tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79867346709228114972024-03-05T05:06:26.028-05:00charlotte's cheese dreamscharlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-6725792150805724022013-07-07T14:03:00.001-04:002013-07-07T14:03:49.743-04:00Gouda and Caramelized Onion grilled cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I love the taste or caramelized onion and it is a flavor that pairs well with cheese. At Cheesetique, one of our most popular cheeses was a caramelized onion cheddar. I think you get a better flavor by caramelized the onions yourself and adding a nice Gouda. I picked up this Boerenkass raw milk farmstead Gouda at Trader Joe's for $7.99/lb. Boeren is Dutch for farmers and kass means cheese. This cheese is made with raw milk from cow's who live in the same place where this cheese is made. Most cheesemakers are not dairy farmers. Making cheese is hard, being a dairy farmer is harder, and doing both is awesomely difficult. But I think it makes for an exceptional cheese. the freshet milk makes the best cheese and some people think that the less the milk is agitate before making cheese the better the final product. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This grilled cheese was made using caramelized onion, Boerenkass, a touch of dijon mustard, and rye bread. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVUQDzsZkoRNMZEANXkbRpV6X7wAJJ6y8fsbKPH2rKR7h-dR290BVd4bc2MDIqpFuq0N2CSBaro26wZK445E46YBsko9Ed6_SsEu3q5Ac1OlkjfdGfEZnEhgdCd7ouzlJeI0R0UM36q-z/s1600/appleorchard+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVUQDzsZkoRNMZEANXkbRpV6X7wAJJ6y8fsbKPH2rKR7h-dR290BVd4bc2MDIqpFuq0N2CSBaro26wZK445E46YBsko9Ed6_SsEu3q5Ac1OlkjfdGfEZnEhgdCd7ouzlJeI0R0UM36q-z/s320/appleorchard+014.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVc2KXs93F6XvvUbmPCa0_4Ra-QwqN0mQVKrIpyGX65GEvYU8ZC9EsEZEjV0QGJQVB9JlFrESDvpm66ynZ3Hh3rbIfybQNQIz7cG15IlzeCXfFb2RHNZuBQp0ZfKVIYu8e9uNEeb5TJDco/s1600/appleorchard+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVc2KXs93F6XvvUbmPCa0_4Ra-QwqN0mQVKrIpyGX65GEvYU8ZC9EsEZEjV0QGJQVB9JlFrESDvpm66ynZ3Hh3rbIfybQNQIz7cG15IlzeCXfFb2RHNZuBQp0ZfKVIYu8e9uNEeb5TJDco/s320/appleorchard+019.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTZrDiSHZI3prdmoelJ9IXH-j3ZKY7IBuotGd0xrYKahI34uyPREGSbvE_rLa0miUVMm-FWT3Xj8Hhtats9Nwzx4Af6WhrWIYnMLkm4Ru4AaiVPR1ksoZZM0hMRGR2BgTh9nInyruI-pL/s1600/appleorchard+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTZrDiSHZI3prdmoelJ9IXH-j3ZKY7IBuotGd0xrYKahI34uyPREGSbvE_rLa0miUVMm-FWT3Xj8Hhtats9Nwzx4Af6WhrWIYnMLkm4Ru4AaiVPR1ksoZZM0hMRGR2BgTh9nInyruI-pL/s320/appleorchard+023.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Caramelized onion<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJrn2Pjwbjbtfku9ZC5mnu6SuIZLaeJWWCBs_Hr5YIab8hj_08azOGGgXI0ysou_PSrcwO_-nMAeDj9UGL6MddwEozqqOxsQwZ8gDnJ4jmHvoqmqMUk9jnlrBffy4gJMWvU4I0jYGyU2L/s1600/appleorchard+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJrn2Pjwbjbtfku9ZC5mnu6SuIZLaeJWWCBs_Hr5YIab8hj_08azOGGgXI0ysou_PSrcwO_-nMAeDj9UGL6MddwEozqqOxsQwZ8gDnJ4jmHvoqmqMUk9jnlrBffy4gJMWvU4I0jYGyU2L/s320/appleorchard+026.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7OXnuupz_7ZHfYUVes8E3yRbIlW0wgp8bTDIDVn_LzhQwjojGaJSRRHvhIOVCCGi5NyQnft2p5HkYR3z3aKfv8L-PeK0D2_io8VwvjwEVInLpmsmqUnRaEcjsIbDVSfCuy26wbi7ZXfS/s1600/appleorchard+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7OXnuupz_7ZHfYUVes8E3yRbIlW0wgp8bTDIDVn_LzhQwjojGaJSRRHvhIOVCCGi5NyQnft2p5HkYR3z3aKfv8L-PeK0D2_io8VwvjwEVInLpmsmqUnRaEcjsIbDVSfCuy26wbi7ZXfS/s320/appleorchard+028.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YbiAqz-d1bBpg13vbeXkoxxXNDxQQPNSQ28hyEVmdHJUoNNSyqBCsykcBtgYTCYqoDGRmgMaLrrzPVLebhx48eOj00dAhFv4xCrkNd2A8SNJWfmkNndvZ1zBV9zLW8xYmudj16pNRRpK/s1600/appleorchard+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YbiAqz-d1bBpg13vbeXkoxxXNDxQQPNSQ28hyEVmdHJUoNNSyqBCsykcBtgYTCYqoDGRmgMaLrrzPVLebhx48eOj00dAhFv4xCrkNd2A8SNJWfmkNndvZ1zBV9zLW8xYmudj16pNRRpK/s320/appleorchard+033.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RQSq7mFUvFJCxVsVFcY6kuJpwB5LodajoEt9mnHlfkr4jszTBA4nDKnd_MgGSw3IKoyN5PoFq2sDebqJ8VhTzljA-Ufp2a85dggeywim5TZAv8bX5ZtdizQhJHD24ZsN6ol91mbUlKKN/s1600/appleorchard+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RQSq7mFUvFJCxVsVFcY6kuJpwB5LodajoEt9mnHlfkr4jszTBA4nDKnd_MgGSw3IKoyN5PoFq2sDebqJ8VhTzljA-Ufp2a85dggeywim5TZAv8bX5ZtdizQhJHD24ZsN6ol91mbUlKKN/s320/appleorchard+035.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-68358067545540163082013-07-07T14:03:00.000-04:002013-07-07T14:03:34.396-04:00Mild Italian grilled cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz50N-4InmIJiottLNmp7r0HiQ6kf9k0AHbI_LE0_ADjzeL0nukY84Q00FgrF34z5c6jyM23FfwcPBrAKul3xF9rCfvf3C0SUqZe3F15EVJO2-n2CtKA3H6Jbw5IkU1piziLdLlglLNwol/s1600/avam+171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz50N-4InmIJiottLNmp7r0HiQ6kf9k0AHbI_LE0_ADjzeL0nukY84Q00FgrF34z5c6jyM23FfwcPBrAKul3xF9rCfvf3C0SUqZe3F15EVJO2-n2CtKA3H6Jbw5IkU1piziLdLlglLNwol/s320/avam+171.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
For this grilled cheese I used <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=655414&storeId=10052&langId=-1">Santa Teresa</a> which is a semi firm sheep's milk cheese and Bel Paese, a semi-soft cow's milk cheese. Both have a creamy mild flavor and melt well. I combined these mild cheeses with what I thought would be a very flavorful <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=731094">peperonata</a> spread. This spread was a huge disappointment as it was very bland and lacking in flavor. I used my panini press for this grilled cheese. We received this press 7 years ago at our bridal shower. At first we wondered what we would do with it but it didn't take long for us to realized that it really easy a kitchen equipment must have. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCz_A_e5NUtzpkwYGHglFlQfJamuahK4rcI-HricLF61p0EHZOLDIqWx3_r8C9o4fKpufX_5b89Wt-fm63OcqTZhlpd7XKQdIL9ap5fgcb3ww6sdDrC-lgqJo1S3ramkeqgaUVdM6qdCG/s1600/avam+179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCz_A_e5NUtzpkwYGHglFlQfJamuahK4rcI-HricLF61p0EHZOLDIqWx3_r8C9o4fKpufX_5b89Wt-fm63OcqTZhlpd7XKQdIL9ap5fgcb3ww6sdDrC-lgqJo1S3ramkeqgaUVdM6qdCG/s320/avam+179.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Mama's grilled cheese and baby grilled cheese (no peperonata on the baby cheese and I added sharp provolone which made the baby grilled cheese taste better than the adult version!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO3wBh2wvnDXwaFUhKS4ik7vNDK24w_78DHWsMIS4WphDDRnB471sEERXwZ_cBhn3bL5YNKUYmZQ8apRbHF4ISMkfcu2Vs3Ix_i23eFd9R_EfwWqZNQPOonidzJ0vnTg-_o4uZhcIlej7/s1600/avam+180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO3wBh2wvnDXwaFUhKS4ik7vNDK24w_78DHWsMIS4WphDDRnB471sEERXwZ_cBhn3bL5YNKUYmZQ8apRbHF4ISMkfcu2Vs3Ix_i23eFd9R_EfwWqZNQPOonidzJ0vnTg-_o4uZhcIlej7/s320/avam+180.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-38217525098301810112013-07-07T14:02:00.002-04:002013-07-07T14:04:08.232-04:00Summer drink 2013I would like to give to the world a new and wonderful cocktail. I call it the "Sittin' Pretty" and it only has 2 ingredients. <a href="http://www.stgermain.fr/">St. Germain</a>, which is an elderflower liqueur and <a href="http://www.lacroixwater.com/product/varieties/peach-pear/">Peach-Pear La Croix</a> sparkling water. Please enjoy responsibly. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrd5b4vxtt3Jz7dqVgIXtrxxJaPCdD-Ao_-gdppHiycFji-U0TuBblBonJDwl5sF9nqRA77Xz_V9IlWWa54PmD_1gom0cM9hLl_drBwgTlmvfugZw7dW69iLEe88NDemhr7HFzy57miki/s1600/IMG_20130511_201255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrd5b4vxtt3Jz7dqVgIXtrxxJaPCdD-Ao_-gdppHiycFji-U0TuBblBonJDwl5sF9nqRA77Xz_V9IlWWa54PmD_1gom0cM9hLl_drBwgTlmvfugZw7dW69iLEe88NDemhr7HFzy57miki/s1600/IMG_20130511_201255.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pour 3 fingers of St. Germain and top with La Croix </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjQpEhyOg7-WS458iSym36eXROa3Kr9ArF77ZtamG0cjelmVXODootffevYRqvb5xEsUjFk54f53kK4FLtXzP4UuXz4i9QkRzhYxImm1Qpu01yukCokpaRAi9j0QbmFGquNm5Q6ZYpNtM/s1600/IMG_20130521_200009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjQpEhyOg7-WS458iSym36eXROa3Kr9ArF77ZtamG0cjelmVXODootffevYRqvb5xEsUjFk54f53kK4FLtXzP4UuXz4i9QkRzhYxImm1Qpu01yukCokpaRAi9j0QbmFGquNm5Q6ZYpNtM/s1600/IMG_20130521_200009.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the result, delicious and simple.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-63334163141512023322012-09-22T15:26:00.000-04:002012-09-22T15:26:07.329-04:00Grilled Cheese Season has begun! <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now that the weather is getting cold and fall is in the air,
most people seem to have pumpkin spice on the brains. But we turophiles are
dreaming about grilled cheese. I will
eat grilled cheese year around but there is something so comforting about a gooey
grilled cheese with a side of soup on a chilly day. We all have childhood memories of grilled
cheese and tomato soup on a chilly day.
I was very excited a few months ago to give my baby boy a taste of his
very first grilled cheese. (He liked it
but I still have not had much luck getting him to eat cheese, he does love
yogurt and ice cream so I think there is hope for him yet) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
About a decade and a half ago, my dear cousin wrote a zine
(remember those? Before blogs!) piece about quick and easy grilled cheese. The basic recipe involved toasting the bread
in a toaster, then add cheese and microwave, voila! We have come a long way from that but making
grilled cheese is not complicated.
Buttered bread + cheese + hot frying pan = grilled cheese. It is possible to take grilled cheese to a
whole ‘nother level. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have learned a lot about making grilled cheese from family
and friends over the years. My mother
taught me to add weight on top of the sandwich while it fries in the pan. She would use a mason jar (which was actually
an empty tomato sauce jar that we normally used for drinking glasses) but you
could also use one of those bacon presses if you have one. An old boyfriend taught me to cut the
sandwich diagonally to help cooling and oozing.
I know cheese is salty but one of my oldest friends would sprinkle just
a bit of salt on his finished grilled cheese and I think it was a wonderful
improvement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a few other things you must consider when making a
grilled cheese. Grilled cheese is made
from the combination of bread and cheese so let’s talk about these two simple
ingredients that come in countless varieties.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bread – for grilled cheese you want soft crust bread. If you use a baguette to make a grilled
cheese then you might be a masochist.
That hard crust when made crispy will cut up your mouth and leave you
sore for days. I love to use pumpernickel
or rye bread but the ultimate bread is buttermilk bread from Mom’s Apple Pie
Company. This is a gigantic, tall, fluffy
loaf of white bread and makes the best toast. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You do need to butter or oil your bread to get nice browning.
My father used mayonnaise which added a touch of tart vinegar flavor. You can butter your bread before it hits the
pan but make sure your butter is soft or you will ruin your bread. You can also add butter or olive oil (or any
other kind of oil) to the pan then add the bread, move the bread around to soak
up oil, then when you flip, add more butter or oil and move around again to
soak. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cheese – when we cook with cheese the flavor becomes
milder. I like to start with a stronger
cheese for this reason. When I was young
we used American cheese more often than not but sometimes it was government
issued cheese (which has a very special place in my heart with its enormous brown
cardboard box case) but I know some used Colby jack, Monterey jack, or munster (not
the stinky, yummy French stuff) which are decent melters but they don’t have
enough flavor for my grown up taste buds.
I even find Cheddar a bit boring for a grilled cheese. Here are just a few great cheeses (most are
readily available at your local supermarket) for grilled cheese: Raclette,
Appenzeller, Fontina val d’Aosta, sharp provolone, Gruyere, and Comte. I do recommend shredding whatever cheese you
choose to use to help it melt before your bread burns. You can also combine cheeses which can be a
great way to keep your food cost down.
