Jacobs Creamery

Lisa Jacobs (right) at her Portland Farmer's Market booth

Coming up with a few adjectives to describe Lisa Jacobs is not difficult - her bubbling enthusiasm and energy are infectious. She's also resourceful and incredibly dedicated to her craft. I mean, I'm talking about someone who, just over a year ago, decided she wanted to start making cheese -- and today she's running a thriving business, Jacobs Creamery. Pretty impressive.

But let's back up a few years. Lisa and her family are originally from Ireland. Her parents moved to the US during Ireland's economic downturn in the 1980s and have since established The Smokery, a mainstay at the Portland and Hillsdale Farmers Markets. Lisa spent many summers while growing up across the pond in Ireland visiting family. "I have lots of good memories of caddying for my grandmother on the golf course and having tea in the afternoons with relatives in castles!" she says.

Jacobs says she had always dreamed of being a lawyer, but a year in law school was all it took for her to decide that the profession wasn't for her. "I figured I would likely end up working like crazy for some firm so that I could make partner and then work for the rest of my life in the same manner." Smart woman. Not one to sit around, she moved on and started experimenting with making Havarti cheese using milk from Noris Dairy, which she first started selling at the Hillsdale Farmers Market in Portland last year. She's since carved out a niche in the local cheese and dairy world with a whole line of fresh cheeses and dairy products including butter, yogurt, cream cheese, ricotta and havarti - and look for feta and mozzarella coming soon. She also makes other goodies using dairy products, such as pudding and ricotta pie, that are available on a limited basis.

Jacobs currently sources her milk from Garry Hansen's Lady Lane Jersey Dairy in Mulino, Oregon (outside of Canby). He milks about 45 Jersey cows, known for their extra rich milk that's perfect for cheesemaking. Jacobs is now selling bottled milk from the dairy as well.

You can find Jacobs Creamery products at the following Portland area farmer's markets:  Portland, Hollywood, Milwaukie, Hillsdale, King, Moreland, Hood River, Eastbank, Lake Oswego and Cannon Beach (held on Tuesdays)....she's also currently working with Whole Foods and hopes to establish her products in Portland area stores soon.

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Jacobs Creamery
Lisa Jacobs
503-621-7910

Comments

[chris]

last year i saw jacobs creamery at the beaverton farmers market, and bought some really good pudding. are going to be there this year (i really hope you are) because i cant make it to tje other markets

p.s love your products

[PNWCheese]

chris - I checked with Lisa Jacobs and she is not currently selling at the Beaverton Farmers Market - however, she's selling at quite a few other local markets in and around Portland. If you can't make it to one of those (see the list in the piece above) you can call her and order products on an individual basis.