Stewart’s milk named best in state after annual Cornell competition BY JASON SUBIK Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Jason Subik at 395-3198 or jsubik@dailygazette.net.
Stewart’s Shops’ milk processing, conducted at the company’s Saratoga Springs plant, was named the best among dairies in New York state by a panel of experts from Cornell University Monday at the New York State Fair in Syracuse. Stewart’s received a perfect 100 score, only the third such score in the past 10 years. “That’s very difficult to achieve,” Cornell spokesman Blaine Friedlander said of the perfect score. “Other than Cornell University Dairy, only one other dairy has ever done it.” Wendt’s Dairy of Niagara Falls earned a perfect score in 2004. Cornell University’s Department of Food Science administers the government-funded New York State Milk Quality Improvement Program, which seeks to promote high milk production standards by testing quality through criteria that include taste, butterfat content and post-pasteurization bacteria counts within the milk’s sell-by date. “Taste is not subjective to our experts. They’ve been taste-testing milk since 1972,” Friedlander said. Since 1997, Cornell has been announcing the award for the highest quality milk produced in the state. “The milk quality in New York state is phenomenal because of this program. The dairies take this competition very seriously,” Friedlander said. According to Cornell officials, 300 random samples of whole, reduced-fat, low-fat and fat-free milk were acquired from participating dairies and submitted to 3,000 individual tests at Cornell University, including microbiological and chemical tests. Trained milk judges tasted each sample when it was received by Cornell and again 14 days later, near the end of the sell-by period, to judge flavor and odor over the shelf life of the product. This is the second time in the past three years that Stewart’s has placed first in the state. Stewart’s first won in 2005. “This honor is extremely fulfilling for our entire company, particularly all of our dairy processing employees who work diligently with our local dairy farms to ensure our customers receive only the highest quality milk products possible,” Stewart’s Shops Corp. President Gary Dake stated in a news release. Wendt’s Dairy came in second with a score of 94.4, according to Kathryn J. Boor, Cornell professor of food science, who runs the testing program. The remaining top 10 dairies in the state for 2007 were: Upstate Farms of Buffalo; Cornell University Dairy of Ithaca; Crowley Foods of Binghamton; Byrne Dairy of Syracuse; Hillcrest Dairy of Moravia; Midland Farms Dairy of Menands; Mountainside Dairy of Roxbury; and Upstate Farms Cooperative of Rochester.
Stewarts milk may be the best that is distributed by the large scale producers. However, I like the milk from Meadowbrook Dairy in Clarksville. It is hormone free and is packaged in glass bottles. If you haven't tried it, pick up a half gallon. Locally, it is carried at the Western Turnpike Deli (on Rt 20, Duanesburg), the Carrot Barn (Schoharie), Gade Farm (Rt. 20, Guilderland). If you like chocolate milk, you must try that from Meadowbrook Dairy. And, coincidentally, the owner (Chuck) still delivers his product to these stores in the old milk truck with which he used to make home deliveries. Be prepared to pay a little more for the Meadowbrook Dairy products, but you'll find that it's worth the price. There is also a refundable deposit on the glass bottles.
When I changed from whole milk to skim milk, the only one that tasted great was Stewarts. It's not like drinking white water. REALLY! It is very tasty. Tastes just like whole milk but without that heavy feel in your mouth.
However, I will go to Gade's and try Meadowbrooks milk. I really like that hormone free idea. I never even heard of it before. And I'm sure if I saw it on the dairy shelf I probably wouldn't even try it. So thanks z2im!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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