You can mix a mild cheap cheddar and splurge with a more expensive
Comte. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It might be tempting to use Brie for a grilled cheese but a
soft ripened double or triple crème cheese is too high in fat and too soft to
withstand frying. Cheeses that are very
high in fat (even Cheddar) are more likely to leak oil while frying. You want a gooey grilled cheese, not a drippy
one. You can add a soft cheese like
Tallegio but you should pair it with another cheese (like Fontina Val d’Aosta)
to provide more structure. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aged cheeses also do not melt as well as young cheeses
because cheese loses moisture as it ages.
Parmigiano-Reggiano can make a great crunchy cheese cracker but it will
not give you a gooey grilled cheese. You can add a touch for sharpness and
flavor but it must be paired with a good melter. Think about mozzarella, it is a wonderful
melter and a very young cheese. This
cheese is made and consumed within weeks of being made which means it does not
lose moisture and melts beautifully. If
you have a cheese and want to know how it will melt, make cheese toast for
breakfast. Take bread (a sliced baguette
will work for this) add cheese, and put it under the broiler for a few minutes
and see what happens. If the cheese does
not have an elastic give to it, it will not make a gooey grilled cheese. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You might be tempted to use a flavored cheese to make
grilled cheese but the cheese will lose flavor while it cooks. If you want to add flavor use mustard, jam,
chutney, relish, or any addition. You
could add tomatoes, pickles, bacon, herbs, onion jam, or Dijon mustard. I think any sandwich (grilled cheese or even burger)
is made better topped with a gooey egg.
A classic example is the <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Croque-Madame-Sandwich">Croque Madame</a>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some days I will buy plain sliced cheddar from the deli
counter and use whatever bread I have on hand to make a grilled cheese. I am usually disappointed by this cheese and
the sandwich but they can't all be winners. Sometimes
I want a special grilled cheese and will put more thought into my cheese selection. One of
the tastiest grilled cheeses I ever enjoyed was Tallegio and Fontina Val d’Aosta
with a sweet and sour onion jam sprinkled with thyme. Here are 40 suggestions for <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/40-amazing-grilled-cheese-sandwich-recipes">grilled cheese</a>. What is your favorite grilled cheese? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-49489874495957981292012-08-18T09:29:00.000-04:002012-08-18T09:29:33.578-04:00Kiss My Curds Cheese Consulting<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kiss My Curds is the name of my cheesemaking operation which has been on hiatus in order for me to focus on caring for my son. Cheesemaking is very time consuming, especially when you are driving two hours for the freshest milk. Babies are also very time consuming, who knew? I attempted to return to cheesemaking this summer but found I was spreading myself too thin and was not very good at multitasking. Someone once told me that multitasking was just doing multiple things badly. I have missed making cheese, selling cheese, cutting cheese, packing cheese, and talking about cheese. I wanted to get back into cheese in a way that would be more flexible. I am happy to announce a consultation arm of Kiss My Curds!<br />
<br />
Kiss My Curds is an artisanal cheese producer and provider
of personal Cheesemongering services in the Washington, DC metro region. Kiss My Curds specializes in one-on-one
cheese consultation and in-home cheese making and cheese tasting demonstrations
for anyone with a passion or curiosity about the many fantastic cheeses
available today.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kiss My Curds is now offering a variety of educational
cheese experiences and workshops:<o:p></o:p></div>
<h2>
Cheese Adventure with a Personal Cheesemonger <o:p></o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will
accompany you and a friend to a great local cheese counter and demystify cheese
shopping, pairing, and serving. I will answer any cheese related questions you
might have on topics such as artisanl cheese production, pairing, seasonality,
storage, and presentation. I’ll make recommendations tailored to your personal
preferences, and send you home with a selection of three cheeses to enjoy later.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cost: $150 Duration: around 2 hours<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<h2>
Fresh Mozzarella Workshop<o:p></o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We will make
and enjoy mozzarella in the comfort of your kitchen. I will supply the milk, ingredients, and
equipment all you need is a microwave and stove top. This is a really great workshop for children
who are interested in cheese or cooking.
I will also answer any questions and let you know what some great books
are and website to get you started making cheese at home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cost: $150 Duration: around 2 hours (including a
half hour to setup)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<h2>
Cooking with Cheese<o:p></o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cheese is
wonderful to enjoy on its own but is also a staple of cooking. We will talk about cooking with cheese, which
cheeses are best suited for different recipes, how to save money on cheese
shopping, and I will provide recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. We will also make and enjoy and a simple
cheese-centric snack or I may bring along on of my favorite cheese dishes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cost: $150 Duration: around 2 hours</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
<h2>
5 Months of Holiday Cheese Consultations <o:p></o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
entitles you to unlimited cheese advice via phone from October 25th 2012 -
March 25th 2013 and anytime by email. I
will present you with cheese plate themes and ideas for Halloween,
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine's Day, and St. Patrick's Day,
all tailored to your palate and dietary needs.
This also includes one cheese adventure for 2 to your local cheese
counter (see description above), and an in-home cheese platter making
demonstration. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cost: $750<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<h2>
In home Cheese Tasting <o:p></o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A guided cheese tasting for you and your guests, conducted in
the comfort of your own home! Tailored to
your preferences and interests, your party will be lead through a tasting of a
series of fantastic cheeses expertly paired with accompaniments such as wild
honeys, nuts, preserves, beers, wines, or spirits. The theme of tasting can be constructed
around any theme (seasonality permitting), such as a given milk type, region,
style. For example:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><i>Great New American Artisanals<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><i>DC Locals<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><i>Rustic Traditions<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><i>Up and Down the Pyrenees<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><i>Craft Brew Pairings<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All you’ll
need to do is provide the tableware and workspace, then sit back and enjoy with
your guests! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cost: $50-100/person,
depending on theme Duration: 2 hour event, with 1
hour setup prior<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<h1>
About Kiss My Curds Consulting <o:p></o:p></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kiss My Curds is Charlotte McConnell, a professional Cheese
expert, Cheesemonger, and Cheesemaker based in Northern Virginia. Read more at <a href="http://charlottescheesedreams.blogspot.com/">charlottescheesedreams.blogspot.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-34947624899586186702012-08-05T09:44:00.000-04:002012-08-05T11:35:42.953-04:00Banana Walnut Brownies of Chocolate Deliciousness<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love cheese but sometimes what you really need is
chocolate. After a hard week with a
fussy baby and being disappointed to miss out on a nice dinner out with friends
because Orion was sick, I required chocolate.
I called Patrick to task him with picking up some chocolate deliciousness
on his way home from work. He needed
more specifics and I was helpful enough to say “no ice cream, maybe something
cake like or a brownie but nothing from Whole Foods as their sweets never
satisfy me and nothing from Wegman’s, and not the standard chocolate cake from
Santini’s”. With instrusctions like
that, it is no surprise he came home empty handed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That night around 8 pm, I checked the cupboard to see if we
had anything on had to create something yummy.
Cocoa powder-check, butter, we have that, brown sugar- yup, all of which
I can transform into brownies. I found
an Alton Brown recipe, who I love, but he often makes things a bit complicated
in his quest for food perfection. His
recipe had way to much sifting going on (how do you sift sticky brown sugar?)
so I skipped it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is my recipe for Banana Walnut Brownies adapted from
Alton Brown’s Cocoa Brownies recipe By Charlotte McConnell adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/cocoa-brownies-recipe/index.html">Alton Brown</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 large eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 ounces (2 sticks) melted butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/4 cups cocoa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon kosher salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup of walnuts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 ripe banana, mashed and mushed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beat the eggs then add brown sugar and granulated sugar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mix in everything else and pour batter into pan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or you
can no longer wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love that Alton Brown says “resist the temptation to cut
into it until it's mostly cool”.
Obviously, he is not a woman, and I did not wait. Yes, they fell apart a little but it was near
10pm and I had been waiting many hours for a chocolate fix and I knew they
would be cool tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These really hit the chocolate spot and were so
easy that I really can’t understand why anyone would make brownies from a
box. Plus they were almost, kinda, sorts
healthy with the one banana and all its potassium and the healthy walnuts who
are full of good fats and omega-3! I
know this picture really does not do these brownies justice but I was busy
eating them. I made them Thursday night
and this was the only bit left on Sunday morning.<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UoALK0nEuFFYR7_lk7Mkvuo1ALyhPhiYI6tXezrWjn6WtzsaNYPaODNunX7tiaGxgt0X9mGGzQsGErE1WCvjlphDSWxnLjOdysLOqJxS-kauTxfWt_tyHlydVKBLxaA2aoT7zWOk_bUl/s1600/foodforblog+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UoALK0nEuFFYR7_lk7Mkvuo1ALyhPhiYI6tXezrWjn6WtzsaNYPaODNunX7tiaGxgt0X9mGGzQsGErE1WCvjlphDSWxnLjOdysLOqJxS-kauTxfWt_tyHlydVKBLxaA2aoT7zWOk_bUl/s400/foodforblog+002.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml1KXMGPuZF-L_CYR69NREg7ffLmlGtKLMpT4LTcBFKxn09S1_S2lVyyG9bWWGYelzti7Viczss25wqJK7JorlWz4kJ6CA6adjjIoDRtKwmEN1bBp4u2b1AFDu00KCTD1dNMvrYwaHyKW/s1600/foodforblog+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml1KXMGPuZF-L_CYR69NREg7ffLmlGtKLMpT4LTcBFKxn09S1_S2lVyyG9bWWGYelzti7Viczss25wqJK7JorlWz4kJ6CA6adjjIoDRtKwmEN1bBp4u2b1AFDu00KCTD1dNMvrYwaHyKW/s400/foodforblog+007.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></span></div>charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-36911458838994870592012-07-01T12:55:00.000-04:002012-07-01T12:55:30.881-04:00Blues and Bay<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOzNPkwiea239o8V4FWgV2YZadHMb53Y-Rw9mTQXl_h_AmZxw8vat8CPl_JiKC_33XM7zJXCEpBbYDWhUM1SRbKg6L6ubipZxF6lcRj_D2APRQYx4KCjhpD20Du4tLYRXlISIrEjB6fua/s1600/blueberry+103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOzNPkwiea239o8V4FWgV2YZadHMb53Y-Rw9mTQXl_h_AmZxw8vat8CPl_JiKC_33XM7zJXCEpBbYDWhUM1SRbKg6L6ubipZxF6lcRj_D2APRQYx4KCjhpD20Du4tLYRXlISIrEjB6fua/s400/blueberry+103.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over two years ago my father gave me all his canning
equipment. I finally got around to using
the equipment this week. I bought myself
a new cookbook for canning inspiration and was very excited to make the cover
recipe. I made the Blues and Bay recipe
from The River Cottage Preserves Handbook.
As it is blueberry season, it was perfect timing. I had a lovely time blueberry picking but had
to cut it short because someone had cranky pants. I did pick just enough for this recipe. I hope to make it back out to pick if this
insane heat ever subsides.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHVjDhmDekuOX6dvSSgJbfIU9qwnODSsBeBvU5hIT1JnhjlSFQoiuhmZTmEd7mG3Us1gfI_s7XnqLioX4TwwBoMSlq3RqJYwV5jB4USbBLqLHE9Qa7GhXUQ27C1azgfBzBjo1Nd4_bz3Z/s1600/blueberry+106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHVjDhmDekuOX6dvSSgJbfIU9qwnODSsBeBvU5hIT1JnhjlSFQoiuhmZTmEd7mG3Us1gfI_s7XnqLioX4TwwBoMSlq3RqJYwV5jB4USbBLqLHE9Qa7GhXUQ27C1azgfBzBjo1Nd4_bz3Z/s400/blueberry+106.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please keep in mind that this was a first time attempt at
canning and I really don’t know what I am doing. I do know how to read and follow a recipe so I
did just that. It seemed way easier than
it should be which leads me to believe that I did something wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdooTPV3NG-mKdbOcUGUYd_844oiOOo3ylWIKpx6k4ZeXXE3FvN6bUxVqbfTkuh7MJhTIz6xxtEaz5h8nE7UvhUwYNeqsXpk7q36NjNBiNdI2inL-tzlhe3i02zxZNPED3ZfNbWzS1ki7v/s1600/blueberry+122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdooTPV3NG-mKdbOcUGUYd_844oiOOo3ylWIKpx6k4ZeXXE3FvN6bUxVqbfTkuh7MJhTIz6xxtEaz5h8nE7UvhUwYNeqsXpk7q36NjNBiNdI2inL-tzlhe3i02zxZNPED3ZfNbWzS1ki7v/s400/blueberry+122.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was excited by this recipe because of the combination of blueberries
and bay leaf, something I would not think to put together. I really wish this recipe had a yield. The amount of berries filled 4 jars but the
amount of liquid only filled 2. I did
spill some liquid and maybe I could have fit more berries into fewer jars but I
did not want to smoosh the berries. The
recipe said not to smoosh, actually “Pack them firmly, without crushing”. </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXP8WTLf8UduxKLpZBO8zOmYgt6e8EkeHX1osTtj7m6cTS5KK-lIiWk-2XlWSxaPKTs6QfOuxO2y5SDaPdvQphRH5ZpYgLLuAg6m83Wl-OM87TIZAl_MjTYcIO_skpwIgh-4arz3D3QQb/s1600/blueberry+130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXP8WTLf8UduxKLpZBO8zOmYgt6e8EkeHX1osTtj7m6cTS5KK-lIiWk-2XlWSxaPKTs6QfOuxO2y5SDaPdvQphRH5ZpYgLLuAg6m83Wl-OM87TIZAl_MjTYcIO_skpwIgh-4arz3D3QQb/s400/blueberry+130.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was eager to try out the fruits of my labor and was not disappointed. We enjoyed this canned fruit with some fresh
homemade chevre. <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">It was also </span><span style="background-color: white;">delicious</span><span style="background-color: white;"> with </span><span style="background-color: white;">coconut</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">pancakes</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and later enjoyed with vanilla ice cream. </span><span style="background-color: white;">The liquid was watery,
not sure if it is supposed to be that way.</span><span style="background-color: white;">
</span><span style="background-color: white;">The recipe said to make a “fruit syrup” but not how much to reduce it by
or how long too cook it.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">I am excited to
try out the other jars and see if the bay leaf flavor intensifies.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">My first attempt was not a totally success or
failure but it was a delicious start.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-64841096762725732312012-07-01T12:47:00.001-04:002012-07-01T12:47:16.781-04:00Back in the saddle<span style="background-color: white;">On May 25</span><sup style="background-color: white;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white;"> 2012, I decided to get back into cheesemaking
by making my favorite, rosemary feta.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">I
opened up my cheese notebook to discover that the last time I made cheese was
September 8</span><sup style="background-color: white;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white;"> 2010!</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">At the
time I was about 4 weeks pregnant.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">I
took a break from cheesemaking because I did not have to time to devote to
making cheese or driving 2 hours to get the milk.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This first attempt at cheesemaking after 20 months off was a
total failure. What I made was a milky
slop that would not coagulate because my rennet and cultures were dead. Rennet and cheese cultures do have expiration
dates and they are not a joke.
