One of the reasons that the Stanislaus grown project was born was to showcase the truly world class producers we have here in our county. There are few producers we have that exemplify this notion better than Fiscalini Farmstead in Modesto.

Fiscalini Cheese is the outcome of a Stanislaus farmer with a dream. A dream that originated when John Fiscalini (pictured left) took a visit back to where his family originated, a small town in the Swiss Alps. Here cheese making was a long time Fiscalini family tradition, that John now envisioned himself pursuing. His dream began to fully take shape in the year 2000. On the land that his grandfather had purchased for a dairy in 1912, he added a cheese plant to his dairy.

Fiscalini goes above what most ordinary artisan cheese makers do, they are a farmstead. Being a farmstead means that they only use the milk they produce in their own dairy for their artisan cheeses. One of only half a dozen in California, this farmstead approach allows for perfect oversight for all of the milk going into the cheese. This insurance of milk quality is not something they take lightly, Fiscalini Farms was the first dairy in the U.S. to be certified by Validus for animal welfare. On top of that they were among the earliest to be certified by the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program. Fiscalini is also committed to using all of the natural flavors that traditional milk can offer, and only use raw (unpasteurized) milk for its exceptional flavor.  All of this just to make sure that they know exactly everything about the milk that goes into their cheese, because better milk can only lead to better cheese.

Since 2000, Fiscalini has been pumping out award winning cheeses. These chesses are not just some cheese we put in the county fair, Fiscalini Bandage Wrapped Cheddar was named one of the Top 16 Cheeses in the World at the World Cheese Awards in London, as well as best cheddar in the world. All of this was able to be accomplished with aid from their outstanding senior cheesemaker Jorge “Mariano” Gonzales (pictured, right). This devoted cheesemaker inspects and handcrafts each 60 pound wheel of their famous bandaged cheddar. Other award winning cheeses that this local farmstead produces would be their San Joaquin Gold and Lionza.  Both of these cheeses were able to be awarded at the California State Fair as well as a gold medal for the San Joaquin Gold at the World Cheese Awards in London.

Whether you try the original San Joaquin Gold, or the best cheddar in the world, don’t let an amazing producer such as this to fly under your radar. So pick up some Fiscalini Farms cheese today! There store is located in Modesto at 7206 Kiernan Ave, open from 7am to 3pm Monday through Friday. You can also check out and their website and visit their online store at www.fiscalinicheese.com