I've got the blues!

Early last week, I thought Spring had arrived despite the occasional pile of snow here and there. The sun was bright, the weather warm, and I could leave the house in just a short sleeve shirt. But it was too good to last and the sunshine has been replaced with rain. I am thankful that it is not snow but I am tired of gray weather. As The Carpenters said "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down". The lack of sun and vitamin D has forced me to seek comfort in cheese. But not just any cheese, I find myself craving blue cheese more and more on these rainy gray days.

Blue cheese is a family or type of cheese, not a specific cheese. When I see a container of blue cheese crumbles, I have to wonder what kind of blue cheese is actually in there or did they just let some other cheese get moldy. There are many different types of blue cheeses. Some are made from cow's milk, sheep's milk, a combination of milks, and the use of goat's milk is becoming more popular. There are blue cheeses with natural rinds, foil wrapped blues without rinds, and blue cheese with bloomy rinds. There is even one blue cheese with a black wax rind called Roaring 40's from King Island Dairy is Australia. There are soft creamy blues, crumbly blues, and drier styles of blue cheese. Some blues are mild like Regina and really abrasive blues like Tilston Point. There is even a blue cheese that is cold smoked over hazelnut shells, Smokey Blue which is made by the blue cheese masters at Rouge Creamery in Oregon.


This is an up close look at Verde Capra which is an Italian goat's milk blue

There are a couple of different ways to make blue cheese, the first few steps are the same as any other cheese making process. The big difference is the addition of a mold culture. You can add the mold to the milk when making the cheese or you can spray on the mold after the wheel of cheese is made. Either way, the cheese must be pierced to create air channels to promote the growth of the mold. Air is necessary for the creation of mold because mold is alive. Sometimes these air channels are made by piercing the cheese with wheat stalks but more often stainless steal needles are used. When a wheel of blue is cut into for the first time, the green streaks of mold become more blue due to the exposure of air. I love to watch this magic happen.

One of the most famous styles of blue cheese is Roquefort which is made from raw sheep's milk. When you eat Roquefort, you are eating history. This cheese has been made using the same methods, same molds, and aged in the same location for centuries. No one is exactly sure how Roquefort was first made but there has been speculation. A shepherd sits down at the mouth of a cave to enjoy his lunch of bread and cheese when a beautiful woman saunters by and distracts him from his lunch. They run off to romp and by the time the shepherd returns, his bread is moldy and that mold has infected his cheese. This does not deter the man from enjoying his cheese and he finds the taste of the cheese to be improved by the mold.

The enjoyment of blue cheese is very much like wine appreciation, you have to develop your palette. The more blue cheese you eat, the more you will enjoy this moldy cheese and the more adventurous your tastes will become. If you are not a fan of blue cheese or find them intimidating, try a milder sweeter blue like Gorgonzola Dolce. Another way to enhance your blue cheese palette is to pair the cheese with the right beverage or food. Blue cheese will pair well with sweeter wines and ports. Port and Stilton is a classic wine and cheese combination. Blue cheese is great melted on a steak or burger and makes a wonderful addition to sauces and salad dressings. Try a bit of blue cheese with a sweeter bread like raisin walnut bread or Raincoast Crisps. You can also drizzle your blue in honey or Saba or with pears and walnuts.

From Whey to Cheese!

Earlier this week I made some Feta cheese with farm fresh goat’s milk. When you make cheese, the milk breaks into two parts, curds (cheese) and liquid whey. Whey can be great for the garden and is often feed to pigs. Seeing as I don’t have any pigs, I have given it to my dogs and my Pomeranian loves it while my Chinese Crested hairless throws it up as his digestive system is very delicate.

Every time I make cheese, I also make whey and hate to waste it. I like the idea that one gallon of milk can produce two different products. Whey is ready for consumption and was commonly enjoyed in coffeehouses and inns in the 18th century. You can add some lemon and sugar to make whey lemonade. Today whey is often sold as a nutritional supplement in the form of a dried powder.

Whey can also be called milk plasma which sounds a little gross. Whey contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, lactose, and a trace amount of fat. Studies have shown that whey can stimulate insulin production and can assist in regulating and reducing spikes in blood sugar. The protein in whey is more easily absorbed then the proteins in egg whites which is apart of the body building appeal. Whey can also prevent the atrophy of muscular cells which is another attraction.

After making the Feta, I decided to experiment with the whey. Whey can be made into cream, butter, Ricotta, Brunost, Gjetost, and Mytost. These last 3 cheeses are very similar and names can vary by regions. Brunost is Norwegian for brown cheese and Gjetost and Mytost are types of brown cheese. Gjetost is a goat’s milk version and Mytost is made from cow’s milk. I found a recipe for Mytost that included substitutions to make Gjetost. Gjetost is pronounce like "yay toast" which I think is a very fun cheese name!

One issue with making cheese from whey is the short window of time. The whey cannot be more that 4 hours old for the production of Ricotta or Brunost. I had finished making my Feta around 6 p.m. and began to boil down the whey. The recipe said that foam would rise to the top and to skim it off and reserve it for later but this did not occur in my pot. Adding the foam back was supposed to help thicken the whey. Once the whey starts to thicken, I poured it into a blender and blended for about a minute. This is supposed to make a smoother cheese but it also made it foam and thicken.

The recipe also had an option to add cream to the mix but seeing as I didn’t have any I left that step out. Boiling down the whey can take 6-12 hours and by 11 p.m. I was a very sleepy girl who did not want to leave the whey unattended on the stove. The whey had drastically decreased in volume so I hoped I was getting close to cheese. At first the whey was a thin liquid with a cream colored tinge, as the whey boiled down and I stirred the liquid, I could feel it thickening.

I spent an hour stirring my hot pot with the intention to give up at midnight. At about 11:45 p.m., the whey began to turn into the consistency of caramel sauce. Time will produce more caramelization and the color would become a deeper shade of brown and the flavors more concentrated. At midnight, I placed my pot in a cold bath and stirred some more until the thick cheese sauce had cooled. I then poured it into a buttered tupperwear and put it into the fridge where it will keep for up to four weeks.

As my time management skills were lacking, my cheese was a tan color. I know step by step photos of this process would be nice but I did not take any, sorry. But here is the finished product.



My Gjetost was softer and creamier then store bought versions which tend to be semi-firm. The texture of my Gjetost was similar to fudge but it did have some sandy grains despite the blending but maybe I should have blended it longer. I think it tasted just like the innards of a Lance’s sour cream & chive wheat cracker but without the chive. It was sweet and tangy with notes of caramel and salt. Next time, I will start my cheesemaking process earlier and let my whey go longer.

Raclette!

Raclette is a type of cheese and a way to enjoy the cheese. Raclette, the cooking method, is believed to have originated in the Swiss Alps when shepherds would move their herds up the mountains. The shepherds would build a fire and place a half wheel of cheese on a stone near the fire. Once the cheese was bubbling, it would be scraped onto a plate with potatoes and gherkins. Raclette comes from the French word racler which means to scrape.

Raclette the cheese has also been called Valais, named after the region in Switzerland. This cheese dates back to the Middle Ages but was not well know outside of Valais until the 19th century. Raclette is often made in wheels ranging from 13-24 pounds. It can be made from raw or pasteurized cow’s milk. Raclette is a washed rind cheese this is semi-firm with a natural edible rind. This cheese is a pressed cooked cheese that is dense, compact, and supple with a pale yellow to ivory color paste which has a few eyes. The smell is strong due to its washed rind nature but the flavor is a blend of meaty, earthy, and floral with notes of mushroom, fruit, and nuts. Of course this cheese melts well but it loses its strong smell when heated becoming milder.

But not all wheels are created equally. There are French and Swiss varieties as well as Raclette and raclette, Raclette du Valais (AOC), and other Raclette named after the region where the cheese is made. This cheese can be factory made or produced in small artisnal batches. In 2003, Raclette de Valais was awarded Appellation D’Origine Controlee (AOC) by the Swiss Department of Agriculture. This has been greatly criticized by cheesemakers outside the Valais region and appeals have been launched objecting to the move. I prefer AOC cheese and wish this had happened sooner as their might not be so many substandard wheels of cheese calling themselves Raclette.

