Cheese and Charcuterie · Petaluma, California
Cowgirl Creamery
Marin County cheesemakers behind Mt Tam and Red Hawk.
- Founded
- 1994
- Founded by
- Peggy Smith, Sue Conley
- Based in
- Petaluma, California
Making it since
1994
Their story
Cowgirl Creamery was started in 1994 by Peggy Smith and Sue Conley, two friends who had cooked in Bay Area kitchens, Smith for many years at Chez Panisse. They set up their first creamery in a barn in Point Reyes Station, surrounded by West Marin dairy land.
Their triple cream Mt Tam, named for Mount Tamalpais, and the washed-rind Red Hawk became Bay Area staples. Production later moved to a larger creamery in Petaluma. In 2016 the company was acquired by Emmi, a Swiss dairy group, and its San Francisco Ferry Building shop closed in 2021.
How it's made
Cowgirl makes its cheeses with organic milk from the neighboring Straus Family Creamery and from a local dairy. The range includes soft-ripened triple creams, washed-rind cheeses, seasonal soft cheeses and fresh cheeses such as cottage cheese and fromage blanc.
Our featured pick
Howdy, Partner Triple Creme (7OZ)
$22.00
Meet the bold new cheese @cowgirlcreamery created for Rustic Bakery's 20th anniversary. Inspired by Rustic's Chipotle & Cayenne Biscuits, it’s the perfect pair to thier flatbreads and a celebration.
Shop Cowgirl Creamery
1 in stock
Why we carry them
We think Mt Tam belongs on every Bay Area cheese board. If you like a funkier cheese, Red Hawk is the one to try.
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