Goot Essa

Goot Essa Our goal is to offer food products made from the freshest, highest quality, all-natural ingredients, made by hand in the traditional way.

Experience handmade, farm-fresh food processed at the peak of flavor. We wish you good eating; "goot essa"! Goot Essa began in 2001 with a group of Amish dairy farmers who worked together to produce high-quality cheese with some of their milk. Our goal then, as it is now, was to use our cheese-making expertise to provide enough extra income to keep our families on the farm. We have chosen to work

our fields in the traditional way, with horse and manpower instead of machines. This means that our farms will be small, but each acre and each animal is cared for with love and the respect of nature because ours are true family farms. In our society, each member of the family has chores around the farm and each member contributes to the good of the farm, the family, and in turn the whole community.

09/01/2026

September’s Cheese of the Month is Mountain Meadow Mild Cheddar.

This is a cow’s milk cheddar, aged ten months using a traditional recipe until it reaches a semi-hard, silky texture. The flavor carries a fresh, youthful tang and full cheddar character, without the sharp bite of a longer aged cheddar.

Stay tuned this month for pairings and recipes built around it, and come try it yourself with a free tasting in our retail shop, open Monday through Saturday.

Available for purchase in our Howard, PA store or on our website, where we ship nationwide.

08/31/2026

Behind the scenes, our cheesemaking capacity has grown one vat at a time.

We started in 2015 with a 30-gallon vat. In 2017, we added a 45-gallon vat, then in 2018, we grew to a 157-gallon vat. In 2019, we moved to a 60-gallon vat, and this year, with the demand we are anticipating from our new partnership with Chef’s Warehouse, we have added a 500-gallon vat.

Our approach has always been to start small, learn from what does not work, and grow from there. This is the biggest step we have taken so far. There is always uncertainty, but as we move further into the distributor channel, we would rather be ready for demand than caught behind it.

To our customers, thanks for staying with us each step of the way.

There are only a few days left in August to try our cheese of the month, Der Mutterschaf. Sheep's milk, aged three to fo...
08/28/2026

There are only a few days left in August to try our cheese of the month, Der Mutterschaf.

Sheep's milk, aged three to four months in the cave, semi-soft with a light tang at the finish. Pick it up at our retail shop in Howard, PA, Monday through Saturday, or order online for nationwide shipping.

This month's featured recipe uses our Der Edel Bleu in a dressing thick enough to coat a fork.Sturdy romaine and curly l...
08/27/2026

This month's featured recipe uses our Der Edel Bleu in a dressing thick enough to coat a fork.

Sturdy romaine and curly leaf lettuce hold up well to this thick dressing. In a pinch, whole milk can substitute for the buttermilk; the dressing will be a bit lighter and milder in flavor, but will still taste good.

Here's the recipe to try in your own home.

Leafy Green Salad with Rich and Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 1/2 ounces Der Edel Bleu, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Table salt and ground black pepper
10 cups loosely packed sturdy salad greens, such as romaine or curly leaf lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces

Instructions:
1. Mash the Der Edel Bleu and buttermilk in a small bowl with a fork until the mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds.
2. Stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the greens in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the greens and toss to coat evenly. Serve.

The dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Shop our Der Edel Blue at our retail shop in Howard, PA, or at https://gootessacheese.com/

This month’s Staff Pick comes from Jake Allen, John’s youngest grandson, who has been helping out at the shop this summe...
08/20/2026

This month’s Staff Pick comes from Jake Allen, John’s youngest grandson, who has been helping out at the shop this summer as Assistant to Ben. His favorite cheese is Der Edel Bleu.

Jake likes it best worked into a salad dressing (the same one we are featuring next week as this month’s recipe).

Stop by our retail shop in Howard, PA, to try Der Edel Bleu for yourself, or order online, and we will ship it right to your door.

Scroll to see the probing process, which happens right in our cheese cave, and is part of what gives our Der Eder Blue such a unique flavor.

Last month on the farm, we brought in hay.When we do, the grass is cut, raked into rows to dry, then baled and stacked, ...
08/19/2026

Last month on the farm, we brought in hay.

When we do, the grass is cut, raked into rows to dry, then baled and stacked, all done with horse-drawn equipment, the same way it has been done on this farm for generations. Every bale put up this week is feed for the herd that produces the milk in our cheese.

It is not a fast process, and it depends on getting the weather right. But it is one of the most direct lines between what happens in this field and what ends up in your cheese drawer.

August's pairings are here. Two combinations worth trying this month.Old German Weissa cheese paired with Autumn Dawn Ap...
08/18/2026

August's pairings are here. Two combinations worth trying this month.

Old German Weissa cheese paired with Autumn Dawn Apple Butter brings a mild, tangy cheese together with something sweet and slow-cooked.

And Der Weichen Gehl cheese paired with Nittany Valley Pure Honey lets a softer cheese carry the honey's flavor without getting lost underneath it.

Both pairings ship in this month's subscription box, or individual cheeses and condiments are always available at www.gootessacheese.com and in our retail shop.

This month, in addition to our cheese, we are featuring Nittany Valley Pure Honey.It comes straight from our local apiar...
08/14/2026

This month, in addition to our cheese, we are featuring Nittany Valley Pure Honey.

It comes straight from our local apiary and is not diluted or blended. The flavor shifts throughout the season and leans toward what our neighbors' bees are drawing from the trees and flowers.

We pair it with Der Weichen Gehl in this month's subscription box, but it works well with most of our milder cheeses.

Available in 1.5 oz and 4 oz jars on our website and in our retail store in Howard, PA.

Last month, John spent an evening with members of Ned's Club in Washington, DC, a private members' club in President's P...
08/14/2026

Last month, John spent an evening with members of Ned's Club in Washington, DC, a private members' club in President's Park, steps from the White House.

Over 75 minutes, he walked the group through five cheeses, each paired with a condiment. He talked about how Goot Essa got started, explained how the cheese is made, and described how the cave comes into play as each wheel ages.

The group asked good questions and stayed engaged the whole evening. By the end, several members had purchased cheese and jellies to take home.

John enjoys presenting to people who already appreciate good food and want to understand how it gets made. Sitting down with people from a different walk of life and sharing this work is one of the better parts of the job.

08/12/2026

August’s subscription box is on its way.

This month’s box includes Der Mutterschaf, Old German Weissa, and Der Weichen Gehl cheeses along with Autumn Dawn Apple Butter and Nittany Valley Pure Honey. (Pairing ideas coming soon.)

Subscriptions run three, six, or twelve months. Each box ships straight to your door or to someone you’re gifting it to.

Order at gootessa.com.

Address

351 Wise Road
Howard, PA
16841

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+18004904387

Website

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