Tag Archives: cheese

Cheese TM_CS_RAWMILK_AP_015

Raw Deal

How new FDA aging requirements may make your favorite cheese illegal

by

Believe it or not, there are some days when I welcome a lunch that smells like sweaty gym socks. At least that’s how Alex Greene, cheesemonger at Valley Shepherd Creamery, described the creamy, pungent block of Hudson Red he cut for me at the New Jersey cheesemakers’ Reading Terminal Market outpost in Philadelphia. But my days of stinky lunches could be numbered. The washed-rind, raw, cow’s-milk stinker is one of many that could be making its way onto the endangered species list — that is, if the government has its way.
MORE …

Forgotten Foods TM_HR_RAREBIT_FI_001

Rarebit Dreams

Exploring the nightmare-inducing, but oh-so-tasty, O.G. bachelor food

by

My father does not have an illustrious history with cooking. You wouldn’t know that looking at him in the kitchen now – when my grandmother’s health was failing, he studied with her so that he could make her classic desserts, like fluffy cream cake, spiraling jelly rolls, and not-too-sweet apple pies. But before that, I knew my father to have exactly one dish – Welsh rarebit.
MORE …

Madame Fromage TM_MF_DIGEST_FI_001

After Dinner Blues (and other cheesy pairings)

Why fromage and digestif is often better than dessert

by

Few things are lovelier than ending a meal with a spot of cheese. The French have done it for years without any trauma to their collective girth, which suggests that indulging in a morsel or two of cheese after supper, instead of a brownie sundae, just might be better for all of us. In fact, eating cheese at the end of a meal is supposed to be good for your teeth. Thank you, food scientist Harold McGee, for that important dental insight.

For after-dinner inspiration, try ordering a cheese course for dessert next time you go out. The Fountain Restaurant in Philadelphia is famous for its cheese cart, which is wheeled to each table like an elaborate pram; the Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan offers an impeccable assortment which sits, veiled, on a slate in its tavern dining room, so that’s it’s impossible not to steal furtive glances. Cheese after a meal should be so exquisite; it should arouse desire. MORE …

First Person

Adventures in Cheesemaking

One engineer's mishaps and misadventures on the road to mozzarella

by

It was Friday, one o’clock in the morning, four hours into my supposedly two-hour homemade mozzarella recipe, and I found myself standing before a pile of cheese more akin to a ball of warm cauliflower than an artisanal dairy product. The “cheese” crumbled between my fingers like wet sand, and when I cautiously sampled a pinch of my work all that came to mind was damp, salty cardboard.

My desire to make cheese arose from my desire to eat cheese. I have an old habit of researching foods I tend to eat, and that research often results in an attempt to recreate my favorite dishes at home. As a student of the sciences, I set out on my cheesemaking ordeal under the impression that if I could solve differential equations, analyze blood flow models, and pass a course titled “Chronobioengineering,” I would have no problem separating curds from whey to make a little cheese.
MORE …

Madame Fromage TM_MF_MILDBL_FI_001

Beginner Blues

Northern Italy produces a range of blues – and some are quite friendly

by

Most people who profess to hate blue cheese don’t know a thing about it. They see blue veins, and they turn their peacock heads toward the Jarlsberg display. What a pity. If only they would close their eyes and accept a spoonful of Gorgonzola Dolce, then they might think they were eating vanilla ice cream. Or if they accepted a morsel of Cremificato Verde Capra, they might mistake it for lemon frosting.

Not all blues are badasses. Some tread very, very lightly.
MORE …

Bookshelf

Mac Attack

Creative twists on a crowd-pleasing classic

by

I was 12 years old when I learned that macaroni and cheese didn’t have to come from a box. Until that point, mac and cheese was something that my mom bought occasionally and tucked away for those evenings when my sister and I were home with a babysitter. It was cheaper than a pizza and even a 15 year old with basic cooking skills could make it. We never had mac and cheese made from scratch because my mom could not bear to sit down to a meal that starred a dish made solely of noodles and cheese.

Then one night, an old friend of my parents’ came to visit, with four of her six children in tow. After a quick glance at our pantry, Lusana began to make a colossal batch of homemade macaroni and cheese to feed the kids. I watched in fascination as she made a creamy sauce, poured it over broken spaghetti noodles (it was what we had) and baked it until it bubbled and browned. A single bite and I was forever sold. MORE …

Madame Fromage TM_MF_TRIPLE_FI_001

The Truth About Triple Crème

Sexy cheeses for your Valentine's Day date

by

If there’s a cheese pairing associated with Valentine’s, it’s a glass of bubbly and a wedge of triple crème. Lovers who fall for this luxe combo tend to think of it as a supremely naughty indulgence – the apex of dairy gluttony. After all, “triple crème” suggests three times the fat of regular cheese.