The raclette we sampled was purchased, as were most items in my spread, from Wegman’s. It was the only raclette they had and it was a disappointment. As it was the only offering, I expected it to be held to the standard of a high end supermarket. But it wasn’t, I would expect this cheese to be found at any supermarket. This wheel was made by Emmi, a Swiss cheese factory, it was young, soft, plasticy and pasteurized. I much prefer the raw milk style we sold at Cheesetique.

But the cheese melted well and got the job done pairing well with all the accompaniments. These included marinated mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, cornishons, seedy mustard, boiled pee wee potatoes, roasted ruby pee wee potatoes, roasted carrots, parsnips, and golden beets, Olives – Cerignola and Castelvetrano. The meats included Landjaeger, Finocchiona, Saucisson sec, Speck, and Mousse Royale au Sauterns Pate by TPC and the cheeses aside from the raclette were Beemster XO Gouda, Roth’s Private Reserve Gruyere, Brillat-Savarin frais, and Mozzarella. It was fun to mix and match different combinations and wonder just how many possibilities they were to expirement with. Our meal was well complimented by a few tasty beverages, Le Berceau Blanquette De Limoux Brut, France Maison Vergines and Lindemans Peche Lambic. But allow me to digress and talk about 2 of the other featured cheese.



Emmi has an American cheese making arm, Roth Kase and I think they make far better cheese than Emmi. I even prefer the Roth Kase Gruyere’s to their Swiss counterpoints. We enjoyed a chunk of the Roth’s Private Reserve Surchoix Gruyere which is a raw cow’s milk cheese exclusive to Wegmans. This cheese is made is small batch using Swiss copper pots and aged for at least nine months. This is a good cheese, I really like their Grand Cru and had hoped the Roth’s Private would have been aged longer, more complex, and better overall. The other cheese is the elusive Brillat-Savarin frais. I have only seen this type at Wegmans and what sets it apart from other triple crème cheeses is its lack of a bloomy rind. This is a young fresh cow’s milk cheese made by Delin in France. It is like a rich creamy butter cheesecake.



The campfire has been replaced by electric Raclette grills. There are a number of different styles, for Christmas I got a Swissmar grill with a marble top. The grill is heated from the top and the bottom and heat resistant dishes are placed in the middle. The dishes can be filled with cheese or cheese, potatoes, and any number of things. Raclette is traditionally accompanied by small boiled potatoes, pickled onions, gherkins, salami, onion, peppers, tomato, mushrooms, pears, and sprinkled with paprika and pepper. Raclette is often served with hot tea, beer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sparkling wine.



A Raclette party is a social gathering to leisurely enjoy this cheese and experiment with different flavor combinations. A Raclette dinner can last many hours. Just imagine yourself in a Swiss chalet, lounging by a roaring fire, cozy on fluffy pillows, with a Raclette grill and spread of cheese, meats, and vegetables. Why rush your enjoyment? Savor the flavor of the cheese and enjoy your wine and conversations. I like to leave my cheese on the grill until the top begins to brown.



Any cheese that melts well can be used on a Raclette grill such as Emmental, Appenzeller, Fontina, Mozzarella, and Gruyere. Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese like Midnight Moon or Chipotle Cheddar. I prefer to slice my cheese as needed to reduce waste and prevent the cheese from drying out. A Raclette grill is a great way to bring the family around the table and enjoy a fun and interactive dinner that is easy to assembly. It is the perfect solution when you don’t feel like cooking. Also, the top of the grill can cook kabobs, fish, mini-burgers, hotdogs, pizza, and quesadillas.

The only Raclette grill no no seems to be non-stick cooking spray. Do not use non-stick cooking spray as it will burn on to the grill. Also, don’t pile your Raclette dish too high as it has to fit in between the heating elements. Other types of Raclette grills include Raclette melters which can hold a wheel of cheese that has been cut in half and exposed to a heat source. These can be massive and can serve as the centerpiece in some Swiss restaurants.

Jaleo!

I love Jose Andres! He has some amazing restaurants in the D.C. area as well as his own cooking show "Made In Spain". I love his show because he has a big personality and interjects cooking at home with scenes from his travels in Spain. He is also the Chairman Emeritus of DC Central Kitchen which is a wonderful program in DC that not only feeds the hungry but offers job training.

We have enjoyed the tasting menu at Cafe Atlantico which included some Mini Bar treats. One of those treats was a beet tumbleweed which was delicious but the show stopper of that meal was the Foie Gras soup. I tasted the grilled octopus at the Zaytinya table at an event, Sweet Charity, last year and kept going back for me. We have been to the Jaleo in downtown and recently visited the Crystal City location where we enjoyed the following.

Papas arrugas - Canary Island-style wrinkled baby potatoes served with mojo verde (cilantro, cumin, garlic, Sherry vinegar and olive oil sauce). Those little potatoes were delicious and creamy inside and I loved the sauce.

Dátiles con tocino ‘como hace todo el mundo’- Fried dates wrapped in bacon. I didn't expect them to be breaded in fried which was the turning point in the meal when I tossed out any hope of being gluten free. The dates inside were melted and their sweetness played well with the salty pork of the bacon.




Butifarra casera con ‘mongetes’ “Daniel Patrick Moynihan” - Homemade grilled pork sausage with sautéed white beans. The sausage was incredible, I love pork and the flavor of this sausage was comforting on such a cold winter night. I could have done without the beans as their flavor didn't speak to me.

Codorniz con salsa de romero y alioli con miel - Grilled quail with rosemary sauce and honey alioli. This was one of my favorites! I love to eat little birds and this one was so tender and the sauce was sweet and savory. I was happy to mop this sauce with some bread. The bread was disappointing as I do not often indulge in bread I always want it to be fresh, crusty on the outside with a softness inside. This bread seemed dried and old but a decent vehicle to eat more rosemary sauce and honey alioli.



Arroz cremoso de setas - Wild mushroom rice with Idiazábal cheese. This was my other favorite of the evening. As you can see I forgot to take a picture until it was mostly enjoyed. I love Idiazábal which is a firm smoked sheep's milk cheese but it does not have a strong smoked flavor.



Pato con peras - Marinated duck confit with pear sauce. If you haven't noticed, we love meat and like to eat a variety of animals both cute and ugly. The duck was tender and complimented by the pear sauce. I prefer my duck skin crispy while this one was heavy and fatty which was not so good once it got cold.



Conejo en salmorejo con purée de albaricoques - Canary Island-style rabbit confit with apricot purée. We eat a lot of rabbit as I can pick them up fresh from the dairy farm I visit on a weekly basis. I understand they are boney but I was not expecting to be served what amounted to a section of backbone which was more bone than meat. The chunks of white meat were slightly dry but very flavorful. I would not consider it confit as if it had been cooked in fat I would expect it to be more tender.



Cordero a la brasa con salsa de romero* - Grilled lamb chops with rosemary sauce. They were tasty, hard to share among 3 which is the issue with a few of these tapas. Some can be shared, some tasted, and some are best enjoyed alone. It is easy to rack up a big fat bill at Jaleo and still want to order more food as the selection is so appetizing.



This was one of the specials, I believe it was grilled eel served on mashed potatoes with balsamic onions. It was very delicious, we love eel, and the mash was very creamy.



Espuma de avellanas y chocolate - Chocolate and hazelnut mousse torte. I loved the hazelnuts they were crunchy, nutty, and sweet. But the cake did not seem very chocolatey or hazelnutty. I should have ordered some cheese.



Flan al estilo tradicional de mamá Marisa con espuma de crema Catalana - A classic Spanish custard dessert with ‘espuma’ of Catalan cream and oranges. Basically a flan and decent.



Pastel Vasco con helado de leche merengada - Basque cake with semolina cream, cinnamon-vanilla sauce & ice milk. This was interesting and the inside of this cake fascinated me. The stand out dessert was the ice cream served with this dish. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out its flavors as it was more than ice milk. There was vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and something familiar.



I highly recommend Jaleo but when we visited the downtown location we were dissapointed by the Paellas. Be sure to go to Jaleo with people who are willing to share and have good taste.

Prairie Breeze

Prairie Breeze is made by Milton Creamery in Milton, Iowa. Milton Creamery sources its milk from five local Amish family dairy farms where the cows are milked by hand. The milk is of exceptional quality and produced using time honored methods. The cows graze on grass seasonally and are not treated with rBST.