Everything I had was expired but I wanted to see if there might be some
viability. I had a lot of supplies that
had to be trashed, very sad. I wish I
had had the forethought to give it all to someone who would use them instead of
letting it all go to waste.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did learn to buy my rennet and cultures in smaller
amounts. <a href="http://www.cheesemaking.com/LiquidAnimalRennet.html">Liquid rennet</a> will last for a year in the refrigerator and most <a href="http://www.cheesemaking.com/cheeseculturesandmoldpowders.html">cultures</a> will last about 2 years in the
freezer. I have since made some chevre, I
should have let it drain longer. I also
made some rosemary feta but added to much salt to the brine so the texture was
too soft. But at least I am getting back
into the swing of things.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did make some <a href="http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=242">cajeta</a> which was a delicious success! Sometimes I don’t know what to do with just 2
quarts of goat’s milk but now I do. I
think I will be giving everyone on my Christmas list a jar of this decadent
caramel. Another failure was this
<a href="http://foodcharmer.com/2011/07/strawberry-rosemary-goat-milk-ice-cream/">rosemary honey goat milk ice cream</a>, I left out the strawberries. The
texture was icy and I had never seen one whole egg used in an ice cream
recipe. The recipe did not say to strain
the mixture before turning but I did because the egg white left an unappetizing
film. I will keep attempting to recreate
the delicious rosemary honey goat milk gelato from<a href="https://www.capogirogelato.com/order/index.php"> Capogiro</a> and once I have it
cracked, I will tell you all about it! <o:p></o:p></div>charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-57606641302862599182012-04-18T06:23:00.003-04:002012-07-01T12:47:40.420-04:00Surprisingly delicious!I have never been a big fan of combining alcohol and dairy products. I am not sure how The Dude managed to drink all those White Russians. The idea of an alcoholic float would gross me out but then I tried one. I was really surprised by the deliciousness of this adult float. Combine ice cream (vanilla) and Lambic (raspberry) and you may garnish with fresh berries if you are wearing your fancy pants. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqPGn55oz24pkms2LlvFaD9rVYOuYbQzkk-Qd_0r5QXS_tsnNe3yaE2JZnu8BwxC1_F9DpXGBlvRr0yG2EeERYwF6iAl8a67O96vQGkmKkWvXFl5Z4zXQENatzlzcy2fLQb3d8wlO0JIk/s1600/058.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732686077066779570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqPGn55oz24pkms2LlvFaD9rVYOuYbQzkk-Qd_0r5QXS_tsnNe3yaE2JZnu8BwxC1_F9DpXGBlvRr0yG2EeERYwF6iAl8a67O96vQGkmKkWvXFl5Z4zXQENatzlzcy2fLQb3d8wlO0JIk/s400/058.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
You could try chocolate ice cream with Kahlua but I think the fizz in the Lambic makes something special occur. Any flavor of ice cream + your favorite alcohol = yummy potential. The possibilities are endless but I wouldn't drink too many. This is perfect for a hot summer day or any day that you wish had a summery feel.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEwpRx4yR72nKObTzhOs9CKCkaxfYCw4_2ogqQ32TEU29GmeDif8q1lLgYdfiXTaEho1AMWrTNTCg9P2Q-FwW2SedZ1d1kYg7rr053k-PoJX58sIP8W_q7fTei9_JCJY1meJNwCRXETod/s1600/061.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732686087441832546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEwpRx4yR72nKObTzhOs9CKCkaxfYCw4_2ogqQ32TEU29GmeDif8q1lLgYdfiXTaEho1AMWrTNTCg9P2Q-FwW2SedZ1d1kYg7rr053k-PoJX58sIP8W_q7fTei9_JCJY1meJNwCRXETod/s400/061.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a>charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-89022916164193585022012-04-08T05:47:00.006-04:002012-04-09T10:22:10.526-04:00The Dark side of ChocolateWhat Christ rising from his grave has to do with bunnies, eggs, and chocolate, I may never understand. Even though I do not celebrate Easter, this holiday has gotten me thinking about chocolate. I never really though about how many chocolate holidays we have, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Halloween. Halloween is the kick off to get fat season and what Thanksgiving or Christmas would be complete without a bit of chocolate.<br /><br />I pay a lot of attention to where my food comes from and what is in it but chocolate somehow is not held to the same standard in my mind. I look forward to this time of year so I can indulge in Cadbury Mini Eggs and White Chocolate Reese's Eggs. I only recently learned that <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/030967_Monsanto_evil.html">Monsanto</a> owns Cadbury (they also own Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Peppridge Farms, Hershey's Nestle, and Famous Amos just to name a few). This means this year was the last time I will enjoy those Mini Eggs because I do not want to give my money to Monsanto.<br /><br />The ingredient list for the aforementioned Mini Eggs looks pretty tame, but where does their chocolate come from? Chocolate is another example of you get what you pay for. Why is some chocolate really cheap and other chocolates are really expensive? The cheap stuff might be filled with flavor additives, high fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenates oils and the actual chocolate might be of a lesser quality, while the expensive chocolate is made of the "good stuff". Nothing is cheaper because of the goodness of the company, usually the opposite is true.<br /><br />How would you feel knowing the chocolate stuffing your Easter basket was made with <a href="http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/index.html">child labor</a>? Chocolate is made from cocoa beans and 43% of cocoa beans are grown in the Ivory Coast. Working on a cocoa plantation is no easy job and often this work is being done by <a href="http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/atasteofslavery.html#part1">children who were basically tricked into slavery</a>. We need to start asking ourselves where does our chocolate come from, how was it harvested, and what are the conditions for the workers. Cocoa beans do not grow in Virginia so you could also consider the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_miles">food miles </a>involved in getting that bar of chocolate into your Easter basket.<br /><br />Chocolate should be a special treat, not an impulse buy at the cash register. This is an item that really should be purchased in a socially responsible way. Not to mention that we really do not need any help fattening up America. Granted, buying Fair Trade chocolate to give out on Halloween may get really expensive and you don't want to be the house giving out toothbrushes for fear of being egged. Maybe Halloween is the only day of the year when you buy low quality chocolates. If everyone did this, it would make such a huge difference in the world.<br /><br />Personally, I would rather have something that is really good infrequently, then more of something that is low quality. I love these Earl Grey chocolate bars from <a href="http://www.chuaochocolatier.com/sustainability.html">Chuao</a>. They are expensive and hard to find but for Christmas my husband bought me 3 bars and gave me 3 more for my birthday a month later. I can make one of these chocolate bars last almost an entire month. I keep them in the freezer and take one bar out a month and savor their flavor as I nibble away. I may be paying $8 a bar after shipping but that is only $8 a month for delicious, indulgent chocolate. That works out to about $0.26 a day for something that is delicious and I can feel good about buying.<br /><br />And you really shouldn't bother with cheap chocolate on Valentine's Day. The Whitman's sampler picked up at the gas station does not say "love" it says "Oh, shit, I forgot". One thing I can really respect about Easter is Lent. I like the idea of giving something up for 40 days and then treating yourself after. It also helps to have Fat Tuesday or what we called Donut day, before the start of Lent. If you are going to have an Easter basket filled with cheap chocolate, I hope you would consider giving up chocolate for Lent.<br /><br />I know things will soon get complicated when my now almost one year old son starts noticing Easter, Valentine's, and Halloween. I do look forward to celebrating Valentine's and Halloween with him but Easter will be hard to explain. I was raised Catholic so I do have fond memories of Easter baskets and egg hunts. I do not want to deny my son fun experiences and happy childhood memories. I also do not want those moments to come at a high cost to others, especially children. Also, Easter is a religious holiday and we aren't religious. I think it is funny that there is a whole put Christ back in Christmas campaign but I have never heard of a put Christ back in Easter campaign. I guess the slogan isn't as catchy.<br /><br />Remember to vote with your dollars and carefully consider what you buy and who profits from your purchase as well as who suffers from that purchase.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-14291622777090087352012-03-13T08:32:00.010-04:002012-03-17T08:17:39.097-04:00Foie is not your FoeI am so happy that I do not live in California! Recently, I learned that the state of <a href="http://www.cheeseslave.com/the-fight-for-foie-gras-in-california/">California is banning Foie Gras</a>. As of July of this year, foie gras will be illegal in California. This makes me feel bad for Californians. They get to vote on all sorts of different matters and enact real changes in their state and this is how they use their voting power. I don't understand why they would waste their time on foie gras. Does PETA run the state? People have a right to chose what they want to eat and foie gras is not dangerous.<br /><br />I love foie gras! It is like delicious meat butter. It is creamier than bone marrow but they share that deep, rich, umami flavor. Foie gras is French for "fat liver" and it is just that. The fatten liver of a goose or duck. Foie gras does not have that iron metallic flavor found in most other livers. Foie gras is rich in iron, vitamin A, and good healthy fats (unsaturated) while being low in bad fats (saturated and trans fats) and low in sugar. I wonder how many voters in California have actually tasted foie gras.<br /><br />The controversy is not that foie gras is dangerous to consume but that the farming practices are inhumane. Foie gras is farmed using a practice called gavage. Yes, gavage is a fancy French term for force feeding through a tube. Force feeding sounds really bad but when you don't have a gag reflex and are a total glutton it really isn't. Ducks and geese have no gag reflex and swallow whole fish that are bigger than the feeding tubes used in gavage. They also breath through their tongues which sounds insane but makes suffocation by feeding tube impossible.<br /><br />The fattening of animals is nothing new. The cattle industry fattens up beef cows and feeds them food that is not even in their natural diet. A cows natural diet is grass but factory cattle farms feed them a steady diet of corn along with some <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_industrial_agriculture/they-eat-what-the-reality-of.html">really gross shit</a>. The conditions of feed lots are overcrowded and disgusting with cows knee high in their own feces. These feed lot practices are not only bad for the animals but they are also bad for the meat. Yes the meat may be better marbled, more tender, and flavorful but it also has higher amounts of bad fats and less of the good Omega 3 fatty acids. They also create massive amounts of run off waste which can end up polluting local rivers and water supplies. Why didn't California outlaw commercial cattle feed lots?<br /><br />Why is foie gras being singled out? Because foie gras is not an industrialized mega farming endeavor. Mom and pop farms do not have the muscle and money to lobby and protect themselves. The cattle industry is massive and has a lot of pull and protection. Making foie gras illegal is a strike against small independent family farms. This ban will definitely have greater affects than what you are able to eat. For one, a <a href="http://www.artisanfoiegras.com/about/">family farm </a>will lose their livelihood.<br /><br />What we need to do is go back to the time before industrialized farming. Your food does not need to travel thousands of miles before it arrives at your local mega supermarket. Food has a season and we should respect that. Food also costs money and you get what you pay for. The dollar menu sounds like a bargain until you start to wonder where that beef patty came from. I know that almost everyone is having money issues and it can be hard to pass up a bargain but sometimes it is better to walk away.<br /><br />You also do not need to eat meat at every meal every day. Find your <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/">local farmers</a>, go to your neighborhood farmer's market, and enjoy their bounty. You can feel good about supporting a local family, saving gas on food transportation which is good for the environment, and supporting a <a href="http://www.farmland.org/programs/default.asp">local patch of land </a>that will not be turned into a strip mall plus providing good healthy food for your family.<br /><br />You should care about where all your food comes and how it was raised. Were your <a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods#fbIndex1">apples</a> sprayed with pesticides? Was your chicken shot full of antibiotics? Did your bacon come from a pig that was kept in a cage so small that it couldn't turn around? When it comes to foie gras, I think people are getting hung up on gavage. It think it matters more what environment the ducks and geese are raised in and how they are treated. Also as important is how the human workers are treated on the farm. I understand that not every foie gras farm is idyllic but I am sure the percentage of cattle/pork/chicken farms with worse conditions is much greater.<br /><br />We are Americans and we were founded on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Taking away my right to choose to eat something like foie gras is taking away my right to choose. They have already taken away our right to<a href="http://charlottescheesedreams.blogspot.com/2011/02/raw-milk-review.html"> raw milk</a>, whats next? Will they take away our sushi?<br /><br />Read more about foie gras at:<br /><a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/12/the-physiology-of-foie-why-foie-gras-is-not-u.html">Serious Eats</a><br /><a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-02-18/news/is-foie-gras-torture/">The Village Voice</a><br /><br />Want to learn more about your food?<br />Read:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Eat-Marion-Nestle/dp/0865477043">What to Eat</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-What-Eat-Why/dp/1596911441">Real Food</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Omnivores-Dilemma-Natural-History/dp/0143038583/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331731083&sr=1-3">The Omnivore's Dilemma</a><br />Watch<br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1286537/">Food, Inc.</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1112115/">King Corn</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/">Supersize Me</a><br /><a href="http://www.divethefilm.com/">The Dive</a><br />Check out <a href="http://www.slowfoodusa.org/">Slow Food USA</a>charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-70396944775708175022012-03-06T12:49:00.003-05:002012-03-17T08:18:22.210-04:00RacletteYou may recall that I love <a href="http://charlottescheesedreams.blogspot.com/2010/03/raclette.html">Raclette</a>. I think it blows fondue out of the milk! You don't have to worry about hot splash back or losing your chunk in hot lava cheese. Fondue also has limited creativity and combinations. The basic principal is skewer chunk (meat, veggie, fruit, bread) and dip in cheese, oil, or chocolate. It is hard to factor much else into the equation.