Mark you Maui calendar for Dec. 2. That's the next Grand Dairy Tour at Surfing Goat Dairy in upcounty Kula. The Surfing Goat is a five-year old goat farm and cheese making operations founded by Thomas and Eva Kafsack, two German expats who had the odd idea that chasing, bathing and milking 80-odd goats would be a restful retirement. The Kafsacks opened Surfing Goat five years ago on 42 acres of pastureland several thousand feet above sea-level in bucolic, idyllic upcountry Maui. They have views of the West Maui Mountains and the Pacific Ocean on both sides of the isthmus.The Kafsacks also manage to make some extremely delicious goat cheeses in the soft and creme varieties (think chevre or slightly tangy cream cheese). They have turned their little dairy into a lovely side trip, with daily milking tours (its definitely easier than milking a cow) and special events like the Grand Tour which involves an education ramble through the farms operations, hands-on milking for guests, and a surreal cheese tasting of the 25 flavors. Apple banana and curry is dubbed the "Mandalay" and they pack a soft goat cheese in kiawe wood ashes to impart a smokey flavor. The lilikoi goat cheese cake (made from Surfing Goat quark) is quite yummy. Their Shark's Bite line of goat cheeses (proclaimed to be the world's most expensive line of goat cheese with mix-ins like perigord truffles and flecks of gold) could prove to be a costly habit. Whatever the case, the Kafsacks have won 14 national awards for their creations, at last count. They are also often on hand and all too happy to tell you about their life adventure in the goat trade.
Surfing Goat Diary
808.878.2870/ Map
Hours: Mon–Sat: 10am–5pm, Sunday: 10am–2pm
Advertisers, reach Hawaii |