Much like the farms producing their milk, Milton Creamery is a family business. Husband, wife, and children are involved in the business. Owner, Rufus Musser grew up in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania and in 1992 moved to southeast Iowa with his wife and five children. Rufus was approached by two Amishmen in 2002 who wanted Rufus to buy their milk and use it to make cheese. They started making Cheddar and fresh curds and their first batch of cheese was made on May 8, 2006. They now make Colby as well as some flavored Cheddars, Prairie Breeze and Prairie Rose.

In February 2007, Rufus's 16 year old son Galen took over the cheese making process enabling Rufus to focus on marketing and deliveries. I am amazed that such a young person is making such incredible cheese. Prairie Breeze and Prairie Rose were introduced in the late summer of 2007 and have been getting a lot of attention. It helps that they use exceptional milk and traditional methods to produce such delicious cheeses.

Prairie Breeze is a rindless cheddar that is aged for a minimum of six months. The block I enjoyed was made in the spring of 2008, giving it additional time to develop yummy flavor crystals. This cheddar is creamy and cruchy with notes of nuts, a touch of salt and a hint of sweetness and pineapple. This cheese pairs well with Champagne, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and your favorite beer.

When I first saw this cheese I couldn't help thinking, "Oh great, another Cheddar, just what we need". After tasting this cheese I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I think this Cheddar differs from others because of the milk, the hand milking of the cows, the short distance the milk travels to the Creamery as well as the traditional time consuming methods that are used to make this cheese. If you come across this Cheddar, give it a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Midnight Moon

I take cheese for granted, I always expect to find a large cheese selection from all over the world and not just from cow's milk wherever I go out food shopping. I grew up in a family where Pate, cornishons, and Chevre were present at every family gathering. I lived in a large city, Philadelphia, that had a number of cheese shops where even some of the small corner delis carried excellent cheese. I cannot imagine a time where cheese was limited, bland, and boring. But that time was not too long ago and the market for cheese in America was very limited. People wanted Colby not Brie, Cheddar not Chevre, Velvetta not Pecorino.

One of the women at the forefront of the American cheese revolution was Mary Keehn. She was a mother looking for a milk substitute for her children who had difficulty digesting cow's milk. Many people have issues with cow's milk and find goat milk to be a wonderful alternative. So Mary got a few goats and soon became a premiere goat breeder. With 50 goats she soon found that she had way too much milk and needed an outlet for the surplus. In 1983, I was a mere three years old, she started Cypress Grove.

It took a number of years before her cheese was accepted in the United States. She used the time to learn about cheese, care for her goats, land, and her small clientele. Speaking no French, she traveled to France and fell in love with the soft cheeses of France. She learned to make bloomy-rinded cheeses despite the language barrier.

In 2003 she sold off her goats to focus on making and selling cheese. The market for cheese in America had grown exponentially and Mary's cheeses were extremely popular. Cypress Grove makes many award winning cheeses such as Humboldt Fog, Purple Haze, Lamb Chopper, and Midnight Moon. Midnight Moon is one of my favorite all time cheeses, I love its flavor and texture.

Whenever someone comes up to my cheese counter and admits that they do not like goat cheese, I give them a taste of Midnight Moon. I often don't tell them it is a goat cheese until after they taste. So far, everyone has liked it and no one has yet to be upset that I forced them to eat goat cheese. When people hear goat cheese they think of a fresh tangy chevre but that is just one style of goat cheese. Midnight Moon is nothing like chevre, it is more akin to a Dutch Gouda and for very good reasons.

Cypress Grove started a production line in Holland, Cypress Crove Creamline. In 1992 they began producing Midnight Moon and Lambchopper. This was a time when Cypress Grove was outgrowing its Californian cheese making plant but was unable to financially expand beyond making fresh cheese. Cypress Grove Creamline was able to increase profits and offer great cheeses with a smaller financial investment.

Midnight Moon and Lambchopper are made following a Dutch Gouda recipe. This cheese was conceived in California and produced in Holland. Midnight Moon is encased in wax and develops a sweetness as it ages. This cheese is aged for a minimum of six months and during this time, the magic happens. This time allows the cheese to develop a sweetness but also pockets of salty crunch that are actually concentrated proteins. I love a cheese with a salty crystalline crunch. Midnight Moon has notes of caramel, brown butter, and nuts with a dense and creamy texture.

This cheese is wonderful on its own or served with walnut raisin bread or melted in an omelet. This cheese will pair well with many styles of wine such as Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Dry Sherry, Gewürztraminer, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Garrotxa

Garrotxa is a goat’s milk cheese from Spain which is made in the northern region of Catalonia in Girona. This region is unpolluted, mountainous, and rainy. The high rainfall provides rich lush grasses for grazing goats which makes for excellent milk.

Many believe Garrotxa is a new cheese but it is actually a lost cheese. After the Spanish Civil War and World War II, Spain was struggling with poverty. The Spanish government implemented a policy that basically outlawed small scale farming and production. Limits were placed on milk production forcing dairies to produce large quantities or cease production. This forced many small scale cheese producers underground and some cheese disappeared completely. In the 1990’s, the traditional recipe for Garrotxa was found and Garrotxa was resurrected.

Garrotxa is made using traditional methods with a modern twist. This cheese is aged for 4 months during which time it develops its natural rind which has a velvety texture and blue grey color. These small wheels of cheese are compact and semi-soft. The paste is snow white, smooth, creamy, and slightly flaky. The taste has notes of hazelnuts, lemon, and herbs. This cheese melts on the tongue and has a smooth finish. This cheese pairs well with sparkling wines, Albarino, Tempranillo, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

You Don't Know Jack

Only a few styles of cheese have originated in the United States. They include Brick, Colby, and Jack. Most of us are familiar with Monterey jack cheese as a young, mild semi-firm cow’s milk cheese. Since 1931 Vella cheese Company has been making a different kind of jack, Dry Jack. This Jack is aged for at least 7 to 10 months in order to develop a firm texture and a sweet nutty flavor. This cheese is great for grating, cooking, and snacking. Dry jack won the International Gold Medal in 1988 and the Gold Medal at the 2004 Los Angeles County Fair.

Vella Cheese Company began making cheese in 1931. The company started in response to abuses farmers encounter when selling their milk to the Sonoma Mission Cheese Company. Many local dairy farmers were not getting paid for their milk and wanted a new cheese company to buy their milk. The farmer’s approached Tom Vella to open a cheese factor and the farmers would give him the exclusive use of all their milk.

Vella Cheese Company started as a factory but they maintained their relationships with the local dairy’s whose milk they used. They still maintain these close relationships and the milk used for making cheese is never more than twelve hours old. Vella Cheese understands the importance of great fresh local milk and it shows in their cheeses. Now Tom’s son Ig is running the family business.

Dry Jack was created to satisfy the demands of Italian immigrants for cheese. During World War I, many popular Italian grating cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecornio Romano were no longer available in the United States. As refrigeration was also hard to come, the cheese had to be shelf stable and Mezzo Secco and Dry Jack were born. Mezzo Secco was discontinued in 1999 but Dry Jack is still going strong.

Dry Jack is hand-shaped in cheesecloth bags, then tied and pressed overnight. This creates a belly button impression in the middle of the wheel of cheese. The wheels are then brined for a few days and then air dried for a few weeks. The wheels are rubbed with Vella’s signature cure which is a mixture of unsweetened cocoa, black pepper, and soybean or safflower oil. Unlike Cocoa Cardona, the cocoa is not being used to flavor the cheese but to protect the rind. The oil prevents the wheels from cracking and the pepper and cocoa keep the oil in suspension and prevent flavors from penetrating the paste of the cheese. This enables the cheese to age for 16 months or more.

This cheese has a mild nature and is well balanced with notes of fruit and coconut oil. The texture is hard and crumbly with a rich flavor. This cheese is very wine friendly and will pair well with Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Sparkling wines as well as beer and whiskey.

Chocolate and Cheese?

No, I am not talking about the Ween album, but it is a good one.
If you have ever enjoyed a Chocolate cheesecake then you have experienced the flavor combination of chocolate combined with cheese. Many chocolatiers have began to add brie or blue cheese to their truffles and some offer chocolate cheese fudge. A Chocolate cheese called Chesdale has even gained popularity in Taiwan of all places.