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Swissmar-Person-Classic-Raclette-Granite/dp/B000RWHFQS/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1331057654&sr=1-3">Raclette</a> is full of possibilities. You take some Raclette cheese and add anything to it and keep adding different ingredients. You just don't want to pile on so much that the food will be touching the heating element because it will either burn or catch on fire. One trick to Raclette is to forget about it, then you will achieve that golden crunchy cheese yumminess.<br /><br />I think of Raclette as a winter activity and was very happy to get a cold spell this weekend. We hadn't used our Raclette grill since last winter and I wanted to use it before next winter. We planned a small gathering of about 8 people total. You don't want too many people running around with hot cheese when you have 2 dogs and a baby underfoot. It was fun for everybody to come up different combinations and share "recipes".<br /><br />The cheeses we had were Raclette as well as <a href="http://www.beemster.us/en-us/the-cheeses/beemster-goat/">Beemster goat Gouda </a>(which is a nice melter) and <a href="http://www.artisanalcheese.com/cheeses/Robiola-Bosina">Robiola Bosina </a>(not a good melter as the fat content is too high). The meats were a <a href="http://www.3pigs.com/pages/mousses-04.php">goose liver pate</a>, <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=685268">Landjaeger</a> which is a dried hunters sausage, <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=725975">Porchetta </a>which is pork loin wrapped in pancetta, and <a href="http://www.columbussalame.com/products/artisan-salumi/finocchiona-gigante">Finnochionia</a>. There was also <a href="http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/617694">crispy kale</a>, olives, marinated mushrooms, portabello mushrooms, cornishons, melba toast, baguette, and of course boiled potatoes. I also offered a selection of salts, smoked Maldon, green herb salt, and a red spice salt.<br /><br />The standout highlight combination of the night was Raclette with marinated mushrooms and crispy kale. I can't stop thinking of it even though I ate a ton that night. I am gonna put that combination into a grilled cheese. I could even do an open face grilled cheese under the broiler! What a great way to get in your greens.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-81462433509381859792012-02-07T19:39:00.002-05:002012-02-07T19:43:54.939-05:00My cheese dreams are not deadI am sorry that I have not been blogging more often. I am trying to get back into the swing of things but my life is much less cheese filled these days. I do intend to get back into cheese making this spring. In the meantime I have started a new blog about other aspects of my life.<br /><br /><a href="http://http://sofriggincute.blogspot.com/2012/02/yes-another-blog.html">http://sofriggincute.blogspot.com/2012/02/yes-another-blog.html</a><br /><br />I will continue to blog about cheese and food on Charlotte's Cheese Dreams.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-70666761757559596152012-02-07T17:02:00.006-05:002012-03-17T08:19:21.834-04:00Mokomandy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1deXyAiwX3IhZ5nj5kj0g2Hwdp09BHTZRxczB_zFIzy8KVSmK3Pmt2Wca0z14vdCd7RCXHu1ZoGjj_9liL8iwJ3h2ChdPcJTLG3lpMWmEAGvv7xSVqPBYNFXPWip_uNOTZfXYRBixzEjw/s1600/jan+087.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1deXyAiwX3IhZ5nj5kj0g2Hwdp09BHTZRxczB_zFIzy8KVSmK3Pmt2Wca0z14vdCd7RCXHu1ZoGjj_9liL8iwJ3h2ChdPcJTLG3lpMWmEAGvv7xSVqPBYNFXPWip_uNOTZfXYRBixzEjw/s320/jan+087.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706390519552901586" /></a><br /><br />A few months ago, we moved to Sterling. We had been pretty disappointed by neighborhood food establishments until we went to Mokomandy. I still can't believe such a great restaurant was hiding in our town. Mokomandy is a small Korean/Cajun restaurant. Seems like an odd mix but the chef has family roots in both ethnicities and spicy is also a common thread. Their menu is divided into small, medium, and large plates with a large selection of $3 snacks and sides. <br /><br />We ventured out on a cold windy Friday night with baby in tow who slept through most of the delicious meal. I started with the Foie Gras Dumplings pictured to the left. These little pockets of yum where a wonderful start to a great meal. They were rich and luscious with that umami thing I hear so much about. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOq64v5JEV8xB1YBPslptPG-e5OhfOBGfoucTjw6m2Y-LoNsjFEIVCtWwpJdn29oueGDz5U1UFHNqdcmFOYgxmYtajNKWnGDaXvm3SCodEp4Vy-hiqDqUY636GfZIsyeK4z8ONcnpm1Yf/s1600/jan+092.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOq64v5JEV8xB1YBPslptPG-e5OhfOBGfoucTjw6m2Y-LoNsjFEIVCtWwpJdn29oueGDz5U1UFHNqdcmFOYgxmYtajNKWnGDaXvm3SCodEp4Vy-hiqDqUY636GfZIsyeK4z8ONcnpm1Yf/s320/jan+092.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706390544442368114" /></a><br /><br />Any visit to Mokomandy would be incomplete with out a side of Cracklins. They came hot and popping to the table. Dusted with a touch of what I think was paprika. Our order during our second visit was spicier than our first visit. If you don't like hot spicy food I am sure you could request them without or just a tad of hot dust.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XBc8thWk-hNfzTWQhYInWksonvf1DygaVgprKrxRjYpjxPJUeh08Ex4JbDjn1qunZbP28yQmSs8XWImXAT2gTirwQPBYNZ2EgFRfGY8bP5I2yq1iCAqgtpcryUwFPtsB0qLAD9bjAmGi/s1600/jan+088.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XBc8thWk-hNfzTWQhYInWksonvf1DygaVgprKrxRjYpjxPJUeh08Ex4JbDjn1qunZbP28yQmSs8XWImXAT2gTirwQPBYNZ2EgFRfGY8bP5I2yq1iCAqgtpcryUwFPtsB0qLAD9bjAmGi/s320/jan+088.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706400140367560530" /></a><br /><br />The first visit I had the Korean Karnivore Ssam, this was a pile of shaved beef shortrib and lettuce to wrap the meat. It was served with delicious and not too spicy kimche and yummy veggies. Patrick ordered the Wild Boar Bowl which was hearty and even though it was a medium plate, he was unable to finish it and brought home the leftovers. <br /><br />This first visit I forgot my camera so all the pictures are from our second visit which took place on my 32nd birthday. Unfortunately, Orion was awake for this visit. He was almost asleep when we parked the car but was awake once we got into the restaurant. This made the meal stressful and less enjoyable as baby boy had on his fussy pants cause he was tired and wouldn't sleep. He didn't make too much of a scene but I know when to throw in the towel. <br /><br />On our second visit I ordered the Oyster Poboys. These local oysters had a cornmeal crust and were served on delicious housemade brioche. Very yummy as I love cornmeal and brioche but it could have used more Oyster.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MXTJKzSct2IJwMrn3degXXuH8c6KDFltaTCH9fQvQjUcdHQyEGxxKyvNIHYWiqQVTc3ynwEXCL-2nqsqxChKpNxTjLs7fT8Hv1TCGAD_FDrN0SMHdbbiwkMRdQejMJkUwGssLcPGzXUw/s1600/jan+099.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MXTJKzSct2IJwMrn3degXXuH8c6KDFltaTCH9fQvQjUcdHQyEGxxKyvNIHYWiqQVTc3ynwEXCL-2nqsqxChKpNxTjLs7fT8Hv1TCGAD_FDrN0SMHdbbiwkMRdQejMJkUwGssLcPGzXUw/s320/jan+099.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706397537267715634" /></a><br /><br />I also ordered the Gator Croquette. These were tasty balls but they could have been anything. They are made with house made bacon but I really couldn't tell. I have had gator before and felt there was a bit of that gator texture in the croquette. But by this point I was being distracted by a fussy baby boy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQsWCQcNsrYHIrUs8WGKAdy3E-LR-l2mwgwQC_ZZ4wdTKAj1E2sCJv6ZImdn5fdFu63VllmPlK3J9iTjtgtftzjA6SUUbx3m525JMR7jcodl7yynBx2JNf6CIlMERG3xKIPLazsQLs_Nn/s1600/jan+097.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQsWCQcNsrYHIrUs8WGKAdy3E-LR-l2mwgwQC_ZZ4wdTKAj1E2sCJv6ZImdn5fdFu63VllmPlK3J9iTjtgtftzjA6SUUbx3m525JMR7jcodl7yynBx2JNf6CIlMERG3xKIPLazsQLs_Nn/s320/jan+097.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706398557743788770" /></a><br /><br />Patrick ordered Steak Frites which was cooked perfectly to his taste and how cute are those lil' lumps of meat. I found the fries and bok choy to be really delicious, the carrots were a bit too crunchy for my taste. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfHySYk_1d1wgDeQeV0RME5SIqZUiDbxFyj708JwUscXAPIbILSWiP2SMJI2qNm-le1yRbg7xptGj1LDBy3qxw0gUoziYc3xqWvx_-dLPEnDOxhMyFJVABJtxbHfKlfkfwDANHNF1MMu_/s1600/jan+101.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfHySYk_1d1wgDeQeV0RME5SIqZUiDbxFyj708JwUscXAPIbILSWiP2SMJI2qNm-le1yRbg7xptGj1LDBy3qxw0gUoziYc3xqWvx_-dLPEnDOxhMyFJVABJtxbHfKlfkfwDANHNF1MMu_/s320/jan+101.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706398567280528530" /></a><br /><br />The service at this place is wonderful. On our first visit we were told they were a man down so food left the kitchen more slowly but our server was very attentive. The place was packed during this visit and they put us in a table I assume they don't usually use when it is cold as the frigid air blows right inside. The table was by the front door and they turned the space heater in our direction to fight the cold front. The heater wasn't really necessary and we enjoyed our spot much more than waiting for a table. during our first visit, Patrick ordered a ginger ale. When they discovered they were our of the ginger ale one employee offered to run up to the supermarket to get him a Goya. We declined as they seemed busy enough.<br /><br />Our second visit was on an unseasonably warm Thursday night, only a few other tables were occupied. When I took the baby out to the car, the hostess offered their bathroom for a diaper change. But I knew what he needed was a little booby snack and a nap. When Patrick eventually finished his meal and left, he had been given some free Chocolate Caramel Chicory pudding for our troubles which were of no fault of the restaurant. It was tasty pudding and gave me a bit of a late night sugar shock. The cane syrup salted caramels should be sold by the bagful! <br /><br />Our first visit I ordered the Triple Chocolate Cake which was frozen dark chocolate mousse squares and devil’s food cake squares swimming in hot fudge with passionfruit sauce and the cake was topped with orange segments. It was just an OK dessert. The mousse was too frozen to eat, the cake was dry, and there was too much sauce but I did love the passionfruit. <br /><br />Mokomandy has a very interesting cocktail menu. On each visit I ordered a different cocktail and enjoyed them both. I look forward to no longer breastfeeding so I can drink with abandon, not like I'm an alcoholic but I would like to try both their wine flights. The first cocktail i had was the Hibiscus 75 made with local Catoctin Creek Gin, Sparkling wine, Hibiscus, and Elderflower. I am not much of a Gin drinker but I do really like Catoctin Creek's gin. It is less juniper but more complex. The second visit, I enjoyed a Pomegranate Currant Fizz made with Pama Liqueur, Absolut Kurrant, Lavender Syrup, Lime, and Sparkling Rose. This may have been my favorite and I wish they came in bigger glasses. <br /><br />I highly recommend this restaurant and believe it is worth the drive from DC. There are a number of menu items I want to try so I will be back. If you go mention my name, Charlotte the cheese lady!<br /><a href="http://www.mokomandy.com/">http://www.mokomandy.com/</a>charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-34255236597905424772011-09-24T23:09:00.008-04:002012-03-17T08:19:52.560-04:00Feasting on Figs!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_w_xgD3GKIE6wrXpo6-2wesTSWKq7dKXT9EEoxpWknAz-C41kjW00yH4dTKh0L43052PhfuEo4pjnVADqtPs3YNAT4XuZDk3FTNkDqSZjofNTarDmZN_LoMaVKcD7WvGE_esecRWaDyjH/s1600/figfest+118.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_w_xgD3GKIE6wrXpo6-2wesTSWKq7dKXT9EEoxpWknAz-C41kjW00yH4dTKh0L43052PhfuEo4pjnVADqtPs3YNAT4XuZDk3FTNkDqSZjofNTarDmZN_LoMaVKcD7WvGE_esecRWaDyjH/s320/figfest+118.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656142773052540690" /></a><br /><br />Figs are a magical and elusive fruit that I had no interest in until a few years ago. I had only know Fig Newtons, until my husband introduced me to the real thing. He loves figs fresh and cannot tolerate them in any other form. He thinks Fig Newtons are sacrilege and prefers to eat figs au natural. However, he did love the fig ice cream I made a few years ago. He was a bit skeptical before I made the ice cream that I was wasting some very yummy figs but I successfully elevated their deliciousness. <br /><br />Figs are a perfect example of seasonal eating. We wait all year for fig season and then we can't get enough of them. Because they do not ripen after they are picked, it is important that you get your hands on nice ripe figs. An under ripe fig is so sad because its life was cut short and it will never reach its full flavor potential. They also do not travel well as they bruise easily which is a major hurdle for fig growers and why they are often dried. I have gotten fresh figs from the supermarket but they were a shadow of the real thing. Want delicious fresh figs? Now thanks to Ticonderoga Farms you can go to the source for figs.<br /><br />Ticonderoga farms began their first foray into growing figs in 1988, when I was 8 years old and a fan of the Fig Newton. It started as a hobby on their family farm where they grow apples, pumpkins, bamboo, and Christmas trees to name a few of their crops. Growing figs involved a lot of trial and error as their are not many figs being grown east of the Mississippi. It wasn't until about 8 years ago that they really got it down and another 4 before they had fruit to harvest. Thank you Ticonderoga farms for sticking with it! Today at the Fig Lovers Feast, we enjoyed all their years of hard work and perseverance.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4hpWAmWK3yusqeTB5xF-cSqyiwhL7-7r78dkU0wJ6Y5lquSpnMmNew2kh1y5T7DsSsAbxbiBpMkuqbUrr1yv2Zz2ypOpqyQa5R1chTiACu7ZsISA8nJE1GmFMjHSG4kcheb42rqReGn3/s1600/figfest+094.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4hpWAmWK3yusqeTB5xF-cSqyiwhL7-7r78dkU0wJ6Y5lquSpnMmNew2kh1y5T7DsSsAbxbiBpMkuqbUrr1yv2Zz2ypOpqyQa5R1chTiACu7ZsISA8nJE1GmFMjHSG4kcheb42rqReGn3/s320/figfest+094.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656333950332545266" /></a><br /><br />It was my first time at Ticonderoga farms and I was immediately impressed. They have fun for the whole family and the kid at heart. There is a giant balloon trampoline which can be bounced on by young and old alike as well as slides, goats, chickens, a suspension bridge, playgrounds, and much more. I look forward to taking my son there when he is older and maybe even having his birthday party there.<br /><br />The Fig Lovers Feast festivities were held in the blue barn. I was very impressed with the set up! Their were lovely tables and chairs which made me feel under dressed at fig prom. Not sure what I was expecting but it was lovely and quite comfortable. I had not left the house for about a week so it was a great outing for mom, dad, and baby.<br /><br />Everyone working the event was friendly and we never went thirsty or hungry. This event had been scheduled to take place on September 10th but it was postponed on account of rain. I am so glad they did not cancel the event all together. It was not all smooth sailing as their Chef informed them at the last minute that he would be unable to cook for the event. Even so, the event went off without a hitch. I am curious how the food would have been had the chef actually been on hand.<br /><br />Now on to the food! There was home made fig conserve on the table with bread and home made salsa with chips. The conserve was very sweet and I really wanted a nice chunk of blue cheese to go with it. We had a salad of arugula and spinach with orange, walnut, red onion, and fig. The salad greens were very under dressed, actually they did not seem to be dressed at all. Everything else seemed to be dressed then put on to dry greens but it was still tasty. