Sunday, January 31, 2010
Recipe: Crisp and Luscious Dip with Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc
Stay tuned: Our recipe for a delicious dip with Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc coming soon. Tangy, tasty, fresh.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Cheese Board Collective and Prairie Breeze Cheddar
Prairie Breeze, a flavorful cow's milk cheddar from a small farm in Iowa, is one of our new favorites. Picking it up was almost an afterthought, a last minute suggestion from one of the workers at The Cheese Board who thought we would like it. She couldn't have been more right.
We're blessed with great cheese shopping options here in the Bay Area, but have most often found ourselves at The Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley, about 10 minutes from our house in Oakland. The Cheese Board is a worker-owned collective bakery, cheese shop, and pizza place (Cheese Board Pizza Collective) on Shattuck, just a few steps from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse. I love the history here. A family business became a worker-owned co-op. They bake, buy and sell cheese, and help hungry customers like us. Click the history link to learn more about the collective's history and business model.
When you open the door, the world of cheese is in front of you. Cases of double creams, cheddars, blues, goudas and more, from the famous to the obscure, fill the cases. It looks like 300 or more, but we haven't asked yet. Customers are either waiting their turn or working with one of the collective members on selecting their cheese. These consultations can be quick or take upwards of 15-20 minutes depending on your needs. People are there for everything from a fairly standard hunk of cheese to a more elaborate cheese plate (e.g. "I want to serve artisan sheep cheeses with some that are aged and others that aren't"). Though personalities differ, I have always found the collective members adept at helping us find the cheese we want while offering a cheese or two (or six) we hadn't thought of. During one of our favorite excursions, the person helping us brought a range of three to five cheeses for each cheese we were looking for. Asking for something alpine brought us everything from a very quiet, grassy, cheese to one that felt like we could plant it in the front yard and it would sprout a new lawn. She also introduced us to Big Woods Blue, a delicious beefy blue from Shepherd's Way (we'll talk more about that one soon). She was as excited to share it with us as we were to eat it.
Prairie Breeze was suggested to us after we had selected cheeses for a fondue night. I think it is usually clear to the person we work with that we are incredibly curious about and eager to learn more about cheese. We've enjoyed learning about how variations in geography, technique, temperature, aging process, and more affect the cheese we eat. We know more than some folks and less than many, but always have a good time, even if we are just dropping in for a quarter pound.
Prairie Breeze was on my list to try because it was a winner at the American Cheese Society awards. I'd read about the winners in Culture Magazine, but had forgotten to have a look at my list before our visit. It took first place in the Aged Cheddar category. It's not hard to tell why.
This is a smooth and flavorful semi-aged cheddar. It's deliciously balanced between some fruitiness and nuttiness with a restrained sharp edge. It's not a hit-you-over-the-head sharp, but makes a strong statement. I also love the lactic acid crystals that give it a bit of texture. Since enjoying our first bit, I've learned that Prairie Breeze is made by a teenager in Iowa at his family dairy, Milton Creamery. The family uses milk from area Amish farms to make a handful of cheeses and has spent years selling cheese at local markets. If this is something he can make this early in his career, I can't wait to see where he goes next if he sticks with it.
Further Reading:
Learn more about this cheese by downloading this article from Cheese Reporter (pdf).
Click for a Google Blog Search.
Looks like the top cheese, Gordon Edgar over at Rainbow Grocery Cooperative, likes it too! See his top cheeses for 2009 here.
Have you tried Prairie Breeze? What did you think? Comments welcome :)
We're blessed with great cheese shopping options here in the Bay Area, but have most often found ourselves at The Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley, about 10 minutes from our house in Oakland. The Cheese Board is a worker-owned collective bakery, cheese shop, and pizza place (Cheese Board Pizza Collective) on Shattuck, just a few steps from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse. I love the history here. A family business became a worker-owned co-op. They bake, buy and sell cheese, and help hungry customers like us. Click the history link to learn more about the collective's history and business model.