Like Cupid, that’s a myth. Let me spread some beautiful truth: a hunk of hard cheese, like Pecorino or Parm, actually contains more fat by the pound than a wedge of runny Brie. That’s because there’s more moisture in soft cheese, meaning: more water. Hard cheese, on the other hand, is low in moisture and high in fat, making it far more decadent. MORE …

Madame Fromage TM_MF_PIEDM_FI_001

Fashion Plates

Glamorous cheeses from Piedmont

by

Lately, I’ve been dreaming about the cheeses of Piedmont. Like so many borderlands, this Italian region hugs France and sucks the marrow out of two cultures, fusing the best of both: namely, Italian vigor and French romance. Here, you’ll find operatic young goat cheeses rolled in flower buds, along with oozy Robiolias (think: robust Brie) swathed in leaves – fig, chestnut, or even cabbage.

It’s as if Versace had dressed these wheels.

Piedmont, which means “foot of the mountains,” produces more than 50 varieties of cheese, ten of which are labeled Protected Designation of Origin (DOP), a hard-to-garner marker that ensures quality and distinction. MORE …

Madame Fromage TM_MF_SWISS_FI_001

Swiss Power

Why Alpine cheeses pack so much punch – and serve a snack plate well

by

When I was a kid living back in the Midwest, my Swiss mother used to set out a cheese board every Sunday for lunch, along with crusty bread, cured meats, fruit, cornichons, and nuts. It connected her to her childhood, she always told us, but it served another purpose, too: real Swiss cheese was her end-of-the-week antidote to the many American products that made her scowl as the trolled the grocery, starting with Velveeta.

In our house, you had to eat Swiss cheese on Sundays. Or else. “The Frau,” as people often called our mother, taught us that strong flavors build strong character. MORE …

The Larder TM_TL_BECHA_FI_001

The Secret Sauce

Where French technique meets Rachael Ray

by

So many of my foundational food lessons came from family members. My grandma Bunny taught me about meringues, while my other grandmother showed me how to shove slivers of garlic into roast beef to enhance the flavor. My mom is responsible for my everyday food knowledge (along with my basic canning skills) and my dad shared everything he knew about fried eggs, pancakes, waffles and the art of the chocolate chip cookie.

I wish I could tell you that I learned to make béchamel and cheese sauces from an aunt or a kindly neighbor, but sadly, the truth is that all the credit for that particular skillset goes to Rachael Ray, circa 2002. MORE …

Madame Fromage TM_CH_SPAIN_FI_01

Spanish Class

Cheeses full of fall color and warm flavor

by

Right around the time I start digging out my sweaters, I begin to crave Spanish cheese. That’s because I associate Spain’s notoriously dense wheels with autumn smells – dry leaves, cool earth, a hint of wood smoke – and, especially, fall colors. A golden wheel of aged Mahon can be brighter than any maple, and a russet wheel of Ibores (rhymes with Delores) pops like neon pollen on new sidewalk.

Spanish cheeses take their color from spices like paprika, the source of Ibores’ rouge coat, and sometimes olive oil, which lends the surface of Mahon its characteristic dark gloss. Cheesemakers rub these ingredients into the rinds as the wheels age, a process that adds flavor – not just to the surface, but also to the paste as the spices slowly penetrate to the core. MORE …

Dispatches

Get Cultured

A glimpse at one of the country's funkiest festivals

by

Beer. Cheese. Kimchi. Wine. Sauerkraut. Some of the finest things in life are the handiwork of those beneficent microbes that bring the funk and flavor. The annual Fermentation Festival and “Meet The Makers” event in Kennett Square, Pa., sets out to celebrate this ancient culinary art. This year’s party drew brewers, cheesemakers, vintners and more to demonstrated their craft for the hungry, thirsty, and curious masses. Couldn’t make it? Here are some images captured at the this year’s festival, which happened over the weekend. And take a moment now to set a calendar reminder to check the schedule next September. You don’t want to miss it again.