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysJDHYg0vMULtDoPDd42xpUcnDUHjrkDvCkYT1daf7pe06SP5YHeR8Vyu5HAR97Cq5dfyd_W4Gr6iMehJsrudkhGwj5T1_H8G9Q2CRn7EWcAbqSGC5-wNAeDMcKQbhS1bY7XzbN4KwG4I/s1600/figfest+099.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysJDHYg0vMULtDoPDd42xpUcnDUHjrkDvCkYT1daf7pe06SP5YHeR8Vyu5HAR97Cq5dfyd_W4Gr6iMehJsrudkhGwj5T1_H8G9Q2CRn7EWcAbqSGC5-wNAeDMcKQbhS1bY7XzbN4KwG4I/s320/figfest+099.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656141963875683618" /></a><br /><br />We also enjoyed baguette with fig, feta from Cherry Glen goat cheese in Maryland, honey, and walnut. This was tasty but the bread did get a bit soggy and once again I found myself wanting blue cheese but hey I am a cheese freak and I do like my blues. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XZmYe-3Ogtp9rPHqgtWbmlIWXwmANjBW74FHxxVfSHqrmISYyX9Xeu3RlHHOQEp8NqO39zJyAifnSY0hs3TL-onLQvAx99aSY-4kxi4TZnDU1P9ZxrQo4bA9D-VfZYc7WYwWu5ljRkY7/s1600/figfest+098.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XZmYe-3Ogtp9rPHqgtWbmlIWXwmANjBW74FHxxVfSHqrmISYyX9Xeu3RlHHOQEp8NqO39zJyAifnSY0hs3TL-onLQvAx99aSY-4kxi4TZnDU1P9ZxrQo4bA9D-VfZYc7WYwWu5ljRkY7/s320/figfest+098.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656141960914937746" /></a><br /><br />The pizza was made by Fireworks in Leesburg and was delicious. I loved the bacon fig pizza and lucky me there were a few no shows which gave me seconds! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmBWTIv6aaFAtLvDae1R8nnXE_rmbEO-iDJo0ctb5s4W0OFpoWMlljNq3TffgmrstBE47-j1ZZPfBTo-Yq8i6RdmBcRXhyTa-y239WKKmzjXKFRCGsZ123UzEZgnRvMyF1OucHexRB-Ee/s1600/figfest+102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmBWTIv6aaFAtLvDae1R8nnXE_rmbEO-iDJo0ctb5s4W0OFpoWMlljNq3TffgmrstBE47-j1ZZPfBTo-Yq8i6RdmBcRXhyTa-y239WKKmzjXKFRCGsZ123UzEZgnRvMyF1OucHexRB-Ee/s320/figfest+102.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656141969878826322" /></a><br /><br />The biggest disappointment was the wine. I tried the white and it was awful and I heard the red was just as bad. No clue where the wine was from but maybe next year they can team up with a local vineyard to provide libations. But I was not there for the wine, I am all about the fig.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9EhyjQFhpDWEJ3jA-x0FNpZoMnBNizaSZTtYBPpYj5E11bJjks_B7cb5DKhOdhLI7LtzQ53vqbUkjMFBD1Pxgr2SyAgOOxiwSbPZ99lPx2gkf2q-MGDPWfJXWhElg7OFjJkSXYycvbdD/s1600/figfest+109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9EhyjQFhpDWEJ3jA-x0FNpZoMnBNizaSZTtYBPpYj5E11bJjks_B7cb5DKhOdhLI7LtzQ53vqbUkjMFBD1Pxgr2SyAgOOxiwSbPZ99lPx2gkf2q-MGDPWfJXWhElg7OFjJkSXYycvbdD/s320/figfest+109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656330394016280562" /></a><br /><br />After some time digesting, we took a hayride out to the fig grove. I was able to enjoy Donna's company during the hayride. She works on the farm and was extremely knowledgeable and answered my many questions. They grow different varieties of figs including but not limited to mission, brown turkey, champagne, verte, and green delicious. We picked, which is not easy work up a steep hillside. You have to watch out for bees and wasps which are naturally attracted to the juicy fruit. I was determined to get some mission figs but they were not easy and managed to only get two.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhyphenhyphenD6FT9f8AnxfyLYvnBlFpQSFN9my7KugZAL1aWzWeCh_lSAl7axHImLDJ0H7zZz6RKOcihtyalqA8BwKrtuNUQtXphH8CBzheDjb1Ubb9vEf96AtfpoYKy6WEV7dymNDxE4NnSf0ve5/s1600/figfest+123.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhyphenhyphenD6FT9f8AnxfyLYvnBlFpQSFN9my7KugZAL1aWzWeCh_lSAl7axHImLDJ0H7zZz6RKOcihtyalqA8BwKrtuNUQtXphH8CBzheDjb1Ubb9vEf96AtfpoYKy6WEV7dymNDxE4NnSf0ve5/s320/figfest+123.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656142778273862722" /></a><br /><br />I would have loved a simple tasting of the different types of figs available. How fun, a flight of figs! Once they were picked and in my "bucket" I had an impossible time telling which was which variety. I did not eat any figs while we were in the groves because I wanted to wash them as my almost 5 month old baby would be eating them in a few hours when I nursed him. Donna did explain that they do not use any herbicides or pesticides on their figs. This was great to hear but I was sad to learn how little control they have over what utility companies do around their farm. <br /><br />When we got back to the barn we enjoyed some Moorenkos vanilla ice cream with fig, honey (also from the farm!) and walnuts. This was wonderful because I had gotten a bit sweaty while picking figs in the heat and humidity. There was also a cooking demonstration of the baguette with fig that we enjoyed as an appetizer. This was a wonderful event, $30 (a $5 discount for being a member of Slow Food DC) and you got all the food you could eat, all the wine you could choke down, a pound of fresh figs and a cool bamboo Ticonderoga Farm bag. I look forward to attending this event every year and think it will only get better! <br /><br /><br />For more: <br />http://charlottescheesedreams.blogspot.com/2009/08/figs-figs-everywhere.html<br />http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ticonderoga-Farms/91806057538<br />http://www.ticonderoga.com/<br />http://www.fireworkspizza.com/FireWorksLeesburg.htmlcharlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-16505104043118090992011-06-30T15:59:00.004-04:002012-04-19T16:15:45.647-04:00Farewell Father<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaCnraz25gdZs4Scsd5w8ZLoMhNJoBXzfWULgn0Z6_1Y78OAER7St-1Y94nTOCN01fB0rnjTIPO7UHJMMmOJf0Jg_JeUhl32ErLEegzVlCmOs8qdqpGHm2AAQ1oIJHSjl4iGhi3Z19BZt/s1600/1006040033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaCnraz25gdZs4Scsd5w8ZLoMhNJoBXzfWULgn0Z6_1Y78OAER7St-1Y94nTOCN01fB0rnjTIPO7UHJMMmOJf0Jg_JeUhl32ErLEegzVlCmOs8qdqpGHm2AAQ1oIJHSjl4iGhi3Z19BZt/s320/1006040033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624107394826953106" /></a><br />My father, Thomas, passed away on June 12. He went very quickly and peacefully. He did get to meet Orion but Orion will never remember him. I have included the obituary and eulogy that I wrote with the help of my wonderful husband. <br /><br />Thomas Crossley, age 66, succumbed to cancer on Sunday, June 12th, 2011. ‘Big Tom’ was known for his kind heart, his ready sense of humor, and his robust laugh. Tom is the beloved father of Thomas Crossley, (Maki) and Charlotte Media (Patrick). In addition to his children, he is survived by his sisters Marion Victoria Skarbek (John), Clarice Elizabeth Skinner (Rod), and Francis Naomi Robinson, and his three grandchildren Thomas Crossley (Kairi), Mary Rimi, and Orion. Tom was the loving husband of Susan Maria Small, who passed away in 2005. <br /><br />Son of the late Media and Thomas Crossley, Tom was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, later living in Collegeville and spending his final years in East Greenville. He graduated from Girard College in 1963. Tom worked in various sectors of the local finance and banking industry. He completed an Associates Degree in Science Business Administration from Montgomery County Community College in 2002, making Deans List throughout his studies. He thoroughly enjoyed his academic experience and desired to continue his education. <br /><br />Nationally ranked throughout his life and holding regional and national awards, Tom was an avid marksman, trap shooter, and a lifetime member of the Lower Providence Rod & Reel Gun Club. He also was an accomplished photographer and devoted fish enthusiast. Tom was an eternal pursuer of a proper cup of coffee, and was an accomplished cook and a great lover of world cuisines. A voracious reader, music lover, and movie watcher, Tom was a daily patron of the East Greenville Public Library. Tom was also a committed technologist, embracing the digital age from its earliest days. <br /><br />In addition to visiting his family whenever possible, Tom adored spending time roaming The Cańada del Oso Ranch in Peru, Kansas, visiting his dear friends Arturo and Janet Pacheco and employing his weather-eye to keep down the local rabbit population. <br /><br />He is greatly missed by all who knew him. <br /><br />My father, Thomas Crossley was a man who enjoyed the simple things in life. He could do anything and knew everything. And if he didn’t know the answer, he would make up a story that I would usually fall for. He had a great sense of humor, a robust laugh, and enjoyed pulling your leg. He was crafty and clever and made the most of any situation. He never backed down from a challenge. He was very content in his solitude and loved his freedom.<br /><br />I could not have asked for a more wonderful father. I thought he was superman. He was my giant teddy bear at 6’6” with a robust belly. I remember his massive hands and when walking with him in the snow I would hold just his big thumb. It was partially because of how small my hands were, but also in the event that he fell, he wouldn’t take me with him. When I wanted to learn how to paint my fingernails, he showed me how using his big thumb as an example and painting it pink. Later when we were checking out at the grocery store in the Andora shopping center, my dad’s big, pink thumbnail really amused the checkout girl. <br /><br />He was always there for me even though I wasn’t the easiest child and I asserted my independence very early on. I know I made him worry on more than he few occasions but he rarely ever let me know how worried he was. When I was 21 and backpacking alone around Europe, I got an email from him that he couldn’t sleep at night because he didn’t know where I was. I kept in touch with home but I guess not as often as he would have liked<br /><br />He loved to read and visited the library on an almost daily basis. He loved listening to music and had a very eclectic taste from Aphex Twin to En Vogue to ZZ Top. When I gave my Dad a call and asked him what he was doing, the reply was often playing solitaire on the computer. He embraced technology and was interested in computers since the early 80’s.<br /><br />Dad was an avid photographer. Before my brother and I were born, he worked as a wedding photographer but his biggest source of photographic inspiration was my mother. Once us kids were born we were his models. His apartment was filled with photographs. He had that big bulletin board which is on display, hanging next to his desk. Many framed photos and photo albums. On his kitchen table he had a large framed photo of Thomas the IV and one of Mary Rimi, his grandchildren. He may have lived alone but he ate his meals with his grandkids, even though they lived in Japan and everywhere he looked in his apartment were faces of his loved ones.<br /><br />Being one of 4 kids raised by a single mother living below the poverty line, he was sent to Girard College, a boarding school. There is a huge wall surrounding Girard college and my father told me stories about how he would scale that wall to buy cigarettes. In his youth, he wasn’t much interested in his education but that changed late in life. He was never able to afford college but after being laid off he seized the opportunity. My father and I went off to college around the same time. He loved his college experience. He wished he had enjoyed his educational experience more in his youth. He had a voracious appetite for learning and had a great desire to continue his education. He read fiction and non fiction and surfed the net for interesting news. He even attempted to read my husband’s dissertation, which is something I haven’t even attempted.<br /><br />He loved the outdoors. Our family vacations were spent camping, May in Harper’s Ferry and October’s in Hickory Run. He loved to go rafting and kayaking, until the day he got into an Eskimo roll he couldn’t get out of. I remember many 7-11 picnics with Big Gulps and hotdogs, spent in Valley Green. And of course, his favorite place on earth was the Kansas ranch owned by his dear friends Arturo and Janet. Time and health permitting, he would spend long stretches of time there in the spring and fall, ranging across the pastures and culling the over-abundant rabbit population.<br /><br />My dad was an expert shooter. He won many medals and awards for it and even tried out for the Olympics for shooting. I can remember living on Arcola Road, and helping him reload shotgun shells in the garage. The first time my husband met my father was on Father’s Day, 2004. We went to Gun Club, did some target shooting then went to shoot some trap. When my dad opened the box that housed the arm which throws the clay disks, the spring loaded device went off, catching my dad’s hand and taking a significant chunk out of one of his fingers. I was freaking out, but Dad was calm and collected. The strongest statement he made during the entire ordeal was, “Man…that smarts.”<br /><br />He loved food and loved to cook as much as he liked to eat. He had an adventurous appetite and would try anything. He loved cuisines from all over the world, especially Japanese food. On his last couple of visits down to Virginia, he spent a lot of time looking at the photo album of our Japan trip to drool over the pictures of the meals we ate in Okinawa.<br /><br />My dad valued family above all else, and one of the ways he showed that love was by taking diligent care of any person, pet, or thing that needed him. He took good care of his mother during her life. He took amazing care of my mother throughout her fight with breast cancer. And even after her passing, he enjoyed being one of the many, many merry-makers at any gathering of the Small family.<br /><br />I never liked my father living alone but he did have family close by. I was comforted knowing that his sister Marion came by once a week and took him out to shake off the cobwebs. My husband and I had asked him to live with us on many occasions and he would say yes but not now, later because he liked living alone and wasn’t ready to give up that independence.<br /><br />My dad was very happy that my brother and I found such wonderful people to share our lives. All he ever wanted was for my brother and me to be happy, and to eventually give him some grandkids. He was so happy when we went to Japan last year. All he wanted to do was hold his new granddaughter, Mary and spend time with the family. Dad came to Virginia to see Orion when he was about 2 weeks old. I’ve never seen a man happier to hold a crying, screaming baby. I am so glad that they spent sometime together but I’m sad Orion will never understand just how wonderful both my parents were.<br /> <br />Though our parents are now both gone, in a way our babies bring them back. I am so excited to discover traces of my father and my mother in my son, my nephew, and my niece.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-4370544229578030292011-05-14T01:14:00.002-04:002012-03-17T08:21:05.708-04:00Creme FraicheOne of the secrets of French cooking is Creme Fraiche, pronounced "krem-ˈfresh". This cultured milk product is made by letting the natural lactic bacteria in the cream develop. I love seeing a very short list of ingredients and Vermont Butter and Cheese Creme Fraiche has two ingredients, cream and culture. Creme Fraiche is similar to sour cream and can be used in much the same way. But the secret of Creme Fraiche is that it will not separate like sour cream does at high temperature or when wine is added.