Why Chocolate & Cheese? Both share the commonality of milk and richness. I enjoy both with some salt and love the combination of sweet and savory. Not every cheese will pair well with every chocolate but it is fun to play and experiment. This Valentine’s Day you could pick out a few chunks of cheese and a selection of chocolates and see what tastes good to your palate. Some recommendations I have found are Pierre Robert with raspberry or prosecco ganache and salt caramels with Valdeon and Mahon. You can have your chocolate and cheese separate or combined.

I have also enjoyed a smoked gouda and nutella sandwich but it has been awhile. A few of my favorite chocolate and cheese combinations are Capri Chocolate goat log which is a chocolate chevre that is excellent for making cheesecake, a heart shaped chocolate goat cheese with bourbon soaked raisins and walnuts, and Cocoa Cardona. Let us explore Cocoa Cardona.

Cocoa Cardona is a semi-firm goat’s milk cheese made by Carr Valley in Wisconsin. The rind is rubbed with cocoa powder to infuse the creamy cheese with a subtle chocolate flavor which is balanced by the sharpness of the cheese. This cheese took 1st place at the 2004 and 2nd place at the 2006 American Cheese Society Competition. Carr Valley’s head cheesemaker, Sid Cook is one of the few certified Master Cheesemakers in the United States.

If you want to enhance the chocolate flavor, you can drizzle this cheese with chocolate syrup or honey. This cheese is like a chocolate goat cheese truffle, a rich indulgence! This cheese will pair well with Syrah, Merlot, Gewurtraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. I have adapted the following recipe for those adventurous enough to try this at home.

http://www.extremechocolate.com/the-harsh-reality-of-chocolate-cheese.html

Chocolate cheese fudge

Ingredients
1/2 pound of Cocoa Cardona, shredded
2 16-ounce boxes of fine confectioners’ sugar
1 cup of butter
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans and walnuts work best)
Instructions
1. Spray a 9×12 pan with non-stick coating.
2. Melt the cheese and butter together in a large saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat, mix in the nuts and vanilla extract, and set it aside.
4. Mix the cocoa and sugar together in a large bowl.
5. Fold in the cheese/butter mixture.
6. Press the resulting stiff concoction into the prepared pan by hand.
7. Pat the surface of the candy with a paper towel to reduce the amount of excess oil.
8. Put the candy into the refrigerator until it’s firm.
9. Cut it into squares.
10. Chow down on the home-baked chocolate cheese goodness — if you’re extreme enough.

Roaring 40's blue cheese

Roaring 40’s is a blue cow’s milk cheese from King Island Dairy. King Island Dairy is located on King Island which is south of Melbourne, Australia in the Great Southern Ocean. King Island is one of the few remaining remnants of the land bridge that once linked Tasmania and Australia. King Island has pristine land but is plagued by fierce westerly winds which blow down form the 40 degree longitude which can cause treacherous seas. These winds came to be know by sailors as the roaring 40’s which is where this cheese gets its name.

These winds were also responsible for the shipwreck of many ships and many sailors lost their lives. These tragedies have affected the terrain of this small island. As many ships were destroyed near King Island, different things washed ashore, among these were straw beds. The seeds inside these beds began to germinate and spread across the island. This created extremely lush and pristine pastures.

Due to the Island’s climate, cows can be on pasture year round. The only thing that supplements their diet is kelp which has washed up on shore. King Island cows are well known for producing milk that is sweet, creamy, and pure. This milk goes into making all of King Island Dairy’s line of cheeses.

This unusual blue won “Champion Cheese” as the 2002 New York Fancy Food Show and was the 2006 Champion at the 78th Annual British Empire Cheese Show in Ontario, Canada. There are less than 2,000 people currently living on King Island. This has enable the Island to maintain its pristine pastures and avoid many pollution pitfalls.

Roaring 40’s is a rindless blue cheese that is matured in black wax to maintain moisture to create a smooth and creamy cheese. Very few blue cheeses are coated in wax but this cheese benefits greatly from its coating. This cheese has notes of honey and nuts which is balanced by minerality. This cheese will pair well with a smoky Australian Shiraz, dessert and fortified wines, Riesling, Gewurztrminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc. Try this cheese on a whole wheat cracker, currant bread, or Raincoast Crisps. You can also drizzle this cheese in honey or pair it with pears and walnuts.

Dinner at Mezzanine in Richmond

Recently, Patrick and I found an excuse to go down to Cary Town in Richmond, VA. I wanted to eat at Mezzanine, a place I had wanted to try on a prior trip but found it closed. Once again it was closed, it only serves dinner and I always seem to be out looking for a meal at 3 in the afternoon. Mezzanine supports the local food movement by using local farm fresh ingredients. I am disappointed by their website and menu as it really did not give much of a back story for the restaurant.

http://www.mezzanine3433.com/



Patrick started with the beet salad which was served way too cold. The layers of goat cheese were creamy but tasteless. The citrus reduction and the beets were delicious. The salad had potential but serving cheese cold prevents the fats from giving their flavors.



I had a spinach salad with fried oysters, sun dried tomatoes, and bacon vinaigrette. The oysters were amazing, fried crisp outside and tender inside. The bacon vinaigrette had a nice smoky porky flavor but I could have used more bacon. I also could have used a bit more vinaigrette and a few more oysters. We wanted to order a whole basket of them.



Patrick had the Shrimp and Grits because he loves grits. This restaurant seemed to love grits as my entree was also served on a bed of them. Patrick's shrimp were overcooked but they are his least favorite part of this dish for that reason. The shrimp flavor in the grits is more enjoyable. I had the beef short rib that was swimming in hosin ju. The hosin ju was too sweet and needed balance, maybe something smoky. The first beef rib was fall apart tender but the other two were not. I like my meat to fall apart and these ribs fell short.

Their menu was promising and pretty decent despite a few differences in taste. The service was relaxed, laid back, and unremarkable. Our server was happy to tell us which items he liked and which items will soon be leaving the menu.

When we first sat down we were served a basket of New York Flatbreads. These crackers needed to be served with something to spread on them or dip into. As I was eating wheat at the time I really wanted hot fresh bread and butter. If I was in Richmond often, I would try this place once in a while as their menu changes frequently.

The King of English Cheese and the Wine of Philosophy

Stilton is a classic cheese for the Christmas season which can be made more indulgent by pairing it with Port. There is a Christmas tradition of scoping out a wheel of Stilton and pouring in Port. This website http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?Display=233 has a wonderfully detailed description of this process. They state that a “head of Stilton will take 2 weeks to drink a bottle of Port”.

Stilton was created in the early 18th century in the midlands of England. Stilton was named after the town of Stilton which is 80 miles north of London. Legend has it that in 1730 Cooper Thornhill, owner of the Bell Inn in the village of Stilton, discovered this blue cheese while visiting Leicestershire. He fell in love with the cheese and was granted full marketing rights to blue Stilton. The Bell Inn was located near a major stagecoach route between London and Northern England which helped to advance the popularity of the cheese. Frances Pawlett was a skilled cheesemaker in Wymondham who is credited with setting the standards for Stilton. Frances and her husband organized the first cooperative in the area to produce Stilton. Together, Thornhill and Pawlett helped to build the reputation and popularity of Stilton.

The Stilton Cheesemakers Association was formed in 1936 to lobby for regulations to protect the origin and quality of the cheese. Stilton was granted legal protection with a certification trademark 30 years later in 1966 and was the only British cheese to have this status. As Stilton has a Protected Geographical Status (POD), there are specific guidelines for its making. Stilton can only be made by authorized creameries in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. Stilton can no longer be legally made in the town of Stilton as it is not in one of the 3 permitted counties. There are only 6 creameries currently producing Stilton. Stilton can only be made from local pasteurized milk. Stilton can only be made in the traditional cylindrical shape and it must develop its own coat or crust on the outer rind. Stilton is never pressed and has delicate blue veins radiating from its center. Stilton will have a typical fat content of 35% and protein content is 23%.

