Love is the culture at Walla Walla Cheese Company

MILTON FREEWATER–What would you do with a highly productive dairy cow? For Jeff and Andrea Adams, the answer was cheese making. Their son's dairy cow, Toasty, gave the couple plenty of raw material, up to 12 gallons a day. Since then, the hobby has become a full-fledged business.

After 25 years of running their dairy farm in Tillamook, Oregon, the couple moved to Milton-Freewater in 2005. Jeff found work at a dairy-cow replacement farm, and Andrea offers veterinarian services at a Walla Walla animal clinic and an emergency clinic in the Tri-Cities.

Still not busy enough, the pair found their way back to cheese making, which led to the opening of Walla Walla Cheese Co. in 2016.

The business produces artisanal cheese sold to over 20 retail outlets and restaurants in the Walla Walla Vally, Pendleton, and the Tri-Cities.

The couple opened the retail shop, café, and production facility four years ago in Milton-Freewater, offering a chance to taste the variety of cheeses made at the shop. There is also a selection of house-made ice cream, charcuterie boards, and grilled cheese sandwiches at the café.

The shop is connected to the second storefront, giving plenty of room and separation for successful cheese making. Cheese has few ingredients; the process is the tricky part. Using different cultures and enzymes to create the type of cheese, temperature, humidity, or contamination can spoil the effort.

The cheese production and storage areas are "operating room clean" and temperature controlled. Blue shoe covers, aprons, coveralls, and hand washing stations are outside the production and storage rooms make it clear how easily a batch can go wrong.

Willing to take chances, the pair has created over 30 flavored cheeses over the years. A variety of cheese is available at the shop, some flavored with locally roasted coffee, wines, and ciders. There are also curds made with Habanero or herbs and garlic.

Rewards do not come without some risks, and occasionally an experiment goes wrong. Andrea said the failed cheese finds its way as a treat for the couple's laying hens.

Walking to the rear of the shop are giant glass door coolers with stacks of aging cheese rounds. All take their own time to age to the desired tastes. Harvarti may take six months to age, whereas cheddar can take years. There are rounds at the shop still aging since 2016. The longer a cheddar ages, the sharper the flavor.

For their smoked cheeses they use the smoking skills at Mr. C's in Waitsburg

One type of cheese you won't see at the production facility is blue cheese. This soft cheese is not produced in the same facility as other cheeses as the blue mold spores travel easily and can contaminate its neighbors.

The factory is not set up for tours. Private arrangements can be made to tour the operation; however, most of the work happens after hours. Even if the operation is idle, the tour is worth it to experience the couple's enthusiasm for their work. It will make a cheese lover out of anyone. Intolerant or not.

Walla Walla Cheese Co. at 606 N Main St., Milton-Freewater, Oregon.

For more information, go to their website at https://wallawallacheesecompany.com.