<br /><br />Creme Fraiche does not taste as sour as sour cream. Its flavor is nuttier with a hint of almond and has a deep richness and creamy body. It can be used for baking, added to salad dressings and dips and even made into ice cream. It will make sauces richer and is a wonderful compliment for fish. You can also add a dollop to any soup or use as a topping for fresh fruit. Creme Fraiche can be whipped and if you like things a bit sweeter you can add sugar or honey and cinnamon and serve with strawberries. <br /><br />This is a versatile staple of French cooking worthy of space in your refrigerator. It may be more expensive than sour cream but it has more uses and holds up when heated or reheated in the microwave. I took some Salmon into work with a sour cream based sauce and after I zapped it in the microwave I was left with a chunky curd accompaniment. If I had used Creme Fraiche, the sauce would have stayed the same.<br /><br />Here is a recipe for a Blue Cheese Dip which can be thinned with half and half or milk to be used as a salad dressing. For a lower fat version, use skim milk and reduced fat mayo but never skimp on the cheese or Creme Fraiche.<br /><br />• 1 cup Maytag Blue cheese, crumbled (or your favorite blue cheese, Buttermilk Blue will add more tang)<br />• 1/4 cup Creme Fraiche<br />• 1/4 cup mayonnaise<br />• 1/2 cup half and half<br />• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce<br />• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice <br />• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic<br />• 1/2 teaspoon salt<br />• Freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />Combine above ingredients and allow flavors to marry for a day or two to provide optimal flavor. Don't worry, it will stay fresh for about a week.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-58658019800426335462011-05-14T00:03:00.004-04:002012-04-19T16:12:39.406-04:00Sorry for my disapperence!I have been a very very bad blogger. I am sorry that I have not posted in months. I have been very busy being pregnant but now Orion is out of the womb!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ac3MM8Y3w409Dtcf7Y9n3pmwszMHgpcW8fQAFbmLkdzoPv26uN1rs31lrEaXTPlanYYM25TfrMM5tKMDCQ0Kq21UMiOLKIllET-LYNl7dsFVrJ-HTd7Ikw8tuzf-riNiGkgiVDRUKR4F/s1600/1006040023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ac3MM8Y3w409Dtcf7Y9n3pmwszMHgpcW8fQAFbmLkdzoPv26uN1rs31lrEaXTPlanYYM25TfrMM5tKMDCQ0Kq21UMiOLKIllET-LYNl7dsFVrJ-HTd7Ikw8tuzf-riNiGkgiVDRUKR4F/s320/1006040023.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606418379397015426" /></a><br /><br />He is amazing and breastfeeding is going very well! It is astonishing seeing my body make milk to feed this little life. I have milked goats and now have had a more personal experience. His delivery was not ideal (induced only to have a c-section) but he arrived healthy but a bit angry. He immediately peed on a nurse.<br /><br />He is not letting me sleep much at night and being awake for 20 hours a day will, hopefully, provide me with more time to work on this here blog. Because I do want to blog and think it will be nice to take a break from baby and indulge in some cheesy dialog.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-36792589045905894062011-02-11T11:13:00.008-05:002012-03-17T08:21:44.383-04:00Raw Milk ReviewThe debate over raw milk and cheeses made from raw milk has been heating up this winter. This past December, Sally Jackson Cheese recalled all of their cheeses due to the possibility of E. coli 0157:H7 contamination. This causes diarrhea and bloody stools with most healthy adults recovering within a week. It is possible to develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome which is a form of kidney failure. The elderly and young children are more likely to develop this condition which can lead to kidney damage and death.<br /><br />So what went wrong? Sally Jackson makes cheese from raw or unpasteurized, cow, goat, and sheep milk. These cheeses were found to be made under conditions that create a risk of contamination when the facility was inspected by health officials. The cheeses were identified as one possible source of E. coli infection. There were 8 reported cases between September and November of E. coli in Washington and Oregon which could be traced to Sally Jackson cheeses. <br /><br />Seven patients were able to provide food histories and one reported eating Sally Jackson cheese. Four patients said they may have eaten Sally Jackson cheese, three of these ate at restaurants which served Sally Jackson cheese. The 4th of these ate a variety of artisinal cheeses which may have included Sally Jackson cheese. Two patients had consumed artisanal cheese but were unsure if any of it was made by Sally Jackson.<br /><br />Sally Jackson began making cheese after receiving a "Small and Appropriate Technology Grant” during the Carter administration. They tended 140 acres in Oroville, WA and raised goats, sheep, and a few cows. They made cheese exclusively from the milk of their own herds. All cheeses were made from raw milk and aged for 60 days as per FDA regulations. I was able to try one of their cheeses at a Slow Food event in which Cowgirl Creamery provided a handsome cheese plate. I remember being very excited to finally get to taste some of the well know Sally Jackson cheese. I was impressed by its clean taste and supple paste. <br /><br />Sally Jackson closed its doors in December. Their website, http://www.sallyjacksoncheeses.com has a very brief statement which does not go into detail but says that, "Many factors went into our decision to retire the business." Among these must have been heartbreak and frustration. The possibility of even one person getting sick from a cheese I made is a risk I do not want to take. I do not know the conditions of their cheesemaking operation but having a government agency come in and declare it unsanitary must have been very painful.<br /><br />Bravo Farms in Traver, CA also had an outbreak of E. coli in which 38 people in 5 states became sick. This outbreak was traced to their raw milk Gouda which was sold by retail giant Costco. Investigators cite Bravo Farms with packaging their cheese for sale before the 60 day aging period ended. In the case of Sally Jackson, the facility was found to be unsanitary. <br /><br />In both cases, investigators are unable to clearly state that the contamination has been traced to the raw milk used to in making the cheese. Contamination can occur at any part of the cheesemaking process regardless of whether the milk is raw or pasteurized. The issue these cases has brought to the forefront is the effectiveness of the 60 day aging rule. It has been widely accepted that cheese made from raw milk and aged 60 days will naturally destroy any harmful bacterial during that period. The bacteria, acid, and salt in cheese will consume any harmful bacteria within that 60 day time frame. But it is not just raw milk cheesemakers getting recalled. In 2009, nine cheesemakers in the US issued recalls and five used pasteurized milk and the other four made raw milk cheeses.<br /><br />What we are learning now is that the 60 day time frame was an arbitrary decision. This rule was created in the 1940's after outbreaks of typhoid fever were linked to cheese. Scientists knew that as a cheese dried out it was no longer an ideal environment for bacteria. This lead to the 60 day rule which is now being seen as simplistic. Cheese has changed a lot since the 1940's and they are many different types of cheese currently being made in the US. The pathogens in cheese have also changed, making E. coli and listeria more dangerous threats.<br /><br />Recently a paper was published which showed that E. coli could survive in cheese for more than a year. A study from 2008 showed that levels of listeria increase in soft cheese as it aged. This style of cheese becomes less acidic as it ages and moisture increases which are good conditions for bacteria. So what can we do to ensure that cheese is safe?<br /><br />Food safety has become a major issue with recent outbreaks in spinach, celery, and eggs. The Food Safety Modernization Act was passed by the U.S. Senate December 22, 2010 and President Obama signed it into law on January 4th 2011. This bill aims to prevent food borne illness outbreaks before they occur. Some provisions of this bill include:<br /><br />*Enables the FDA to issue a food recall. Previously, the company had to issue a voluntary food recall.<br />*Evey two years, the FDA will identify major threats to food safety and provide science based outlines and regulations to deal with these threats.<br />*Create offices in at least 5 forgien countries that export food to the US to improve food oversight.<br />*The FDA will inspect high risk food production facilities every three years. <br /><br />I didn't see any mention of raw milk or raw milk cheese in the information given about the Food Safety Modernization Act. This legislation seems to focus on produce and imported food. But it is agreed that the cheese industry does need to improve food safety standards which go beyond aging. Raw milk should be tested frequently as well as the finished product throughout various stages of aging. It is also necessary to improve hygiene and stress its importance.<br /><br />The raw milk I get from my local farm is tested daily and the results are posted. I have never been concerned about their milk and have every confidence in their cleanliness. I was surprised when a dairy farmer told me about an exchange she had with a neighbor farmer. The neighbor was shocked that they dairy farmer consumed raw goat milk. The neighbor thought it was too dangerous of a substance for family consumption. But when you are so involved in every step of the process from raising the goats, feeding them, breeding them, and milking them, why not drink the raw milk? There is nothing inherent in raw milk which makes it dangerous.<br /><br />Milk and cheese must be tested and these regulations vary from state to state. Do we need to make these regulations uniform as the end product does cross state lines? Cheesemakers should not fear testing and inspection as this will ensure food safety which is good for the cheesemaker and consumer. It can be difficult dealing with new regulations when you are so accustomed to doing things the way they have always been done in your operation. Changes can also be costly which is very difficult to afford in this economic climate. I would hate to see more wonderful cheesemakers go out of business. <br /><br />I was at a conference recently (more on this in a later blog) and was surprised when a lecturer said that there is no good and bad bacteria, just bacteria. She was teaching us about pH and TA testing. Preforming these tests throughout the cheesemaking process will ensure a safe end product. This is a practice I have yet to apply to my cheesemaking, but now that I have learned of its importance I will put it into practice. <br /><br />I do not know the future of raw milk cheeses but I do not think we need to outlaw all raw milk cheeses. If you were to do that, you may as well outlaw all cheese. Raw milk cheese in various stages have been consumed in France for ages but even the European Union is starting to crack down on raw milk and cheese made from raw milk. It would be a shame to lose the traditions of raw milk cheese. You could kiss your Parmigiano-Reggiano and your Roquefort good bye!charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-29026113465082798342011-02-01T10:36:00.004-05:002012-03-17T08:22:22.163-04:00Rind time!To eat the rind or not to eat the rind, that is the question. A woman was very perplexed recently when I offered her a taste of Bonne Bouche; she said "it's blue!” She was lacking confidence in her knowledge of cheese rinds and in her cheesemonger. Bonne Bouche is an ash ripened goat cheese that has a grayish blue rind that is completely edible. The rind is coated with vegetable ash which is often used in cheesemaking. Humboldt Fog and Morbier are two classic examples of cheeses that use ash. Both have a line of ash through the center of the paste. <br /><br />Many that night were calling Bonne Bouche a blue cheese but it's not, it just has a striking look which makes it a great addition to any cheese plate. I love Bonne Bouche, the ash coating helps the cheese age, prevents unwanted molds and intruders, and helps the paste get crazy runny and gooey. This cheese won best goat cheese at the 2010 American Cheese Society conference. You can learn more about Bonne Bouche at http://www.vermontcreamery.com/bonne-bouche/<br /><br />Some cheeses have a natural rind like bandaged wrapped cheddar. This means that the truckle (term for a wheel of cheddar which refers to its shape) was wrapped in cheesecloth which is often coated in lard and then aged. Before the cheese goes to market the cheesecloth is removed but you can still see the hatch marks on the rind left behind from the texture of the cloth. You can choose to eat this rind if you like but it will be a bit dry. Similarly, other cheeses get a paper coating to their rind. If won’t kill you to eat paper but it won’t add much flavor.<br /><br />Blue cheeses like Cashel blue and Mountain Gorgonzola have a natural rind. The rind on Mountain Gorgonzola can be dry and brittle. Often the natural rind on a blue cheese can be more concentrated in flavor. You can decide to eat them if you want. Some blue cheeses like Buttermilk Blue and Maytag blue have no rinds. Their rinds are removed before packaging. <br /><br />There are a few rinds that you really don't want to eat. If a cheese is covered in wax, don't eat it unless you are nostalgic for the wax lips of your childhood. It won't kill you to eat wax but it also will not taste very good. Some chesses have a thick wax coating and others like Manchego or P’tit Basque have a very thin waxy coating. You can cut off these rinds and enjoy your cheese. When serving this type of cheese on a party platter, it is best to cut the wax off the sides of the wedge but leave the wax along the back as it will provide a bit of support while guests cut off chunks. <br /><br />If a cheese has a wooden belt like Petit Sapin or Winnimere, do not eat the wood. These types of cheeses are best served in the whole with the top rind peeled back and the glorious goo spooned out. But a wedge of Winnimere can also be delicious but as it is a washed rind cheese, the rind will have a more concentrated flavor. The rind is exposed to multiple washings in a brine solution which may contain some kind of alcohol. The salt and flavor will concentrate on the rind with a specific type of red mold called Bacteria Linens. This type of mold is intentional and gives washed rind cheeses their stinky nature. When you see mold whether it is red, white, or blue ask yourself if it was intentional and if it was give it a taste. <br /><br />Things can get confusing when a cheese is covered in leaves. Valdeon is a wonderful Spanish blue cheese made from goat’s and cow’s milk with a covering of Sycamore leaves. These leaves make a pretty presentation but are not edible. Once again, this will not kill you but won’t help the flavor. Rogue River Blue is a raw cow’s milk blue made in Oregon that is covered in grape leaves soaked in pear brandy. These leaves are edible and offer a unique flavor and texture to the cheese. If the leaves are dry, I would avoid them but it they have been drenched in some kind of alcohol, I may taste them and then decide if they are worth eating. <br /><br />Really when it comes down to the rind it is a matter of taste preference. Try the rind first and if you don’t like the taste don’t eat it. But please take the rind with you, I hate seeing a sad slice of brie being hollowed out at a party. It is unattractive and leads others to think that the rind is not edible when they might enjoy the taste. It’s like asking someone else to clean up your mess.