'GIDDY UP" WEST ASHLEY

Giddy Goat is changing the way we view local cheese

By Nicole Bryan
Contributing Writer

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Ferrah Hoffmire's Giddy Goat Cheese now hangs its hoof in West Ashley

The local food movement has been sweeping the Lowcountry as of late and for artist turned goat cheese maker Ferrah Hoffmire, the opportunity to provide a quality product goes hand-in-hand with educating and encouraging consumers to choose South Carolina-grown products first.

"At Giddy Goat Cheese, our goal is to get people to come back to their roots," says Hoffmire, who just set up shop in West Ashley, along the Avondale Point strip off of Savannah Highway.

With people becoming more concerned about where their food comes from, restaurants in the area have been striving to offer menus that feature healthier farm fresh items.

An idea that sprung from her work as an artist and documentary filmmaker, Hoffmire with the help of husband Mitchell Davis, have fused their passion for agricultural advocacy with the desire to "get down to earth," as Hoffmire points it.

Both raised in Summerville and graduates from the College of Charleston, the couple has always had a strong sense of community. They launched Organic Process Productions, a media outlet that produces documentaries pertaining to environmental, social, and agricultural issues.

Hoffmire says her interest to tell stories was really what spearheaded her efforts with Giddy Goat." I wanted to learn about what was important to people and what we can do to help". Her first project was an art film about mental health issues, a feature she worked on while working at the Medical University of South Carolina. "I was self-taught, at first I had no idea what I was doing, but it was more about telling the story."

After Hurricane Katrina, Hoffmire left Charleston with the compulsion to do something. The award-winning documentary film series, Falling Together in New Orleans created a new avenue of expression as storytelling led to paintings with agricultural and social significance, and now making goat cheese.

"We knew we wanted to become more involved in the local organic scene and we started putting out some feelers. My friend taught me how to make goat cheese, and I fell in love with the process," says Hoffmire.

About two years ago, Hoffmire and Davis began taking the necessary steps to making Giddy Goat a reality. An early obstacle rose as the couple tried to find a local goat farm that would supply the milk. Though Split Creek Farms in Anderson, aided their efforts, the nearly four hour commute from Hoffmire's home in downtown Charleston was not ideal with an ever-expanding client base.

Now working primarily with Loan Palmetto Farms in Timmonsville, Hoffmire can distribute to already existing clients and customers more readily.

One of only two goat cheese distributors in the area, Giddy Goat inspired recipes are popping up at some of the most well-known restaurants in the Charleston area. From McGrady's and Carolinas to Sesame and Five Loaves, Giddy Goat is spreading.

A three-day process, Hoffmire makes the pasteurized cheese from scratch. First by heating the milk to a degree that kills potentially harmful bacteria, then cooling the milk down and adding vegetable rennet, an enzyme, and culture to sit overnight.

"The next day it is yogurt and I scoop it out into cheese cloth and let it out to dry for another 12-14 hours and the next day its cheese!," says Hoffmire.

With four delectable flavors, including a spicy yet soothing pimiento, classic pure chevre, cracked pepper sea-salt, and a sweet zesty crystallized ginger, even the most timid cheese taster will indulge.

A staple in both the Marion Square and the Mount Pleasant farmers markets, Hoffmire hopes that Giddy Goat's new location will serve as not only a way to build more costumer relations, but as a venue for advocacy and art.

"All of the proceeds we get from Giddy Goat cheese goes towards funding our efforts at Organic Process," says Hoffmire. "We are working on various projects highlighting Lowcountry farmers and the agricultural community, it is really exciting."

Hoffmire also plans to display her paintings in what has been dubbed the "Giddy Gallery" located at the entrance of the shop.

"We really want to offer more of an experience to our customers," says Hoffmire. "Everything we do is interconnected, from film, art and cheese."

As the local movement continues to make strides towards enriching appetites and inspiring consumers to be more conscious of what they eat, Giddy Goat cheese is a promising (and delicious) option.

 

For more information about Giddy Goat and Organic Process, visit www.organicprocess.com.