Stilton is considered the King of English cheeses. The British enjoy their cheese and cheese has become a part of their popular culture. Most of us are familiar with the Monty Python cheese shop sketch and Wallace & Gromit and their cheese loving ways. The British Cheese Board conducted a survey in 2005 that reported 75% of men and 85% of women experienced “odd and vivid” dreams after eating a 20 gram serving of Stilton half an hour prior to bedtime. Try some Stilton before bedtime and be sure to keep your dream journal by your bedside to capture those vivid dreams upon waking.

When storing Stilton, keep it tightly wrapped and store in an air tight container. This will prevent your cheese from drying out and protect your other food items from being tainted by blue mold. This cheese will keep in the fridge for weeks and it will continue to mature as it ages becoming more intense in flavor. I do not often advocate the freezing of cheese but as the Stilton cheese website, http://www.stiltoncheese.com/using_stilton, states it “freezes beautifully. Simply cut into easy to handle portions, wrap in cling film or foil and freeze for up to 3 months. De-frost slowly – preferably in the fridge overnight. Allow to reach room temperature before serving.”

Stilton pairs well with pears, celery, walnuts, and charcuterie. It can be added to sauces, soups, salads, and burgers. Stilton can top a steak, cracker, or bread. Stilton enjoys sweet accompaniments so experiment with chutneys and sweet breads or crackers. Stilton pairs well with sweet wines, sherry, and Shiraz. Port is the preferred drink to enhance Stilton so let us explore Port.

The origins of Port lie in the Douro Valley of Portugal. It is a fortified wine which means grape spirit is added during fermentation to halt the fermentation process. This leaves the wine with more residual sugar and higher alcohol content. This made shipping Port from Portugal to England much easier as the alcohol and sugar increase its shelf life.

Port is very sweet and usually served after dinner with dessert. There are several styles of Port and The Vineyard offers a wide variety for you to choose from. Any Port will pair perfectly with Stilton. Port and Stilton are a classic match because they provide a wonderful balance for each other. The sweetness of the Port is balanced by the saltiness of the cheese. The flavors combine on the tongue to form a unique flavor.

Port should be served at a temperature between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Your glass should be filled no more than half way to appreciate its aroma. Most Ports can be enjoyed after opening but Vintage Ports require decanting. To decant a Vintage Port, stand the bottle upright for at least 24 hours and up to one week, to allow time for the sediment to settle to the bottom. If the cork breaks, strain the wine while decanting but do not use paper filters as it will affect the flavor. If you love Sabrage service for opening Champagne, you can open your Port with traditional Port tongs. The tongs are heated to red hotness then clamped around the neck of the bottle below the cork and above the shoulder of the bottle for 1 to 2 minutes. Then apply a wet towel to the same spot and the rapid change in temperature will cause the glass to cleanly break.

Port is traditionally served at the end of a meal and leisurely enjoyed. Port can have a warm calming affect and is considered the “wine of philosophy". Contemplatively sip your Port and nibble your Stilton and enjoy stimulating conversations. Maybe Mr. Chesterton was sipping Port and enjoying Stilton when he wrote his Sonnet to a Stilton Cheese.

Sonnet to a Stilton Cheese:

Stilton, thou shouldst be living at this hour
And so thou art. Nor losest grace thereby;
England has need of thee, and so have I–
She is a Fen. Far as the eye can scour,
League after grassy league from Lincoln tower
To Stilton in the fields, she is a Fen.
Yet this high cheese, by choice of fenland men,
Like a tall green volcano rose in power.
Plain living and long drinking are no more,
And pure religion reading “Household Words”,
And sturdy manhood sitting still all day
Shrink, like this cheese that crumbles to its core;
While my digestion, like the House of Lords,
The heaviest burdens on herself doth lay.

- G.K. Chesterton

Stilton and Port are wonderful for cooking and baking, together and on their own. Last Christmas I made this wonderful Pear, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Crumble. I have included this recipe and others below. Happy Holidays.

Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Crumble

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pear-walnut-and-blue-cheese-crumble-recipe/index.html

• 6 large pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Ruby Port
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
In a bowl, toss the pear slices with the lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon flour, the sugar, and port, and toss to combine. Arrange in the prepared dish. In a bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour, finely chopped walnuts, brown sugar and salt. Add the butter, working in with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the pear mixture. Bake until the pears are tender, the juices bubble, and the crust is golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Aged Blue Stilton and Port Souffle

http://www.thomashoestevenson.com/downloads/recipe_3_US.pdf

Serves 1
85g/3oz Aged Blue Stilton®
2 tbsp Port
3tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 egg yolk
3 egg whites
1 tbsp lemon juice

1) Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Place the Aged Blue Stilton®, Port and cream into a non-stick ovenproof skillet. Heat gently untill
the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolk.
2) In a bowl, whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Fold the egg whites into the
cheese mixture.
3) Transfer to a ramekin dish and bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until well-risen and lightly golden on top.

Port & Stilton Sauce

http://www.ochef.com/801.htm Adapted from the Dairy Book of Home Cookery — Everyday Specials

Ingredients:
4 ounces (125 grams) Blue Stilton
6 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons of Port
3 tablespoons pine nuts
Instructions:
Blend the cheeses and port in a food processor or blender. Put the mixture into a saucepan and heat gently until melted and bubbling; add already warmed pine nuts and seasoning to taste.
If you are serving the sauce with steaks, cook the steaks and add them to the sauce and cook for a further 1-1/2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with a selection of traditional vegetables.

Stilton, Port and Walnut Paté

http://gloriousfoodandwinerecipes.blogspot.com/2006/12/stilton-and-port.html

225gr Stilton
50gr unsalted butter
3 tbsp Port
125gr chopped walnuts
Place the cheese, butter and Port in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the walnuts, mix. Place the paté in a serving bowl, cover with cling film and chill till ready to serve.

What is Local?

Buy Fresh Buy Local, Locavore, the 100 mile meal, Local Food. We hear a lot about local food these days but what does local food really mean? How local is local? The answer is surprising. Some farmers markets clearly define what they consider local. Freshfarm Markets consider local to be within 200 miles, the Farmers market in Lorton will only accept producers within 125 miles. Whole Foods considers local to be within a day’s drive. My husband and I drive to Michigan in a day which takes about 9 hours but I would never consider an apple from Michigan to be local. When I checked their website, they states that a day’s drive is 7 hours and individual stores may establish a shorter distance to define their local foods.

I recently learned that a large scale dairy producer trucks his milk from Virginia to Pennsylvania for pasteurization and then drives it back to Virginia. Is that milk local? Many foods are grown in one area and then transported to a different area for processing. Then the items still have to be transported to the consumer and they might even make another stop before getting to market. Some produce is sold wholesale and has to be transported to a warehouse location before it makes the market. If produce was labeled with the miles it took to reach the shelf from start to finish, people might think differently about their food.

Food travels an average of 1,300 miles from farm to table and can spend 7-14 days in transit before it arrives at the supermarket. That is a lot of time and distance for who knows what to happen to those food items, not to mention that produce will lose vitamins and minerals in time. I think food that travels a short distance will be fresher, healthier, and less beaten up by a long commute. In 2007, a study was conducted by the Dewey Health Review which examined the diet of 100 people between the ages of 18-55 who enjoyed a diet of local food that was grown within an 80 mile radius. The study found a 19% increase in the sturdiness of bowel movements and a drop in sleep apnea and night terrors.

Michael Pollen often uses the term food miles which refers to how many miles the food must travel before it makes it to your plate. If I get lamb from New Zealand or carrots from California, I picture the food swimming in oil. How much oil did it take to transport these items? How much pollution was released into the air? Buying local food will reduce our dependence on oil, congestion on our roadways, and the amount of pollution that is released into the air. There needs to be a better way for local food producers to reach the average customers. Virginia is an agricultural state that has many productive farms. This makes me wonder why most of the local produce I see in supermarkets comes from Pennsylvania. Virginia is a producer of cheese, meat, vegetables, and fruit. Our farmer’s markets are filled with apples, peaches, beets, greens, carrots, potatoes, figs, corn, tomatoes, berries, and asparagus when in season, just to name a few. Farmer’s markets can offer a greater variety of produce that would not be available in supermarkets. Farmer’s markets can promote local obscure varieties and tell you how to enjoy them.

A locavore is a person who values local food as their primary deciding factor when choosing food. The term was coined by Jessica Prentice from San Francisco for World Environment Day 2005. It was intended to promote the idea of enjoying a diet that consists of food harvested from within a 100 mile radius. The New Oxford American Dictionary chose locavore as the word of the year in 2007.