<br /><br />The rind on Soft Ripened cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and Humboldt Fog are edible and made from a white mold which is often penicillium candidum and/or geotrichum candidum. Some inexpensive bries and camembert have a rind that is papery and a paste that is firm. That is not what I look for in brie so I skip them. I love d’Affinois which has a very mild rind which lends body to the very creamy paste. But the rind on a soft ripened cheese can become bitter with age. When that is the case, I may choose to discard the rind. Pierre Robert is an indulgent triple crème from France but I often find the rind too bitter and will scoop out the runny paste. <br /><br />If a cheese has mold that was not intended and has developed with time you might not have to trash the whole chunk. If you have a chunk of cheddar that has gone a bit moldy, cut off the mold until the paste is pure and enjoy. Do not eat a cheese that has cat fur mold, unintended red mold, or smells like urine. If the cheese is a soft, fresh cheese, or a surface ripened cheese, you might have to let it go as it can be hard to remove unwanted molds from these creamy cheeses. <br /><br />I hope this provides some rind confidence and remember what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger! And a tip, Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds aren't edible but they can be added to soups, stocks, and stews to add a wonderful salty, cheese flavor.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-79882720282089332542011-01-12T13:43:00.009-05:002012-03-17T08:23:01.795-04:00Cheesemonger for the masses!Epoisses, Brebirousse, d'Affinois, Gres des Vosges, Rogue River Blue, Roquefort, Valdeon, Coupole, Bonne Bouche, Humboldt Fog, P'tit Basque, Ossau Iraty, Beecher's Flagship Cheddar, 5 year aged Gouda, Midnight Moon, Lamb Chopper, Taleggio, Fontina Val D'aosta, Burrata. These are all wonderful cheese which are now available at Safeway. Yes that is right, welcome to the World of Cheese at Safeway! The super gigantic supermarket chain is selling high end cheese and charcuterie. But not just any Safeway, the only cheese counter of its kind is at the Georgetown Safeway in DC. Safeway is using this store as a barometer of how a high end cheese counter might do in other store locations. They have even taken a few of our top selling cheese to the store location in Potomac.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VkGZXbEYXQksf0UzpOK_9p8pkOLlDbWC_7rc27l8LVFijtb4UsxNZbHwysjskgKnz0MfA4pWue5vAA4O1FaBsN19FTXcvsAED_quzyBmAuHZRAMxGwDjzRuyBUaY0qcHmlRULPYj8RpG/s1600/IMG_20110117_065614.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VkGZXbEYXQksf0UzpOK_9p8pkOLlDbWC_7rc27l8LVFijtb4UsxNZbHwysjskgKnz0MfA4pWue5vAA4O1FaBsN19FTXcvsAED_quzyBmAuHZRAMxGwDjzRuyBUaY0qcHmlRULPYj8RpG/s320/IMG_20110117_065614.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563598990725549074" /></a><br /><br />How do I know this? Because I started working for Safeway at the end of May 2010 and am currently still mongering there 15 hours a week. It has been an interesting experience for me to be involved in such a new corporate endeavour. I have worked at a few different cheese counters in Northern Virginia and all of them, till now, had been independently owned. When I first got the job, it was hard for me to say that I worked at Safeway and often told people that I worked at a cheese counter in Georgetown. But now, I am proud of my job at Safeway and the vast array of cheeses we offer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-F_ylKpfP1f1H385_rGvAWTwB_GJ3ChvU9ratGEzdbrOsysAPLv-K_PAX_qDBxM3u6EfR1Yq6gxhnM688RrTaWaVx46tcUVt_muJxTLnStvQafzkwqR15TbOjnSi3dB8wNlvdr13kQB7r/s1600/IMG_20110115_093446.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-F_ylKpfP1f1H385_rGvAWTwB_GJ3ChvU9ratGEzdbrOsysAPLv-K_PAX_qDBxM3u6EfR1Yq6gxhnM688RrTaWaVx46tcUVt_muJxTLnStvQafzkwqR15TbOjnSi3dB8wNlvdr13kQB7r/s320/IMG_20110115_093446.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563598998198057826" /></a><br /><br />It has been said that our cheese selection is the largest in DC and that our French selection is the largest in the area. I have not gone out to pound the pavement to verify these claims but I do feel comfortable saying that we have the largest and most diverse selection of cheeses than any other supermarket in DC. We definitely have more cheese than the average Whole Foods but Wegman's does rival our selection. Wegman's also cuts most of their cheeses in the store, something I wish we did at the World of Cheese.<br /><br />At the Georgetown Safeway, we do not cut every cheese we offer. We do cut most of our soft ripened cheeses and blue cheeses. We have to cut d'Affinois, Saint Andre, and Supreme every day as they are among our top selling cheeses. We also cut P'tit Basque, Ossau Iraty, Tallegio, and many other cheeses. We do not cut any of our vast selection of Cheddars in the store. Cheeses we do not cut are either cut at our distribution center in Maryland or are packaged by the cheesemaker. I do believe that the best cheese is cut fresh off a whole wheel but packaged cheese is still pretty good. Still better than processed Kraft singles or Velveeta.<br /><br />We also do not cut the Parmigiano-Reggiano in the store. This is cut at our distribution center and we receive it frequently throughout the week. But it is this one cheese that gets the most criticism from our customers. People look at it and do not believe it is real Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano. They say it is too hard or that they are Italian and have never heard of Bella Rossa. There is often no convincing the customer otherwise. Let me take this opportunity to explain why are Parm is the real deal. <br /><br />Bella Rossa is made in Italy, aged 24 months, and distributed by Arthur Schuman, an American company. For any cheese to be legally called Parmigiano-Reggiano it must meet DOC (Denominazione Di Origine Controllata) regulations. Therefore it must be made in Italy, in either Emilia Romagna or Lombardy. It must be made from partially skimmed cow's milk and the cow's have strict dietary rules and cannot be feed any silage. Once the wheels are made and aged they undergo a strict DOC inspection process. If the wheels pass inspection, the rind is stamped with the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium mark. If you ever question the authenticity of a Parmigiano-Reggiano, look at the rind. If you can see the name stenciled into the rind, it is the real thing. What we sell at Safeway is the real thing but it would be better and fresher if we cut it in the store.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPY0bl8nL3pLZQqT_VTBIHOX0Vnq3oT6biGp1vOhN4NDA49nEL2L6LHOFdZqLzS9qK22htykBq2Mkvjii8ZjVLWlYxpOuFR2pKlnjC2-Gr_b4UVwdeTnpaXYJkFRwpvqQ4Z4N6jpoy1Hy/s1600/IMG_20110117_065627.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPY0bl8nL3pLZQqT_VTBIHOX0Vnq3oT6biGp1vOhN4NDA49nEL2L6LHOFdZqLzS9qK22htykBq2Mkvjii8ZjVLWlYxpOuFR2pKlnjC2-Gr_b4UVwdeTnpaXYJkFRwpvqQ4Z4N6jpoy1Hy/s320/IMG_20110117_065627.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563598999631595650" /></a><br /><br />So why is it that we do not cut all the cheeses in store? Our store is open 24 hours, seven days a week and sells a whole lot of cheese with only 3 dedicated World of Cheese employees and one manager. Sometimes it is hard enough for us to stay on top of all the cutting, stocking, cleaning, and other cheese counter chores. We make Baked Bries in store and shred and grate various types of cheese as well as fill orders for our catering department. We also have a severe lack of space. It can get very crowded behind our counter and I hate cutting cheese with my back to customers but you do what you gotta. One thing I do really like about the cheese counter at Wegman's is they have a spacious work area in the center of their cheese counters. <br /><br />We are also working to expand our cheese selection. This could not be done without our fromagerie manager, Treva Stose. She has put in countless hours fighting for wonderful cheeses to make it into the World of Cheese. Even when she is not working, she is working. She is very dedicated to the World of Cheese at Safeway and has worked tirelessly for it to be the best cheese counter in DC. She takes great care with our French air freight cheeses and is now working on expanding our Italian and Spanish cheese selection.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5OXFcsZO0F76sqi0TqnSXC7-2VWQmuDQfZ36LwApaWoSkUFAU5ny-k6TnaaN_avhTpF2CecCZWVW-EmBZFWFLFz4k8Rudri95ZQvTf1SPekS824aP5VSzSVQRqp2MCdEyMGAACxQFx9n/s1600/IMG_20110117_065642.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5OXFcsZO0F76sqi0TqnSXC7-2VWQmuDQfZ36LwApaWoSkUFAU5ny-k6TnaaN_avhTpF2CecCZWVW-EmBZFWFLFz4k8Rudri95ZQvTf1SPekS824aP5VSzSVQRqp2MCdEyMGAACxQFx9n/s320/IMG_20110117_065642.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563599007150456898" /></a><br /><br />When the World of Cheese first opened in May 2010, we had to order all of our cheeses, Pates, and salamis through one distribution company, DPI. We had a few difficulties and Treva fought corporate to be allowed to use another distributor. If DPI did not have the cheese, we could not sell the cheese. Cheeses Safeway used to sell disappeared and some of the cheeses we did receive were not in the best condition or cut in a manner that was not ideal. We do not accept anything less than the best and any issues we take to our most wonderful DPI rep, John. Such a demanding high end cheese counter is pretty new for our distributor and the start of any new process will have some growing pains. <br /><br />Recently, we have begun using Epicure and hope to order more exciting new cheeses through them. Any cheese we order from them, we will have to cut in the store. But getting new cheeses is a bit of a struggle. At cheese counters where I have worked previously, I would only have to make a case for that cheese with the store manager and then they would order it through one of their distributors. As Safeway is a large national retail chain, all items must be approved by our corporate office in California. Since the store opened in May, customers have been asking for Mozzarella DI' Bufala. Customers ask us, we tell our Manager, and she takes it to our distributor and corporate. We still do not have Mozzarella Di' Bufala but have been told that it is in the works. We take our customer requests very seriously and make notes whenever a customer asks for a specific cheese. No matter how often a cheese is requested, it does not guarantee a spot for that cheese in our case. And if a cheese doesn't sell, like Limburger, chances are that it will disappear from our counter.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLS4FbTRd81Nqc36uqdcgQfFl3Oq5wBuQ5Fnj_inFT8EdnirRmC3iZ4-M0BAJbiMLXUx_3jZk-43lrc0_c2A5A0F6EjyC-oBjCb9h3or0M27DXXzGsuvCtFtcUfmDRIzdU2SoJkyWC2ew/s1600/IMG_20110117_065652.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLS4FbTRd81Nqc36uqdcgQfFl3Oq5wBuQ5Fnj_inFT8EdnirRmC3iZ4-M0BAJbiMLXUx_3jZk-43lrc0_c2A5A0F6EjyC-oBjCb9h3or0M27DXXzGsuvCtFtcUfmDRIzdU2SoJkyWC2ew/s320/IMG_20110117_065652.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563599010628016770" /></a><br /><br />Halloumi is a wonderful cheese, I love to grill it in the summertime. One of the first Saturday cheese demos I did at the store was grilled Halloumi. Everyone loved the cheese and was excited about its cooking possibilities. When I went to check the sales figures the next day, I found that it wasn't on the report. The cheese did not have a scanable barcode and was not an approved item. We fought to get this item approved by corporate but it continues to be denied even though it sold well and was requested by many customers. But we do not stop trying and sometimes unauthorized items magically appear in our counter. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIafmu07_NJnHgfAz4Z54Lpl7re01zCzuAm1l1mHwfEagWA7KPEjVaaBMNarHJu_iXlODeOt_na-uN5z2hJdIvZqcKpE3Beuko7rRsLPF235Sm2ahTIwMkuthXsbHnEkTuuylDiHivccnI/s1600/IMG_20110117_065701.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIafmu07_NJnHgfAz4Z54Lpl7re01zCzuAm1l1mHwfEagWA7KPEjVaaBMNarHJu_iXlODeOt_na-uN5z2hJdIvZqcKpE3Beuko7rRsLPF235Sm2ahTIwMkuthXsbHnEkTuuylDiHivccnI/s320/IMG_20110117_065701.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563599119168512466" /></a><br /><br />One thing I love about working at the "Social" Safeway in Georgetown is the diversity of our customers. We get all types from every walk of life and I love hearing all the different languages being spoken all around the store. Every day we lure these people to our cheese counter with samples of different cheeses. I love giving a person a new cheese to taste and when that person really loves what they are tasting. We have had young children go gaga over Epoisses, which is one of our top selling cheeses.<br /><br />We love to take the time to educate our customers regarding cheese. We love to take time to help them assemble their cheese platters, or pick cheeses for a fancy grilled cheese or mac and cheese. We also offer a lot of wine pairing advice as we are located right next to the wine department. If they are tasting wine or beer in that department, you can be sure they are serving a carefully selected cheese to go with that tasty beverage. Customer service, interaction, and satisfaction are very high priorities at Safeway. I love any opportunity to talk cheese!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoZwEmvxKnvjqjNUYXhRM9eVIbDN7y48Grvt_oNnYJIHeU0T3iukfZRJufHwAXxJRUEefKUl9F-zWjkwHDmO8lpgTyNH0EwMzOrJUWoBAxYXaMTM1F8FbY5wFjBXj6e9SpCulz_XCdgl4/s1600/IMG_20110117_065732.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoZwEmvxKnvjqjNUYXhRM9eVIbDN7y48Grvt_oNnYJIHeU0T3iukfZRJufHwAXxJRUEefKUl9F-zWjkwHDmO8lpgTyNH0EwMzOrJUWoBAxYXaMTM1F8FbY5wFjBXj6e9SpCulz_XCdgl4/s320/IMG_20110117_065732.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563600793111971250" /></a><br /><br />Some customers get frustrated because all of our cheeses are not located all in one place. Our store is very big, 71067 square feet, and can take a long time to navigate. People often ask where the "regular" cheese is located. Not sure what "regular" means because what is regular for me, like chevre, might not be regular for someone else. But what they are usually looking for is located in aisle 3, which is also the cracker aisle. This is where the cream cheese, Velveeta, packaged processes cheese, shredded cheese, and some kosher cheeses are located. But to further confuse, we also have cheese located on the other side of the wine department along the back wall. This is where you will find your port wine cheese, Boursin, in-store grated cheese, crumbled cheese, and sliced cheese as well as summer sausage and hummus. I like to call this wall our shreds and spreads section but it is a lot more than that. We have such a variety of cheese, that to keep it all in one place would be a very overwhelming space. At the World of Cheese, we have close to 200 different kinds of cheese on any given day. <br /><br />I think offering such a wide variety of cheeses in a supermarket is a wonderful thing. It makes cheese more accessible to all and might demystify cheese for some people. I have seen people get very intimidated by cheese which can cause them to get frustrated and overwhelmed. It is only food and the cheese can stand alone, it is really hard to pick the "wrong" cheese. In this type of environment where you are free to walk up and grab whatever you like without asking may empower people to explore new cheese horizons without fear. And if you have any questions, we are here!charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-192786771416837382011-01-11T18:42:00.005-05:002012-03-17T08:23:37.785-04:00Mother's Milk, liquid goldMother's milk is the perfect food for baby. All mammals produce milk to feed their young. The best part is that it is free and naturally occurring! Humans are the only animals who take milk from other animals to feed ourselves and make cheese and other dairy products. We are also the only animal that continues to consume milk after being weaned. <br /><br />What is in human breast milk? Human breast milk contains saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 fats, DHA, protein, lactose, vitamins, and carbohydrates. It also has Lysozyme which promotes healthy gut bacteria, fights E. Coli and Salmonella and is anti-inflammatory. There is also Lactoferrin, Secretory IgA, and Bifidus factor which all protect the baby from the bad and support support good bacteria. It does not contain Iron which is often added to baby formula. <br /><br />Breast milk, its not just for babies any more. A New York Chef Daniel Angerer made "Mommy's milk cheese" with his fiance's breast milk. It was not offered for sale or available in his restaurant, you needed to know him to get a taste. It was made with half human breast milk and half animal milk. But long before he was even born, they were doing it in France. Le Petit Singly started making cheese with human breast milk in 1947. They sell this cheese to the public and consider it to be organic. Le Petit Singly has a sweetness with notes of hazelnuts, according to their website http://membres.multimania.fr/petitsingly/.