580true dots bottomright 387false false 800http://tablematters.com/wp-content/plugins/thethe-image-slider/style/skins/frame-black
  • 5000 fade true 65 bottom 30
    Slide1
    On September 28, vendors from all over the region displayed their fermented food and drink products at the Fermentation Festival and "Meet the Makers" event in Kennett Square, Pa.
  • 5000 fade true 75 bottom 30
    Slide2
    Billy Rawstrom of Maiale Deli & Salumeria hands out samples of his Tuscan Salami during the festival. Rawstrom founded the handcrafted specialty sausage business four years ago, inspired by Armandino Batali's (yes, Mario's dad) store in Seattle.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide3
    Billy Rawstrom of Maiale Deli & Salumeria slices a version of his Tuscan Salami, made with ground pork, fennel, and red wine.
  • 5000 fade true 150 right 30
    Slide4
    Kristian Holbrook, cheesemaker at Doe Run Farms, prepares his Saint Malachi, a soft, white wine cheese made from cow's milk.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide5
    An assortment of cow's milk cheeses presented by Kristian Holbrook, the cheesemaker at Doe Run Farm in Coatesville, Pa.
  • 5000 fade true 75 bottom 30
    Slide6
    Molly Doran, a representative of Philadelphia's Art in the Age of Reproduction distillery, makes mixed drinks using their organic Snap spirit. The 80 proof spirit is distilled using blackstrap molasses and fresh ginger.
  • 5000 fade true 160 right 30
    Slide7
    Art in the Age of Reproduction mixes their Sage spirit and tonic for guests at the "Meet the Makers" event. Art in the Age refers to Sage as a "garden gin" with historical a nod to the types of plants found in Thomas Jefferson's garden at Monticello.
  • 5000 fade true 50 bottom 30
    Slide8
    Paul and Cheryl Schlenker of Media, Pa., enjoy the atmosphere during the "Meet the Makers" event.
  • 5000 fade true 75 bottom 30
    Slide9
    Steve Hobson (left) and Scott Birney (right) of the Sin City Band from West Grove, Pa., entertain guests with original music.
  • 5000 fade true 75 bottom 30
    Slide10
    Birchrun Hills Farm owner Sue Miller (right) and her cousin Ruth Statt (left) explain differences in the farm's cheeses. Miller and her husband have been dairy farming for 25 years in Chester Springs, Pa., recently adding cheese to their farm's products.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide11
    Ruth Statt holds a sample of Birchrun Hills Farm's Equinox, an alpine style cow's milk cheese.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide12
    The Fermentation Festival's "Meet the Makers" event is held on Sycamore Alley off State Street, across from the Kennett Square Farmers Market.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide13
    Frecon Farm representatives shares samples of their Grabby Granny and Hogshead hard ciders made with apples from their family-run orchard in Boyertown, Pa.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide14
    Hank Frecon of Frecon Farms mans the table of his family's hard apple cider and apple wine during the "Meet the Makers" festival in Kennett Square, Pa.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide15
    Kennett Square Farmers Market manager Abby Morgan buys Farmhouse Apple Cider as part of a gift for a friend's wedding.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide16
    Guests at the "Meet the Makers" event.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide17
    People enjoy the cool fall weather into the evening during the "Meet the Makers" event.
  • 5000 fade true 160 right 30
    Slide18
    Scott Rudich of Round Guys Brewing checks his phone between pours. Round Guys Brewing of Landsdale, Pa., was founded in 2008 by Rudich and friend Rich DiLiberto and now distributes to bars and restaurants throughout Pennsylvania.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide19
    Scott Rudich pours samples of Round Guy Brewing's strong Buh-Nana Hammock Saison and four-month-old Wild Eye Series Sour.
  • 5000 fade true 75 bottom 30
    Slide20
    Kaitlin Ricketts, farm manager of Meadowset Farm and Apiary, enjoys neighboring vendor Gerard Olson's Duke Pale Ale – a very dry, full tasting beer. Olson is the owner and brewer of Forest and Main's brewery and pub in Ambler, Pa.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide21
    Brian Fenstermacher purchases Fecor Farm's apple wine.
  • 5000 fade true 75 bottom 30
    Slide22
    Mary Hutchins (left) pours a glass of Hickerwood wine while Julie Wehner introduces guests to her family's winery. Started by her father Ron Zampogna in 2000, Flickerwood now features a wine cellar/lounge in Kane, Pa., and a tasting room in Kennett Square.
  • 5000 fade true 75 bottom 30
    Slide23
    Roger Powell (center) and son Steve Powell (center-right) wait to hear a guest's reaction to their Oaktoberfest beer. The father-son duo operate the 1.5 barrel Argilla Brewing in Newark, Del.
  • 5000 fade true 60 bottom 30
    Slide24
    Guests at "Meet the Makers" festival in Kennett Square, Pa.

Photos by Michael Bucher.

The Larder

Get Your Goat

Homemade cheese is easier than you think

by

I spent my pre-teen years entirely obsessed with the Little House on the Prairie books. I was enchanted by everything that Laura did, including feeding chickens, knitting woolen stocks and helping Ma with the mealtime chores. I longed to be trusted with similar levels of household responsibility. My one dinner-time charge, a nightly assignment to set the table with plates, plastic cups and paper napkins, hardly satisfy my fledgling pioneer spirit.

When I got older and had a kitchen of my own, I started pursuing cooking projects that started from the scratchiest scratch. I begged a bit of sourdough starter from a friend and learned how to make a respectable loaf using nothing but wild yeast to give it lift (though I’ve yet to grind my own flour in a coffee mill). I started canning (and we all know how that turned out). And I’ve even dipped a toe into the world of homemade cheese.

When I say I’ve made cheese, I don’t mean that I have a wheel of pressed cheddar, patiently aging in my coat closet. I’ve found that the quick cheeses are more my style. Ricotta, mozzarella and goat cheese are the trio you’ll find me making most often.

Now, living in Philadelphia means that I don’t have to make these cheeses. Just a few miles away, there are artisans who have worked for years to perfect their fresh cheeses and they are more than happy to sell me a slice or a scoop for a fair price. However, there’s nothing quite so satisfying as channeling your inner Laura and doing it yourself. And so, when I have the time, I like to perform a little culinary magic and make my own cheese.

Goat cheese is shockingly easy to make. The first time I tried it, when I was done, I looked around at the empty kitchen and said, “That’s it? Really?” MORE …