Along the California Trail – Nicasio Valley Cheese Co.

California poppies along the cheese trail

“Go West young man”!! – It was a term that became popular in the mid-1800’s as gold was discovered in California. As a result, it became the world’s largest mass-migration to California in search of gold.

Trails such as The Mormon Trail and The California Trail were most common to get to the gold fields…But I used another map to get there…Published by Real California Milk, they created their own Cheese Trail Map (which lists 42 Cheesemakers). I wasn’t searching for gold, but golden cheese!

Although the “Gold Rush” had ended by the 1860’s, the lure to head West remained for generations – This was the story of Fredolino Louis Lafranchi, who left his father and his village of Maggia, Switzerland when he was just seventeen for a better life in America.

He arrived in New York City on 29 October 1910. This was merely a short layover, as his plan was to head to Petaluma, California all along. By 1917, he had made his way as far West as “Dos Piedras” (Two Rocks), which eventually became known as Two Rock Valley, Sonoma, California.

Fredolino lafranchi courtesy of Nicasio Valley Cheese Co.

By January of 1920, he was now going by the name “Fred” and working as a Dairyman in Nicasio Township in Marin County. In August of the same year, he would be married to his love, Zelma. Together they settled down and began a family. Fred’s career as a dairyman was blossoming and by 1926, he had already won some awards for his Holstein cows.

By 1930, the family had earned enough money to travel back to Switzerland for a vacation. The trip had a lasting impact on the entire family…the scenery, the culture, and the food left an imprint on them that would last generations.

In the 1940’s Fred’s oldest son Wilfred (better known as Will) joined along side of his father in the dairyman tradition.

The 1960’s was a pivotal decade for the family…In1963, the Marin Community Plan had created plans for three freeways cutting through Nicasio. Will, who had been born on these lands knew that the family’s ranch and future were hanging in the balance. If it were not for the combined effort of early conservationists and land trust advocates, the freeways may have changed this landscape forever.

Then, just one year later, Fred passed away in April of 1964. In his obituary, it was noted that he was a past director of the Associated Dairymen, Consolidated Milk Producers, the present director of the Point Reyes Cooperative Milk Producers (which I will discuss more in a further blog post), and present director of the Challenge Cream and Butter Association. As you can tell, dairy life was in his blood.

Fred’s son, Will, took over the operations of the ranch.

Maurizio Lorenzetti Photo courtesy of Facebook

Although the cheese production at the ranch was decades away from becoming a reality, it was a trip in 1973 that Will took back to Switzerland for the first time back since he was a child. This trip stirred something in him. He enjoyed the cheeses of Southern Switzerland and Northern Italy and commented “Wouldn’t it be great to one day make these cheeses on our Nicasio Ranch,” his son, Rick recalled. The idea had taken root…

In the early 2000’s, it was a second trip to Switzerland with master cheesemaker, Maurizio Lorenzetti that helped them create some of their signature cheese recipes for the near future.

Today, with the help of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, the Lafranchi Ranch stands at 1,150 Acres (1 of 26 dairies in Marin County, down from 200 dairies in 1950) and each of Will’s sons handle a different function of the ranch…

Randy handles the Dairy and Egg operations. Dairy – 450 Certified Organic Holstein Cows; Eggs – 5,000 pasture-fed, free-range chickens produce eggs for 20 Bay Area markets

Rick Lafranchi, courtesy of MALT

Rick handles the Sales and Marketing of their products

Scott handles the creamery production.

In 2010, Rick and Scott Lafrachi, in conjunction with the help (and recipes) of Maurizio Lorenzetti opened the doors of the creamery and launched a line of cheeses that captured the Swiss-Italian heritage of the Lafranchi family, as well as the terroir of this beautiful Marin County valley. Here are just a few that Nicasio Valley Cheese Company created – Foggy Morning, a Fromage Blanc style cheese; Nicasio Reserve, a Swiss-Italian style mountain cheese; Nicasio Square, reminiscent of a Taleggio cheese; and San Geronimo, a cross between a Fontina and a Raclette.      

Locarno Photo courtesy of Facebook

One of their cheeses that I wanted to feature today is Locarno (named after the Italian-speaking resort city in southern Switzerland, on Lake Maggiore at the base of the Alps), as it has just won a 2026 Gold Medal at the California State Fair (which I have been a judge for in past years). It is produced in both a 6 oz. round, or a 48 oz. wheel (that is typically cut up into wedges at your favorite cheese shop). It is made with cultured, pasteurized organic cow’s milk and aged five weeks. This certainly must make Head Cheesemaker, Jeremy Catrambone proud! – He has been part of the team since 2017.

Visting their cheese shop and factory is the perfect first stop along the California Cheese Trail!...It is located at 5300 Nicasio Valley Road, Nicasio CA and open 7 days a week from 10a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nicasio Valley Cheese Shop

This is a unique place as it is a USDA Organic dairy ranch, that produces a number farmhouse cheeses (meaning the milk and the cheese are produced on the same property), and they have a cheese shop that you can visit and pick up some great local cheeses (as well as other locally produced accompaniments).

One sad note to end on...While I was preparing for this story, I was writing emails back and forth to Rick about the history of the company and we were planning a trip to visit the dairy…Rick unexpectedly passed away just four days later. This was even more upsetting, as their dear friend (and first cheesemaker), Maurizio Lorenzetti had passed away suddenly just two weeks earlier.

I would like to think of Rick and Maurizio reminiscing in heaven about their travels, their families, and their cheeses.

With all love and great respect…    

Until our next stop along the California Cheese Trail…

Your Cheese Traveler,

Trevor