<br /> <br />I even watched a member of the band Blur, Alex James, make a cappuccino for Gordon Ramsey on the F Word using breast milk. Gordon did not have a very positive reaction. You can watch the fun here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-mICAgypGE<br /><br />Breast milk is very difficult to coagulate. I have read about an attempt to make paneer with 100% human breast milk that was a total failure. You would need something much stronger than lemon juice to curdle breast milk. I think mixing it with animal milk was vital in making "Mommy's milk cheese". I wonder how they make Le Petit Singly. Many people online believe it is a hoax but I do believe in its existence but have no proof.<br /><br />Daniel Angerer made cheese from his fiance's breast milk because they had a glut and did not want to waste it and donating it was a lengthy process. There has been a massive decline in breast milk banks. One reason for this is a law supporting milk banks expired after World War II. Then formula took off and I can't help but wonder if there is a connection between the decline in milk banks and rise in sales of baby formula. Of course there is a connection but is there a conspiracy?<br /><br />The sad truth is that there is a need for human breast milk and it has become very difficult to get to those who need it. Some babies do not thrive on formula and some mothers have a hard time breastfeeding. Neil Patrick Harris and his partner have had a hard time getting breast milk for their daughter. They are rich and famous and have minions at their disposal to do their bidding, so why did they have such a hard time getting breast milk?<br /><br />What happened to the wet nurse? This was very common previous to the 20th century. They still exist and this profession seems to be making a comeback. Some may find it very disturbing to have a baby feed by someone who is not their mother. I know my Aunt breast feed me a few times when I was a baby, this is called cross nursing. I also remember my mother telling me a story of a young woman who was a new mother and was tragically murdered. The neighborhood organized lactating mother's to step in to supply her baby with breast milk. There was no medical exam or blood tests just good people doing something to give a baby what they could to improve an awful situation. <br /><br />I really hope I can breast feed. Formula scares me and I know it is nowhere near as nutritious as breast milk. Did you hear about the babies in China developing breasts because of powdered milk that was contaminated by chemicals. Breast milk helps a child's immune system and if you do not breast feed you really should not put your baby in day care until they are on solid foods. <br /><br />My case is a bit different as I take a daily injection drug called Copaxone to treat MS. I have taken it every day during my pregnancy as it is considered safe during pregnancy. But there is no information whatsoever regarding this drug and breast feeding. This makes me very angry and I have been unable to get even a recommendation from my high risk obstetrician or neurologist or the nurse who calls me every few months from Shared Solutions who work for Copaxone. They all tell me the choice is mine with no advice leading me one way or another. I also do not know or have heard of anyone who has been in this situation. If you do, please let me know.<br /><br />What I do know is that I can go off Copaxone after the baby is born I run the risk of getting sick. In this scenario I would surely get sick and my only option would be steroids. This is not ideal and am already at a high risk of getting sick a few months after the baby is born as hormones change. I had to get off a number of drugs months before I even started trying to get pregnant. I really want to stay on my Copaxone and breast feed. Wish me luck! Maybe a study will actually be done on the matter before my son is born in May.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-1630421800110559412010-12-29T12:18:00.004-05:002012-03-17T08:24:11.080-04:00Cheese is good but is it good for you?With the New Year comes a clean slate. And on that slate we want to write a new set of rules for ourselves. This is the time of year for New Year's resolutions. We may say to ourselves this year I will lose that 20 pounds, or go to the gym, or eat healthy. These resolutions have the best intentions in January but are often forgotten by July. Why is it so hard to keep a New Year's resolution? I think it's because we can be too hard on ourselves and get frustrated and give up. Maybe you shouldn't set yourself up to start the New Year with multiple resolutions, just try one. And it's OK if you don't stick to it 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Just don't beat yourself up and give up when you fall off the wagon.<br /><br />One great resolution is to eat healthy. By eating healthy you may even lose weight and have more energy and maybe even want to go to the gym. Eat more fruits and veggies and avoid sugar and processed foods. But where does that leave cheese? We know that cheese tastes good but it is good for you? I argue that yes, cheese is good for you but it does depend on the cheese. First I will argue why cheese is good for you, then which cheeses are the best for you and which should be avoided.<br /><br />Cheese is a wonderful source of protein and calcium packed in a small size. A little bit of cheese goes a long way. One ounce of Cheddar cheese has 9 grams of fat, 6 of which are saturated fat but it also has 7 grams of protein and 20% of the USDA recommended serving of calcium. One ounce of Brie has 8 grams of fat 5 of which are saturated fat but it also has 6 grams of protein. This information came from http://nutritiondata.self.com. <br /><br />Do not fear fat, we need it for many reasons. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble which means they cannot be absorbed without the aid of fats. We also need fat to convert carotene to vitamin A. Keep track of your fats but do not avoid fat altogether. The Truth about Saturated Fats is an article written by Mary Enig, PhD, and Sally Fallon which explores fats and saturated fat in depth. You can read more at: <br />http://www.health-report.co.uk/saturated_fats_health_benefits.htm<br /><br />In order to unlock some of the nutritional benefits of certain vegetables like spinach, fat must be consumed as the nutrients are fat soluble. Eating a salad with fat free dressing is rather pointless unless you have some cheese sprinkled on top. Moderation and variety are very important in a healthy diet. Eat cheese with fruits, veggies, and whole grain bread. <br /><br />Cheese can make you feel good. A diet lacking in animal fat may also increase depression. Cheese contains tyrosine which is an amino acid that exists in high concentrations in cheese. Ever have an aged Gouda with yummy lovely crunchy bits? That is tryosine which becomes crunchy during the aging process. During aging, the amino acid chain unravels leaving behind crunchy tryosine. Tryosine can help you sleep, reduce effects of stress, ease depression as well as PMS, and increase energy. Another fun cheese rush comes from casomorphin. Our bodies turn casein into casomorphin. This is an opioid which may account for the addictive nature of cheese and why you want a nap after a cheese feast. But I have never heard of anyone going into rehab for casomorphin.<br /><br />The best cheese comes from animals that are grass fed and cheeses that are made with raw milk. Eating cheese made from the milk of grass feed animals provides more CLA's, conjugated linoleic acid. This fat is believed to have anti-cancer properties, help maintain a healthy weight and be good for you heart. Cheeses made from the milk of animals who have been grass fed have more omega-3 fats and a better ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats. These cheeses are also higher in nutrients like Vitamin A, D, and E, as well as beta-carotene which gives butter made from grass fed milk its bright yellow color. <br /><br />Raw milk cheeses are wonderful because they are easier to digest and have more nutrients. Pasteurization kills the good bacteria and heat sensitive nutrients along with the bad bacteria. Some of these good bacteria help us digest cheese. Cheese is easier to digest than milk because it is lower in lactose and the bacteria added to create cheese are digesting it before we are. Raw milk cheese has more of these helpful bacteria. I think raw milk is wonderful to drink and for cheesemaking. Some argue that raw milk can cure allergies. If you drink raw goat milk from goats that eat poison ivy, you can develop an immunity to poison ivy. <br /><br />Cheeses that I would avoid at all cost are overly processed, individually wrapped, come in spray form, and imitation cheeses. I do not like the taste of processed cheese and find they usually taste like plastic. I hate when a cheese says processed cheese product, or cheese food. Processed cheese and imitation cheeses tend to contain too many ingredients, additives, and preservatives. One great thing about cheese is that it usually has just a few ingredients. <br /><br />I try to avoid anything that is overly processed especially soy. I am fine with tofu and edamame, natural soy products but am distrusting of partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Soy cheeses are usually lacking in flavor, meltability, and filled with additives, preservatives, and oil. Cheese made from tofu and soy are unnatural. Processed soy products can have negative health affects and disrupt estrogen. You can read more at: http://www.drlam.com/opinion/soyandestrogen.asp<br /><br />When dieting, do not give up on flavor. Why eat something if it is fat free but tasteless. Why not just skip it all together and save it for something worthwhile? Flavor comes from fat and it is fat that satisfies us and gives a feeling of fullness. There are many cheeses on the market that are made with skim milk. They may not be advertised as low fat but are lower in fat than cheeses made with whole milk. One example would be Jarlsberg, a Norwegian cheese that has a "swiss" cheese flavor. I have also enjoyed Kerrygold Reduced Fat Cheddar. It tasted like the real thing whereas many other reduced fat Cheddars have a plastic taste. I have not yet found a fat free cheese worth eating and think one does not exist. <br /> <br />If you are trying to lose weight and love cheese, don't cut cheese out all together but let the cheese stand alone. Leave the cheese off your sandwich, burger, eggs, fries, and skip the pizza. If you want to indulge in cheese, have a small amount of the best cheese you can find and enjoy it simply with fruit, veggies, and bread. May your New Year be filled with delicious cheese and all your resolutions come true!charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-66645423248615183612010-11-10T10:25:00.004-05:002012-03-17T08:24:34.782-04:00Cheesecipe #2Who doesn't love popcorn? Who can sit through a movie without popcorn? Well, I personally have worked in too many movie theaters to order popcorn at the movies. Cleaning up empty theaters, popcorn and soda would combine to create a smell that was most unpleasant. But I love making popcorn at home and my puppies love this treat. I always make sure they get a small bow all their own. Popcorn is great as a base for flavors, you can make it spicy, sweet, salty, or buttery. I, of course, had to add cheese to my popcorn. Here is a treat that is great for game day, a girlie movie night, party snack or holiday gathering.<br /><br />Blue cheese popcorn with honey roasted peanuts<br /><br />Your favorite blue cheese, I used a strong Italian blue cheese, Mountain Gorgonzola. You can use any type of low moisture blue cheese. Stilton would work very well or a Danish blue cheese.<br />Honey roasted peanuts, I used Planters peanuts<br />Popcorn, I used a microwaveable popcorn with low butter and salt. It would be ideal to pop your own corn using little oil and salt, air popped popcorn would be a nice option. Blue cheese and peanuts tend to be salty so there is no need for all that extra salt. You can always add more salt but it is very hard to take any away. And there is no need for that butter flavor as you want the cheese and nuts to stand out.<br /><br />Pop the corn, add crumbled blue cheese and honey roasted nuts. Use as much cheese and nuts as you like. If you want to sweeten your corn drizzle some honey over the mix. Serve in a bowl and eat it with a spoon to avoid sticky fingers. <br /><br />What could be easier than that? You could also make Cheddar cheese popcorn with smoked almonds or Parmigiano-Reggiano popcorn with oregano or Mahon (a hard, sharp, Spanish cow's milk cheese) popcorn with Rosemary and olive oil. Basically, take any cheese you like and shave, shred, or crumble and add any complimentary nut or spice. The possibilities are endless.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986734670922811497.post-15049060491150026072010-11-10T10:02:00.003-05:002012-03-17T08:25:03.764-04:00Cheesecipe!What is a Cheesecipe!? It is a Cheese Recipe and I will be giving you great ideas on how to use cheese and other lovely dairy products. Every Saturday my cheesemongering takes me away from my cheese counter and puts me in chef shoes. I spend a few hours creating a wonderfully cheesecentric item and then let it lose on the public. I love exposing people to a new cheese and a new way to use cheese. <br /><br />One of my favorite cheese adventures was a Smoked Gouda and Nutella grilled cheese. This was one of my favorite treats in high school. My parents did a good job of keeping me in Nutella and asiago bagels. One day I put them together and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet salty combination. So I decided to take it to the next step and combined Smoked Gouda and Nutella. It was an even better combination, the smokey cheese with the sweet chocolate nuttiness. So here is my Cheesecipe for you:<br /><br />Smoked Gouda and Nutella Grilled Cheese<br />Bread, 2 slices, you may use any type of bread but keep the bread neutral and avoid bread with holes <br />Smoked Gouda<br />Nutella<br />Butter<br /><br />Heat a frying pan over medium heat or plug in panini press. Butter the outside of your bread then spread the Nutella on one piece of bread. Add a couple slices of smoked Gouda and add reaming slice of bread butter side up. Place sandwich in pan or on grill over medium heat. Toast both sides until golden brown and enjoy!<br /><br />Many people were shocked and confused by the combination of chocolate and cheese but once they tasted this treat they were won over! I could not make these sandwiches fast enough and there were a few disappointed faces when I ran out. During that time I got a lot of feedback and only received one negative comment. I was told that it had a bad aftertaste. This sentiment was not echoed again during the nearly three hour tasting. Taste is subjective and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.<br /><br />I hope that you will try this unusual grilled cheese and if you do, I would love to hear all about it! Sorry there are no pictures, I will try to include some in the future.charlottemediahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14573134039208683927noreply@blogger.com0