The local food movement is a group effort to encourage locally based and self reliant food systems. The local food movement values sustainable food production, processing, and distribution. They want to enhance the economic environment and social health of the area. Local food systems remove the middle man and encourage relationships between producer and consumer.

Why buy local? You can enjoy fresh food, support the local economy, and reduce your environmental impact. I like to think about the process my food endures before it gets to my kitchen. I drive to a farm to get my milk, butter, eggs, and the occasional duck or chicken. I know where these items came from and I know what they eat and who takes care of the animals and makes the end product. I know how many miles they had to travel before making it into my fridge.

Many farms in Virginia offer community supported agriculture or C.S.A programs. People buy a share in the farm and enjoy its bounty. Many farms sell at farm stands and farmers markets. But it is daunting for a small farm to sell to a national supermarket chain. Whole Foods wants its producers to have a large amount of liability insurance which may be unreasonable for the average small scale farmer.

People often argue that shopping at Farmer’s Markets is too expensive. But many people consider cost per calorie instead of cost for nutrition. The dollar menu may sound like a deal but that food is not healthy. Some CSA’s and buyers clubs can make eating local less expensive. Industrialized, commodified food is often cheaper due to governmental subsidies and tax breaks. Organically and sustainably grown food cost more because of many of these government subsidies which favor big agricultural business. Currently there are three farmer’s markets in the D.C. area that accept EBT cards. More and more farmer’s markets nationwide are accepting food stamps.

For every $100 spent in our local economy, $68 of those dollars return to the community in taxes and payroll. Buying local is a great way to keep money in the area you live. Not to mention supporting small local business. Every $1 spent locally will see a return of $.45 into the community compared to a return of $.15 on non-local items. The 3/50 project asks people to pick 3 local independent businesses and spend $50 once a month at these businesses. If half the employed population spent $50 a month in locally owned independent business it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue

Since 1935, 4.7 million farms in America have vanished. Currently there are less than 1 million farmers in America who farm as their primary occupation. Most farmer’s must work an off-farm job at some time to support their farm. Farming is hard enough without working a second job. Supporting local food supports local farms and local people. I care about local food and value the people who produce it. I want to support local farmers in my community and I want to live sustainability. Today is the first Save Our Food local food Holiday Festival. I am excited to check it out and share my experience with you.

I am Thankful for American Cheese!

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear American cheese? Do you think about American cheese slices, Kraft singles, and Velveeta? These cheeses give American cheese a bad name. As a child my favorite cheese was, government welfare cheese. I used to love these enormous orange blocks of cheese that would come in a cardboard box. Sometimes I wish I could still get this cheese but I am happy to longer need this cheese. America has done so many awful things to cheese, we have even put cheese in a can which you can spray directly onto a cracker. Growing up in Philly, home of the cheesesteak, you would have to choose between cheese whiz, American cheese, and provolone at Pat’s steaks.

Cheese has been apart of American since the beginning, as soon as British colonists arrived in America they started making cheddar. American cheddars were being exported to England by 1790. The British called these cheddars “American cheese” or “Yankee cheese”. In 1878, The New York Times gave the total amount of cheese being exported to be 355 million pounds a year with the potential to reach 1,420 million pounds. American cheese was considered by the British to be inferior but cheap and therefore popular. This is where the idea of American cheese being inferior originated. An article from 1878 mentions that exceptional American cheeses were often relabeled under European names after export leaving the low grade cheeses to be labeled as American.

The term “American cheese” was first used in 1804 and appeared again in The Uncommercial Traveller by Charles Dickens in 1860. Americans have called their cheddars “yellow cheese” or “store cheese” or “apple pie cheese”. With the increase of cheese factories in the 1890’s, these cheeses were called “factory cheese”. In the 1920’s these cheeses were often called “rattrap cheese” or “rat cheese”. That does not sound tasty; no wonder cheese had a bad reputation for so long.

The legal definition in America for “American cheese” is a kind of pasteurized processed cheese. Today there is a new term for cheese, American Artisanal cheese which is cheese made by hand in small batches. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, American artisanal cheese began to grow in popularity. Factory made cheese manufactured by large companies dominated the market but there were a few small cheesemakers. The Vella Cheese Company started in 1931 and Maytag Dairy started in 1941. Both of these companies are still making excellent cheese.

In the summer of 1942, the US imposed restrictions on cheese consumption because of the war. This conservation measure allowed American cheese to be the only type of cheese to be legally consumed. This was to encourage wartime patriotism and due to the surplus of American cheese and lack of European cheeses. The ban took effect May 4, 1942 and was quickly repealed on August 1, 1942 due to public response and complaints from British exporters that it damaged morale and solidarity between the US and Britain.

Growing up, cheese was a major part of every family gathering. I can remember my mother making special trips to Trader Joe’s in the early 90’s just for cheese. Saint Andre became a family favorite along with fresh chevre that was often drizzled in olive oil and coated in spices. Pate, pumpernickel, and cornichons always had space on our table. I can remember teasing my aunt about cornichons just being little pickles. I was lucky to grow up in Philly because I can always remember there being Claudio King of cheese, DiBruno, and the Reading Terminal, with wonderful cheese selections. Even the small mom and Pop delis had some pretty great cheeses. I first fell in love with Prima Donna when I was living next door to a small family deli on Passyunk Avenue.

Cheese has come a long way in the United States. The American Cheese Society was founded in 1983 to promote American made cheese. The American consumer is more interested in cheese these days and more interesting cheeses are being imported into America. There has been an increase in the number of cheese specialty shops in America and an increase in cheeses available in supermarkets. The American cheese palette is growing beyond cow’s milk cheeses to include sheep and goat cheese.

America is the world’s largest cheese producer making 30% of the world’s cheese. Germany is the second largest producer followed by France, Italy, and the Netherlands. The largest exporter of cheese is France and then Germany based on monetary value. 95% of the cheese produced in Ireland is for exporting, 90% in New Zealand, 72% in the Netherlands and 65% in Australia. The largest importer of cheese is Germany followed by the UK and Italy. The largest consumer of cheese per capitia is Greece followed by France then Italy. As of 2003, Americans ate an average of 31 lbs of cheese per person with Mozzarella accounting for about 1/3 of this consumption.

America is producing some amazing cheese, many of which are being recognized in Europe. American made cheeses won 140 International awards in 2006. Some popular American cheeses being imported to Europe are made by Marin French, Cypress Grove, Vermont Shepherd, and Fiscalini. In 2003, Rogue River Blue won the best blue cheese award at the World Cheese Awards. In 2007, Rogue River Blue became the fist raw milk cheese made in America to be approved for exporting into Europe. American made cheeses are extremely expensive in Europe. Rogue River Blue costs about 65 GBP (Great Britain Pounds) per kilo (which is over 2.2 lbs). This high price tag has not stopped Rogue River Blue from being a popular cheese in Europe.

Stephane Blohorn is the owner of Androuet, a chain of cheese shops in France whose website lists over 30 different American made cheeses. But they would not stock these cheeses because “The French go first to French cheese”. A new idea is beginning to change this mentality and that is terrior. This term has been common in the wine industry to describe a climate, soil, and location of a certain region which imparts unique qualities into the wine. This notion is becoming popular in the cheese world. Laure Dubouloz, manager of Maison Mons, an affineur near Lyon says “U.S. terrior is as good as the French”. He goes on to state that French cheesemakers are very traditional whereas American cheese makers attempt to create something new and different.

Thanksgiving is an American holiday which calls for American artisanal cheese. Some of my favorite American cheese and cheesemakers are:

Cypress Grove, makers of Purple Haze, Midnight Moon, Lamb Chopper, and Humboldt Fog.
Dante is an aged sheep’s milk cheese from Wisconsin.
Roth Kase Grand Cru Gruyere Surchoix
Rouge Creamery makers of Smokey Blue and Lavender cheddar.
Kenny’s farmhouse makers of Awe Brie
Tumalo farms makers of Pondhopper and Tumalo Classico
BeeHive Dairy in Utah makers of Sea Hive and Barely Buzzed

What is your favorite American cheese? Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for reading!!