When you open the door, the world of cheese is in front of you. Cases of double creams, cheddars, blues, goudas and more, from the famous to the obscure, fill the cases. It looks like 300 or more, but we haven't asked yet. Customers are either waiting their turn or working with one of the collective members on selecting their cheese. These consultations can be quick or take upwards of 15-20 minutes depending on your needs. People are there for everything from a fairly standard hunk of cheese to a more elaborate cheese plate (e.g. "I want to serve artisan sheep cheeses with some that are aged and others that aren't"). Though personalities differ, I have always found the collective members adept at helping us find the cheese we want while offering a cheese or two (or six) we hadn't thought of. During one of our favorite excursions, the person helping us brought a range of three to five cheeses for each cheese we were looking for. Asking for something alpine brought us everything from a very quiet, grassy, cheese to one that felt like we could plant it in the front yard and it would sprout a new lawn. She also introduced us to Big Woods Blue, a delicious beefy blue from Shepherd's Way (we'll talk more about that one soon). She was as excited to share it with us as we were to eat it.
Prairie Breeze was suggested to us after we had selected cheeses for a fondue night. I think it is usually clear to the person we work with that we are incredibly curious about and eager to learn more about cheese. We've enjoyed learning about how variations in geography, technique, temperature, aging process, and more affect the cheese we eat. We know more than some folks and less than many, but always have a good time, even if we are just dropping in for a quarter pound.
Prairie Breeze was on my list to try because it was a winner at the American Cheese Society awards. I'd read about the winners in Culture Magazine, but had forgotten to have a look at my list before our visit. It took first place in the Aged Cheddar category. It's not hard to tell why.
This is a smooth and flavorful semi-aged cheddar. It's deliciously balanced between some fruitiness and nuttiness with a restrained sharp edge. It's not a hit-you-over-the-head sharp, but makes a strong statement. I also love the lactic acid crystals that give it a bit of texture. Since enjoying our first bit, I've learned that Prairie Breeze is made by a teenager in Iowa at his family dairy, Milton Creamery. The family uses milk from area Amish farms to make a handful of cheeses and has spent years selling cheese at local markets. If this is something he can make this early in his career, I can't wait to see where he goes next if he sticks with it.
Further Reading:
Learn more about this cheese by downloading this article from Cheese Reporter (pdf).
Click for a Google Blog Search.
Looks like the top cheese, Gordon Edgar over at Rainbow Grocery Cooperative, likes it too! See his top cheeses for 2009 here.
Have you tried Prairie Breeze? What did you think? Comments welcome :)
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Homemade ricotta review
For anyone wondering, the homemade ricotta ROCKS!
A day after making it, I decided to do a simple dip per Rebecca's suggestion. I added a little salt and drizzled a very fruity early harvest olive oil on top. And OH MY GOD was that tasty.
I will say that the ricotta does need salt. I think we added 1 tablespoon to 1 gallon of milk. But once the salt is added, the ricotta is an amazing vehicle for flavor. The big thing is the texture. This is even better than ricotta we've found at the store and I LOOOOOVE that stuff. It's a light, airy, fluffy and creamy. There's definitely an ethereal quality to it that you don't get in regular ricotta.
Served with crackers and crudite, it's an awesome snack.
A day after making it, I decided to do a simple dip per Rebecca's suggestion. I added a little salt and drizzled a very fruity early harvest olive oil on top. And OH MY GOD was that tasty.
I will say that the ricotta does need salt. I think we added 1 tablespoon to 1 gallon of milk. But once the salt is added, the ricotta is an amazing vehicle for flavor. The big thing is the texture. This is even better than ricotta we've found at the store and I LOOOOOVE that stuff. It's a light, airy, fluffy and creamy. There's definitely an ethereal quality to it that you don't get in regular ricotta.
Served with crackers and crudite, it's an awesome snack.
