Democratic Dairy

Think politics are cheesy? So does Laini Fondiller, owner of Lazy Lady farm [1] in Westfield and creator of a washed-rind, cow's-milk confection called "Barick Obama."

The cleverly named, brick-shaped cheese has garnered mentions on numerous blogs, such as Chowhound [2] and The Queso Files [3]. It also made an appearance in the Philadelphia Weekly. More importantly, Fondiller says, the Illinois senator has seen it. "They have a photo of him with it," she boasts, "in Concord, New Hampshire, where he was campaigning."

Fondiller has a penchant for naming her animals after political figures. She has a boar named "Brownie," [4] 'cause he "does a heck of a job." She had a goat named Harriet Miers [5], after Bush's former White House counsel, but things didn't work out. "She's in kielbasa land now," says Fondiller. "Barick" is the only politically named cheese on her current roster.

Although a few, extra-ripe samples of the cheese may still be on the market, Fondiller isn't making more until December. She crafts "Barick" December through February from cow's milk bought from neighboring farms. So if you find a stinky sample hanging around, don't assume it's a reflection of Fondiller's feelings about the candidate. When the cheese was young, it was "middle-of-the-road" in flavor, she claims.

"Obama and Edwards are my favorites," she opined. "I'd like to see that as a ticket." What about Hillary Clinton? "She needs to get her act together," suggests Fondiller. Guess we won't see "Hillary Clintomme" on the market anytime soon.