese are Michael Shepherd’s 600 Downtown restaurant in Bellefontaine, Brian Wall’s Brewfontaine in Bellefontaine, and Chef Dean James Max’s Latitude 41 at the Renaissance Hotel in Columbus.
Since 2008, Mr. and Mrs. King have been making a wide variety of artisan cheese, including fresh cheese curds; Ludlow, an aged cheese named after surveyor Israel Ludlow; and Hull’s Trace, an aged cheese named after the historical trail running through Logan County. Blue Jacket Dairy creates artisan cheese from milk sourced within 20 miles of the creamery.
Blue Jacket cheese can be purchased at the Bellefontaine creamery, local farmers’ markets, online at www.bluejacketdairy.com, and at retailers including Weiland’s, Hill’s, Lucky’s, and select Kroger Marketplace locations in the Columbus area.