Monday, January 25, 2010
No Whey! Whey!
Ever since Rebecca said that she got a cheesemaking kit for Christmas, I’ve been dying to make cheese with her. Earlier in the week, she said she wanted to hang out and I promptly asked if she wanted to make cheese this Saturday? She said yes and away we all went. We decided to do the most basic type of cheese – ricotta. As we wanted to make great ricotta, we decided to go all pricey and get Strauss’ Organic Whole milk. At close to $5 for a half a gallon, it’s an investment, but for the amount of ricotta we got, it was definitely a steal.
We were all totally surprised to learn how easy it was to make ricotta. Anyone can do it. And while we used citric acid from Rebecca’s cheesemaking kit, you could just as easily use lemon juice (there are plenty of ricotta recipes using lemon juice).
So here’s the deal. To make ricotta, you will need:
A candy thermometer to track the temperature of the milk
A large pot (enough to hold a gallon of milk)
Cheesecloth and a strainer
Another large pot to strain the milk in
Citric acid (or lemon juice)
1 gallon of milk
Salt
In a large pot, add the salt and the citric acid to the milk.
Once mixed, warm the milk on medium until it reaches 195 degrees Fahrenheit. You need to stir constantly so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. At this temperature, the curds and the whey separate.
Let the mixture cook at that temperature for another few minutes and then let it cool. This will take forever which is why we gorged ourselves on fondue and salad with blue cheese dressing while we waited.
We were so excited about our ricotta success, we made a date to make mozzarella so we could have some more! Why? Well, the word "ricotta" is Italian for “cooked twice.” This is because ricotta is often made from the whey of mozzarella. Two for the price of one!
Other homemade cheeses on the list are paneer, feta, and chevre. Check back for more!
And PSST…anyone have a good supplier for organic sheep’s milk?
We were all totally surprised to learn how easy it was to make ricotta. Anyone can do it. And while we used citric acid from Rebecca’s cheesemaking kit, you could just as easily use lemon juice (there are plenty of ricotta recipes using lemon juice).
So here’s the deal. To make ricotta, you will need:
A candy thermometer to track the temperature of the milk
A large pot (enough to hold a gallon of milk)
Cheesecloth and a strainer
Another large pot to strain the milk in
Citric acid (or lemon juice)
1 gallon of milk
Salt
In a large pot, add the salt and the citric acid to the milk.
Once mixed, warm the milk on medium until it reaches 195 degrees Fahrenheit. You need to stir constantly so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. At this temperature, the curds and the whey separate.
Once the mixture cools to room temperature, pour the whole shebang in a colander lined with cheesecloth and suspended on top of a pot.
Let the liquid separate from the curds for a half an hour and then you have ricotta. It’s crazy easy.
We were so excited about our ricotta success, we made a date to make mozzarella so we could have some more! Why? Well, the word "ricotta" is Italian for “cooked twice.” This is because ricotta is often made from the whey of mozzarella. Two for the price of one!
Other homemade cheeses on the list are paneer, feta, and chevre. Check back for more!
And PSST…anyone have a good supplier for organic sheep’s milk?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
In the Kitchen: Making Fondue and Fresh Ricotta
Welcome to Cheese Friends, a group blog exploring and enjoying cheese. We're talking about cheeses we love, sharing recipes, and, every once in a while, making our own. Our first post is from Jonathan, Rebecca, and TC, friends who met in DC now living in the Bay area. We look forward to involving more of our cheese-loving friends as writers, tasters, and foragers. Find us on Twitter @cheesefriends and let us know if you have a cheese that makes you swoon.
We decided to kick off the blog by getting together for a night of fondue and cheese making. We wanted something to snack on while we made our first attempt at homemade ricotta so my husband TC and I thought it would be fun to surprise Rebecca by visiting Berkeley's Cheeseboard and gathering the ingredients for fondue.