"Cheese from the ewe, milk from the goat, butter from the cow."

Cheese is made from milk and milk comes from many different mammals. The most popular milk types for cheese making are cow, goat, sheep, and Water Buffalo. There are cheeses made from Yak and even reindeer milk. Today I will focus on the more common types of milk being cow, goat, and sheep.

In most countries around the world, goat milk is preferred making it the most consumed type of milk. Goat milk is pure white and naturally homogenized. The fat in cow’s milk will rise to the surface whereas the fat globules in goat milk are much smaller and will remain suspended. Goat milk is lower in lactose and is easier to digest than cow’s milk. People who have issues with cow’s milk will often find goat’s milk to be a wonderful alternative. Goat milk is a great source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B2, potassium, and the amino acid tryptophan. Goat’s milk also has anti-inflammatory compounds called oligosaccharides and can enhance the metabolism of iron and copper. Goat’s milk can be frozen and stored for up to 30 days. Freezing goat’s milk and using it for cheese making will result in a more delicate curd.

Goats lactate for ten months and their milk will become scarce as they move into their breeding season. For this reason, goat’s milk is harder to come by in winter but the milk will have a higher butterfat content. Goats are milked twice a day and can produce between 3-5 quarts of milk per day. Milk from the Nubian breed has larger fat globules and is great for making soft and semi-firm cheeses. The Toggenburg breed of goat will produce milk with smaller globules which is great for making sharp aged cheese.

Goat milk can taste sweet with a salty undertone. Goat’s milk cheese can have a tangy flavor that will mellow with age. There are many different kinds of cheeses made from goat’s milk ranging from fresh and soft to aged and hard. There are also yogurts, ice creams, and butters made from goat’s milk. People often tell me they do not like goat cheese but I argue they have not met the right goat cheese yet.

We have been milking sheep longer than we have been milking cows but there are only 100 sheep dairies in the United States. Sheep milk is rich, concentrated and has the highest amount of fat and protein when compared to cow and goat milk. Sheep’s milk is also higher in nutrients than cow or goat milk. Sheep milk is rich in Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Sodium, Folate, Vitamin A and C. It also provides Iron, Zinc, Selenium, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Niacin, Panthothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and B12. Sheep’s milk can help reduce cholesterol as its primary fats are heart healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Sheep’s milk contains medium chain triglycerides which may reduce cholesterol.
Sheep’s milk also has high levels of conjugated linoleic acid which can fight cancer and reduce fat. The fat globules in sheep milk are small and people who cannot tolerate cow or goat milk can often enjoy sheep milk.

Lactating ewes of any breed can be milked. There are more than a dozen sheep breeds that specialized in dairy producers. Only a few of these breeds are available in the United States, the East Friesian and Lacaune. These breeds will produce 400-1,100 pounds of milk per lactation as compared to the 100-200 pounds of milk per lactation for conventional sheep.

Sheep milk is sweet, nutty, and creamy. Sheep have the shortest lactation period and can produce milk for up to eight months. Sheep are milked twice a day and can produce about a quart per day. Sheep milk has more solids than goat or cow milk which means more cheese can be made from one gallon of sheep milk. Goat and cow milk will yield 9-10% cheese where sheep milk will yield 18-25%. Sheep produce less milk than cows and goats making it four times as expensive. Freezing does not alter the cheesemaking ability of sheep’s milk which can be frozen and stored for up to 30 days

Cow’s milk is 88% water, 5% lactose, 3.5-5% protein, 3-5% fat and minerals and enzymes make up the remaining percentage. Cow’s milk has the highest amount of carotene which makes the milk look yellow. Cow’s milk can taste earthy and grassy but taste will depend on season. Cows have a longer lactation period than goats and sheep. If the breeding is staggered for a herd of cows, they can be milked year round. Cows are milked twice a day and can produce between 8-20 quarts of milk per day. One gallon of milk will produce about a pound of cheese. Cow’s milk cannot be frozen and used for cheese making. Milk from Jersey and Guernsey breeds of cow have the largest fat globules making their milk wonderful for making soft and semi soft cheeses. Ayrshire milk has the smallest fat globules and is great for making sharp Italian cheese and long aged Cheddar.

Cow’s milk is a great source of iodine, calcium, Vitamin D, tryptophan, riboflavin, phosphorus. Cow's milk is also a good source of protein, potassium and Vitamin B12, K, and A. Grass fed cows produce milk with conjugated linoleic acid which can prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, and prevent atherosclerosis.

Many people will argue that the best way to enjoy cow’s milk is to drink it raw. When milk is referred to as raw, it means the milk has not been pasteurized. Raw milk contains components that assist in killing pathogens, preventing pathogen absorption, and strengthen the immune system. Many of these immune enhancing and antimicrobial components are greatly reduce by pasteurization and destroyed by ultra-pasteurization. Raw milk is safe only if it comes from a safe producer. Do you know where your milk comes from?

Raw milk can be legally sold in 28 states within the United States. Many cheeses are made using raw milk. In the United States, raw milk cheeses must be aged for a minimum of sixty days before they can legally be sold. After sixty days, the acids in the cheese have killed any harmful pathogen. Raw milk cheeses are legal and widely available in Europe. A recent report issued by the Australian government argues that producers can make raw milk cheese equivalent to pasteurized cheese in safety.

Don’t judge a cheese by its milk type unless you have allergies or lactose issues. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy a Goat Gouda or Sheep’s milk brie. There is also a variety of cheeses made using two or more milk types. Try a mixed milk cheese like Menage and taste what you have been missing. "Cheese from the ewe, milk from the goat, butter from the cow" is an old Spainsh Proverb that seems to say the best milk comes from goats, butter from cows, and cheese from sheep. There might be some truth to that but I love cheese made from all of them.

Tools of the Trade

This past Friday I was in Fredericksburg and found what I had been missing, a really big cheese knife. I bought myself a 14 inch Lamson Sharp two handle cheese knife. This thing is like a machete, when I washed it for the first time and again on the second time, I sliced that sponge like butter. This knife is sharp and wonderful for cutting into big wheels of hard aged cheese like Gouda or Montasio. This knife isn’t necessary for the average cheese enthusiast but is a must have for any serious cheesemonger. There are a few tools on the market that will help the home cheese lover enjoy their cheese more.

If you love cheese, you should have a cheese plane. These are often called Norwegian cheese planes because they were invented in Norway and patented in 1925 by Thor Bjorklund who was a carpenter. He designed the cheese plane based on a carpenter’s plane to give thin and uniform slices of cheese. Cheese planes are excellent for hard cheeses and are great at removing mold from the surface of cheese. If a cheese is moldy, just shave it off and it is good as new. The cheese plane can also be used to slice vegetable like cucumbers.

Cheese wires are great for cutting softer cheese like mozzarella or a Colby style cheese. They can also be great for younger cheddars but the wires can break and will need to be replaced. You can also use a classic hard boiled egg slicer to cut uniform pieces of mozzarella with one slice. There are some nice cheese boards that have this style of cutter built in which is great for party convenience. If I am hosting a party, I do not like to cube the cheese ahead of time as the cheese will dry out. I like my guests to hack away at chunks of cheese and the cheese wire and board all in one makes this very easy.

There are also cheese knives which have a ticker handle and the blade is thinner at the top and gradually widens towards the tip. This can look like a cleaver as it is often square and is wonderful for cutting cheddars. This knife can also have holes in the blade as this prevents the cheese from sticking to the knife. Stainless steel is the best choice for a cheese knife as it is easier for the cheese to be removed from the knife without sticking. This knife is great for cutting cake, butter, hard boiled eggs, and anything that would stick to the knife.

This knife also comes in another style that does not look like a cleaver. The blade has large cut out sections to prevent sticking and crumbling and is serrated. These are sometimes called tomato knife. This knife is great for cutting soft to semi firm cheeses and is one of my favorite knives. I got a set on eBay that says cheese down the blade in cut out letters. These often have a forked tip to pick up and serve the slice of cheese.

There is also a fine knife for soft cheese that has a rather dull blade and is very slim. This knife is wonderful for blue cheese as well as soft cheeses. Soft cheese can also be cut with a spreader. You can use the edge of the spreader to get a bit of cheese and then spread it on a cracker. I am not much for spreading and squishing cheese on to delivery systems as this makes the rind distribution uneven. A spreader is great for chevre and soft cheeses when you cut open the top and dive into the delicious goo. Butter knives work just as good as cheese spreaders.

