FINDS

Cool Goats

Emily Thomson has been missing at some of the Hollywood farmers markets this summer. It’s been just too hot for her goats. But with cooler temperatures here, she and her unbelievable cheeses are back.

Thomson tends 20 Nubian and La Mancha goats in Ventura and turns their milk into fromage blanc, a kind of cross between yogurt and creme frai^che, and various types of both fresh and aged goat cheeses.

Her fresh cheeses, in particular, are outstanding--chalky, tangy and sweet all at the same time. Try the cheese that comes rolled in cracked black pepper or the one she coats in herbes de Provence.

Her personal favorite is the fromage blanc. “It’s what French kids eat for breakfast,” she says. “It is just so rich and so luxurious.”

In addition to the Sunday Hollywood market, Thomson also sells at the Saturday Santa Monica market and at a few fine cheese stores in Southern California, including Co-Opportunity in Santa Monica, La Brea Bakery on Wilshire, Say Cheese in Silver Lake, the Cheese Shop in Beverly Hills and D’Angelo Bread and Aficionado in Santa Barbara.

Fromage blanc is $5 for 8 ounces. Fresh cheeses come in 4-ounce rounds and cost about $5. Prices for aged cheeses vary, depending on the weight and type.