The Cheeseboard Collective is our go-to place for cheese in the East Bay. The people who work here also own the place (a co-op) and we have always had informed help from their team as we look for cheeses we describe as everything from "grassy and soft but lighter on the salt and leaning towards funky" to "a blue that is friendly for people who love blue and people that are skeptical of blue but willing to try." We'll talk more about them later, but have a look at a few of their cases.
If it seems too thick, add a bit more wine and stir through
Transfer to fondue pot or bring the pot directly to the table for dipping
We served the fondue with a salad of crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes and a Point Reyes Blue Cheese dressing. Point Reyes Original Blue from Farmstead Cheese Company is a creamy blue with a big, flavorful, taste without much edge or sharpness. It's simply delicious crumbled on a salad and in dressing, Read an exhaustive article here.
Next Post: Making the Ricotta!
We decided to kick off the blog by getting together for a night of fondue and cheese making. We wanted something to snack on while we made our first attempt at homemade ricotta so my husband TC and I thought it would be fun to surprise Rebecca by visiting Berkeley's Cheeseboard and gathering the ingredients for fondue.
The Cheeseboard Collective is our go-to place for cheese in the East Bay. The people who work here also own the place (a co-op) and we have always had informed help from their team as we look for cheeses we describe as everything from "grassy and soft but lighter on the salt and leaning towards funky" to "a blue that is friendly for people who love blue and people that are skeptical of blue but willing to try." We'll talk more about them later, but have a look at a few of their cases.
We came to The Cheeseboard knowing we wanted to make fondue and familiar with the basics: wine, Emmentaler, Gruyere, and touches of garlic and nutmeg. We approached the counter and took a playing card from the stack. They called the "four of hearts" relatively quickly and we started the consultation.
The person helping us was familiar both with fondue recipes and proportions, verifying the approximate weights for a generous fondue for three with one of the other workers. She helped us select a Le Gruyere Cave Aged and Emmentaler from Switzerland, with the unexpected suggestion to add some Appenzeller (silver label aged 2-4 months). Fondue regulars would be less surprised, but this was new to us and a welcome addition with its sharpness and its fruity kick.
For the wine, we went with a Gewurztraminer. This was not a standard choice. Most fondues are made with a reliably dry wine and this California Gewurztraminer was not. It was a bit too sweet, but fairly weak so the sharpness of the cheeses tamped the sugar down a bit. Our meyer lemon juice from our backyard lemon tree had a nice bite as well so it all worked out.
Cheese Friends Fondue
1 clove garlic
1 cup dry white wine (plus some to thin as needed)
2 T lemon juice
3/4 lb Cave-aged Gruyere, 1/4 Emmentaler, 6 oz Appenzeller
1 T cornstarch
Nutmeg to taste (2 pinches)Pepper to taste (2 pinches)
Dippables:
Warm brown bread (or other thick, stout bread), blanched cauliflower florets, blanched green beans, sliced apples, sliced pears, whatever you like!Steps:
Peel garlic and rub inside of pot thoroughly.
Squeeze lemons and put 2T of lemon juice in a medium-size pot
Add wine and turn burner to medium heat (do not allow to boil)
Grate the cheese and toss it in the cornstarch
Add cheese 1/2 a cup or so at a time to wine/lemon juice
Raise the heat to medium high, stirring slowly to melt and combine
Add a few pinches of pepper and nutmeg (optional, but delicious)
Stir thoroughly until meltedIf it seems too thick, add a bit more wine and stir through
Transfer to fondue pot or bring the pot directly to the table for dipping
If it gets too thick or cools, just place it back on the heat
Enjoy!
We served the fondue with a salad of crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes and a Point Reyes Blue Cheese dressing. Point Reyes Original Blue from Farmstead Cheese Company is a creamy blue with a big, flavorful, taste without much edge or sharpness. It's simply delicious crumbled on a salad and in dressing, Read an exhaustive article here.
Next Post: Making the Ricotta!
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