There is also the Girolle cheese shaver which was first used in Switzerland for Tete de Moin or Monk’s Head cheese. This is a firm full fat cheese when cut with the Girolle forms rosettes. This cheese is never supposed to be cut, you should slice off the top rind and shave away. An entire wheel of Tete de Moin would be placed onto the spindle then slide on the handle and crank away. Wheels of this cheese average about 1 ½ - 2 pounds. Shaving the cheese this way brings out the aroma and flavor of the cheese. This cheese has been made for the past 800 years but the Girolle was not invented until 1982. Tete de Moin has become more popular sine the invention of the Girolle. They used to have to shave this cheese the hard way. If you love gadgets, this is a cheese tool for you but I hear Alton Brown’s voice in my head bemoaning uni-taskers. You could also use a box grater or microplane which is also useful for grating Parmigiano Reggiano and other hard aged cheeses.

This brings us to cheese boards and how best to serve the cheese now that you have the cutlery. Cheese boards should be durable and easy to clean. Marble cheese boards are heavenly during the heat of the summer as the marble will help the cheese stay cool. There are some great cheese boards out there that also provide a home for your cheese knives. Bamboo is great for cheese boards as they absorb less moisture, are harder than maple and very durable. Knife marks are not easily visible on bamboo boards. Bamboo is a renewable resource and environmentally friendly.

There are some nice slate boards on the market that provide a stunning visual display and the ability to write the name of the cheese on the board in chalk. There seems to be some debate about weather these are appropriate surfaces for cutting cheese. Artisanal’s website says there are not useable as cutting boards but this information was nowhere else to be found. Slate scratches easily and is made from compacted shale and clay which is basically mud. I am not able to recommend or discourage slate cheese boards.

It isn’t necessary to buy a bunch of new kitchen toys to enjoy cheese but some will make it a bit easier. You can use a decent chef’s knife to cut hard cheese and a pairing knife for softer cheese and a standard wooden cutting board to serve them on. The most important thing is to enjoy your cheese at room temperature. There is a great picture of cheese knives at http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/knives/knives.html. See if you can pick out from the photo which is what kind of knife.

Enjoy!

Wheat Hates Me

Wheat, oh how I love the things you can do with flour. Bread is such a staple of life. Crusty baguette with cheese, croissant, bagel, muffin, cookie, and even sweeter, cake, pie, tarts, brownies, then there is breakfast, toast with butter and jam, waffles, pancakes, strata, and breakfast for dinner was always a special night. And how about dinner, pasta, pizza, anything breaded, and for lunch there is no sandwich without two slices of bread and there are so many sandwiches and very few substitutes for them. How I have been craving a sandwich. Crisp golden crust that crumbles to flake when you bite it and the center is so soft and chewy.

I used to live a block away from two of the best bakeries in South Philadelphia, a French boulangerie that did a wonderful baguette and a version with chocolate, as well as cheesy bread and croissants and the other was a wood fired Italian bakery. We could stand in our tiny bricked backyard or even just standing in the kitchen and smell burning wood and baking bread. But bringing any of these things into the house was just asking for it. Hot fresh bread, how could I stop myself from consuming all of it? It would be eaten way quicker than a loaf of sandwich bread would ever go.

When I was backpacking through Europe for four and a half months I lost a fair amount of weight. My mother was so shocked when she laid eyes on me upon my arrival home. Eventually I gained it all back by eating bagels. I find bread and carbs to be so comforting and delicious. I was never into the Atkins low-carb crazy. Honestly, I am a wheat junkie. I shouldn’t touch the stuff but it’s all I ever want and if I get some I only want more. And there is no substitute for flour. I have tried many imitators but I want the real thing. How can it be so bad for me?

Well how bad is it? I have arthritis everywhere and wheat is inflammatory so it causes my already painful joints to feel even worse. There is a magazine for Celiac disease called Living Without. How sad is that? So please do not tempt, offer, or give me wheat. There will be a few occasions between now and 1/2/10 when I will indulge but after that so much will be a no.

At least I do not need crackers when it comes to cheese but it does make eating some soft cheeses easier. And yes that includes beer. But I shouldn’t be drinking alcohol anyway which is also on the chopping block. My last meal would be fresh hot bread basket with butter and jelly and can I also have a sandwich with cheese or a grilled cheese or a Panini. Oh to dream…

The running of the cheese

This time of year is very special when it comes to cheese. As the weather turns cold, my appetite moves toward richer, heartier flavors. The time for fresh goat’s milk cheese has been replaced by a craving for fondue and raclette. This time of year is wonderful for cow’s milk cheeses that have matured for 12 or 24 months and the best surface ripened cheeses of the year. Surface ripened cheese will soon start to ooze their delicious creaminess. I like to think of this time of year as the running of the cheese.

Surface ripened cheeses are called surface ripened cheese because they ripen from the outside into the center of the paste. They can also be called soft ripened cheese as they are soft when ripe. The soft ripened family includes double and triple crème cheese. Double crème cheeses contain over 60% fat in the solid matter and triple crème is over 70% fat in the solid matter. Saint Andre is a triple crème and Chaource is a double crème cheese. These rich creamy cheeses may seem like a sinful indulgence but are no worse than any other cheese. One ounce of brie has 8 grams of fat and one ounce of cheddar has 9 ½ grams of fat.

So why is this the best time of year for soft ripened cheese? The answer is in the milk and what the animals were eating. A chunk of Brie you buy today may have been made in September. What were the cows doing in September? They were out grazing on lush summer pastures and eating some of the best grasses and wildflowers of the season. The animal’s diet will affect the flavors of the cheese.

Toward the end of summer, the animals reach the end of their lactation cycle and prepare for a new breeding season. The animals will produce less milk but this milk is more concentrated in protein and butterfat. Milk is composed of water, butterfat, lactose and proteins. The butterfat and protein are very important to cheese making as they give flavor. The butterfat content of milk will be higher towards the end of an animal’s lactation period. This means excellent milk to make cheese. Summer milk has been found to have higher amounts of beneficial antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins.

I personally drive out to a farm every week to pick up milk. I notice my milk will stay fresh longer in the summer and in winter it can go bad before my next weekly trip to the farm. Summer milk also tastes better and some cheeses are made only using summer milk. A French study of Alpine Gruyere found more flavor compounds in the cheese made with summer milk. Summer may be over but we can still enjoy the flavors of summer in soft ripened cheeses.

To make a surface ripened cheese, the milk is inoculated with bacteria or the curds are placed into a mold and then sprayed with bacteria. These bacteria will develop a soft downy mold on the outside of the cheese. It can take a few weeks for the rind to develop a nice downy sweater of mold. These cheeses are usually available a few weeks after they are made and will continue to ripen as they age.

Mold is a wonderful and important part of the cheese making process. The mold on soft-ripened cheeses will help the cheese ripen from the outside in. The bacteria in the mold will break down the fat and protein within the cheese. This is what makes cheese alive, the fact that there are bacteria digesting the cheese to help the cheese achieve its optimal taste and texture. The mold forms a natural edible rind and imparts flavor to the cheese. You can eat the rind of any cheese as long as it is not wax, wood, or leaves. Weather you enjoy the taste of the rind is up to you.

When you look at a soft ripened cheese, notice the area between the rind and the paste. This area is called the creamline and shows the breakdown of fat and protein. Once the creamline becomes darker and starts to ooze, you know that cheese is ripe and ready to eat at its peak. Surface ripened cheese will be ripe when there is no flaky center and they are soft and moist. If you press the rind, the mark will slowly spring back.

Soft ripened cheeses can be enjoyed on their own, on a cracker or bread but they can also be used in a salad and you can also cook with these cheeses. They compliment meat and poultry and impart a rich smoothness to sauces. They can top a pizza and melt well. Their flavors can be enhanced by the proper beverage. The richness of soft ripened cheeses requires a good amount of acidity to cut the fat. Champagne and sparkling wines have a nice acidity but even better than acidity, they have bubbles. These bubbles act as scrubbers and will clean away the richness from the cheese and cleanse the palate. These cheeses will also pair well with a hard cider, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay.