Ingrid's Pride is our first custom cheese.  Technically it is a formaggi a pasta filata. This is Italian for: After the curd is cut and drained, a small portion of the curd is placed in very hot water and stretched by hand.  As the curd is stretched, it melts together and is folded over itself again and again to form a 6-8 pound ball.  This is different from other cheese families where the curds are joined together in a cheese press. The ball is placed in a brine bath for six hours, then removed and hung in a mesh bag where it ages for at least four weeks. As it ages, it is rubbed with salt and vinegar to form a natural rind on the outside.   

Since this cheese is closely related to Mozzarella, it is excellent for melting and is especially good when it gets a little toasted and browned. At this point, it's difficult for us to eat sandwiches that don't have Ingrid's Pride in them.  

Ingrid is one of our first cows and can be seen here in the background. She demands the most attention, so she pretty much forced us to name the first cheese after her.