Say Cheese

There’s a new Philly subscription service you should know about: Collective Creamery. The CSA-style service brings cheese from two standout local makers to pickup sites throughout the city and neighboring counties.

“People always asked, ‘Where can I find your cheese?’” says Stefanie Angstadt of Valley Milkhouse Creamery. “Depending on where they lived, the answer wasn’t always easy.”

So Angstadt partnered with fellow cheesemaker Sue Miller of Birchrun Hills Farm and local supply-chain consultant (and Edible Philly contributor) Alex Jones to launch their business. They deliver traditional farmstead cheeses made with grass-fed milk to pickup locations in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, Northampton, Lehigh and Philadelphia counties.

The collective offers an artisan share (three cheeses totaling 1.5 pounds) and a petite share (two cheeses totaling 1 pound) for pickup every other week. You can add cultured butter and creamtop yogurt to your share, too.

 “We’re able to offer a larger variety of styles by working together,” Angstadt says. They occasionally mix in the products of guest cheesemakers, like Paul Lawler at Cherry Grove Farms. Members also get the first tastes of experimental cheeses, like the clothbound cheddar (wrapped in fine, lard-soaked cloth and aged for six months) that Miller and Angstadt made last year. Detailed cheese descriptions, pairing tips and recipes are included with each share.

 “The Collective Creamery is for people who appreciate variety and make a point to economically support our local cheesemakers,” Jones says. This summer marks their second season; sign up to be a member on their website.

—Katherine Rapin

collectivecreamery.com