A California native, Sarah Marcus worked in radio broadcasting and the music industry before discovering what she calls her “ultimate love,” cheesemaking. After working behind the counter at Cowgirl Creamery’s Ferry Building shop and apprenticing as a cheesemaker in our Point Reyes creamery, Sarah honed her skills at goat dairies in Great Britain and North Carolina. She launched Briar Rose Creamery with her husband, Jim, in 2010.
Maia is a washed rind disc made from organic Ayrshire cow's milk, sourced from Perrin Family Farms in Oregon. Its aroma smacks of cream and a bit of funk, while its custardy paste offers flavors ranging from corn and straw to melon, papaya and vanilla. The cheese is named for Maia, the goddess of spring and the eldest of the Pleiades – the seven mountain nymph sisters who were transformed into stars -- in Greek and Roman mythology.
Farm / Company: Briar Rose Creamery
Cheesemaker: Sarah Marcus
Proprietor: Sarah Marcus
Affineur: Briar Rose Creamery
City, State: Dundee, OR
Region: Pacific Northwest
Country: USA
Milk Type: Cow
Milk Treatment: Pasteurized
Rennet: Vegetarian
Rind: Washed
Texture: Soft
Aging: 60 days
Size(s): 1.5 pound wheel