Ontario cheese maker ready to downsize and return to the glory days of crafting every batch
An Ontario woman says she’s ready to sell her farm and get back into the business of making each and every batch of cheese her company produces.
“I'm gonna just go back and start making all the cheese myself. And it's kind of exciting and scary, but mostly because I think it's good actually. It's like coming full circle,” Ruth Klahsen, owner of Stratford-based Monforte Dairy, told CTV News Toronto.
On the first afternoon of summer, Klahsen, a mainstay in Toronto’s farmers’ market circuit, sat beneath a white tent shaving samples of her Little Boy Blue cheese for customers visiting Trinity Bellwoods – one of the six markets she visits every week in the summer.
“It was small and intimate,” the 65-year-old said, thinking back to the early days of her now 20-year-old company. She was operating the business solo, making every batch herself at a dairy in Millbank, Ont.
At the time, Klahsen said the food industry felt energized. It was the early 2000s, the beginning of a newfound appreciation for slow food with local roots.
“I think there was a real cohesiveness around food. I think we've lost a lot of that, even before the pandemic, I think. And I'm not sure why it makes me a little bit sad. But it was a really precious time,” she said.
Ruth Klahsen, owner of Stratford-based Monforte Dairy, sits in Trinity Bellwoods Park on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 (CTV News Toronto/ Hannah Alberga). Her business started with three cheeses – all of which are still top sellers today. One was a firm pecorino toscano made of sheep’s milk, another was a softer fleur du maquis with a natural rind rolled in rosemary, summer savory, juniper and chilies; and the third was a spongy, creamy and as Klahsen puts it, “sexy,” taleggio cheese.
“Ironically, the farther along we get, it's those core ones that are the ones that are the best cheeses,” she said.
Klahsen’s desire to get back to the place where her business started is not just a dream, it’s actually in the works.
“I wish I'd stayed smaller. Ironically, we're going to go back to being much smaller. I'm gonna sell the farm,” she said.
Monforte Dairy cheese on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 (CTV News Toronto/ Hannah Alberga). By the fall, she’ll get back to the art of crafting every batch.
“I think cheese is so humbling because it's one ingredient,” Klahsen said.
“I think more than anything we need pleasure in life. And I think we need pleasure out of small things that are daily.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.