15704 Webberville Road,
276-7408 or 276-7505
Hours vary; visitors encouraged to call A drive into the hills surrounding town should be proof enough for anyone that
goats have come to Texas to stay and sent the cattle off to graze on the “back
40.” You say you’re not crazy about cabrito? Nevermind. At White Egret
Farms in East Austin, a Grade-A raw goat milk dairy, those turf-munching
mammals produce a mean milk that farm owner Lee Dexter and her staff turn into
an exceptionally flavorful and versatile cheese.
What distinguishes White Egret’s cheese from that of other Texas brands is its
full, unadulterated flavor. White Egret cheeses, like France’s famed
fromages au lait cru, are not pasteurized and are 100% natural, made
from unprocessed, naturally homogenized milk. As Dexter, a microbiologist who
has been raising goats since 1973 explains, White Egret’s milk meets or exceeds
all the standards of pasteurized milk using cleanliness instead of
pasteurization. The farm is inspected monthly by the Texas Department of Health
and the bacterial content of White Egret’s milk is less than that of typical
milk-processing plants. All of the farm’s cheeses (hard, soft, and vegetarian
varieties are available) are aged for at least 60 days. An excellent value and
rare treat that can be enjoyed alone or used in cooking, look for White Egret
at Whole Foods Market. Or better yet, drive out to the farm for a tour.
Visitors are welcome. — Rebecca Chastenet de Gery
This article appears in December 8 • 1995 and December 8 • 1995 (Cover).