Up on Cripple Sprout Creek Farm

The Jersey and Guernsey cows have done me well at Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie, New York. They seem to do just about everything there from their wonderful creamery to their camp for children on local and sustainable farming. These grass-fed cows produce really tasty and very different cheeses.

Waking up early on a Sunday morning (something I almost never do) I was proudly the first at the door of the White Plains County Center indoor farmer’s market. I shoot right over to the Sprout Creek table where the woman is feeling chatty and extremely generous with her slices of cheese. Ignoring the Colgate fresh mint toothpaste that is still lingering in my mouth I try one of each of the seven cheeses she has…..and then repeat a few. I end up buying Barat which is a raw, hard cow’s milk cheese that is full of nut flavors. The white, cratered and flakey rind is aged and protects the cheese so that it can last for awhile. On the drier side, Barat would be good to shave over pasta or even better, polenta.

The second cheese was Batch 35. It was named due to the 35 tries it took for the cheese to get where the Cheese Makers thought it was closest to perfection. Aged for 60 days, this cow’s milk coppery colored cheese has an earthy and pungent taste. Balanced and still complex, the smoothness and softness makes it easy to eat this cheese anywhere and at anytime.
Raw cheeses seem to be the way to go. Buying locally, it is much easier to get cheeses that have not had added hormones or preservatives. No matter how inexperienced ones palate is, the freshness and authenticity of the cheese is obvious in unpasteurized cheeses. During the summer, Sprout Creek Farm gives classes on making cheese. I think it would be a really important learning experience for me and one that I am excited to partake in.

The next farmer’s market is March 15th. You can also visit the creamery market Wednesday thru Sunday.

http://www.sproutcreekfarm.org/

Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary is a symbol of loyalty, friendship and fidelity. It is also my favorite herb, one that reminds me of the Mediterranean. I love rosemary on just about anything from steak to fish to chicken and especially, cheese! So it is no surprise that I have found true love with this cheese, known as, Cabra al Romero. A firm goat milk cheese, Cabra al Romero is smothered in rosemary giving the paste a well balanced herbaceous flavor with a lemon finish. The texture is smooth, soft and almost clay like, making it really hard to have just one small piece. It is reminiscent of the Murica al Vino and with good reason. Cabra al Romero is made in La Mancha, Spain by Lorenzo, the same maker of the Murica al Vino. This relatively new cheese should be enjoyed with a lighter red wine, such as a Pinot Noir. I have definitely found a new friend that I plan on staying true and loyal to.

Gettin’ Edubacated

Monday night I went to a class, Cheese 101- Pairing Wine and Cheese at Artisanal Premium Cheese Center in Manhattan. Taught by the cheese man himself, Max McCalman gave us new ways to pair cheese with wine. When we got there, there was a spread of artisanal cheeses, fondue and Cava. We spent the first half hour drinking and eating while the staff prepared the classroom. When we finally entered the classroom a place setting was set up for each of us containing three different wines and seven different cheeses.

The three wines (left to right) were a 2007 Trimbach Alsace Riesling from France, a 2005 Menguante Carinena Garnacha from Spain and a French Merlot/ Cabernet 2006 Bordeaux Chateau Peychaud Cotes de Bourg (say that ten times fast, or even once). The pairing method was that first we tasted all of the wines. Then, we started with the cheese at 6 o’clock (moving clockwise) tasted it alone first and then with each wine, then moved on to the next cheese tasted it alone and then with each wine and so on and so on. The idea was to see which pair was harmonious and which were flops. Here are the cheeses that we ate in order:

1.) Queso de Aracena- This Spanish goat milk is raw with clay like texture. When you first bring it to your nose, the smell is much different then the initial taste or finish. I enjoyed it most with the Bordeaux. I think it will be hard to find this cheese since it is rarely exported.
2.) Queijo Serra da Estrela- It’s a little ironic that the Spanish word for, “I want” (Quiero) is very close to the name of this cheese because after one small bite I wanted more and more and more. Extremely oily, this cheese has a custardy texture and with a soft finish. For once I didn’t need any wine. The cheese stands alone!
3.) Robiola Rocchetta- Oh how I wish I were living in Piedmont, Italy so I could eat Robiola straight from the vat or hide in the caves and spoon it out while nobody is looking. This bloomy mixed milk cheese is absolutely exquisite. By the end I was licking it straight off the knife. I didn’t care who was looking.
4.) Tomme de Savoie- One of France’s oldest and most known cow milk cheese is the Tomme de Savoie. Made in the French Alps, the nutty flavor melts in your mouth and lingers for what you would wish would be eternity. This cheese needs a wine that can keep to its grandness which I didn’t think was provided at this particular tasting.
5.) Idiazabal- If I could swap my boyfriends cologne for the smell of the Idiazabal, I would. Extremely smoky, this cheese is lightly smoked over beechwood or cherry for 10 days. Because it is made from sheep’s milk and has a grainy texture, you are getting more nutrients and protein from this cheese. Hallelujah! Screw you protein shake!
6.) Prattigauer Beermat- This cheese from Switzerland (not Swiss cheese) comes in a range of colors with a very nutty flavor. The woman sitting next to me had a piece that was a beautiful orange, while mine was more yellow or cream colored. The Bordeaux was big enough for the cheese and maybe my favorite it terms of pairing.
7.) Fourme d’Ambert- This French blue cheese has a much more intense smell then taste. When I first gave it a whiff, my nose hairs screamed, but when tasting it, its earthy and smooth paste definitely reminded me of why my motto is “the bluer the better.” There were no wines that harmonized with this cheese. It needed a Sauterne or Moscato.

All in all, the class was a lot of fun and I learned many new things about tasting cheese and pairing cheese with wine. I will definitely go back for some more classes with Max. I also bought two of his books that he personalized and signed for me. I am now indefinitely entering the world of cheese.

Tapas Tapas Ta-Pas

The long awaited tapas party has come and gone. A sure success, we filled a small house with small plates of delicious traditional Spanish plates along with not so small wheels of traditional Spanish cheeses. After weeks of preparation and research, two cheese plates were made with some of the oldest and well-known cheeses of Spain.

First, was from the Manchega sheep, known as, Villajos Manchego. Hailing from La Mancha, Spain this firm cheese definitely has the gamey and grassy taste that sheep milk tends to lend us, but its sharpness is not at all overpowering. Alone, you can keep it, but paired with the infamous, Membrillo, a sticky quince paste and a Martinez Lacuesta Rioja turns out to be a Spanish pairing orgasm or as the Spaniards like to call it orgasmo.

Next, was a cheese that had one of the most wearable packaging I’ve seen yet. Torta de la Serena comes wrapped in a cotton cloth, that after a couple sips of Cava we were wearing around our heads. This unpasteurized semisoft sheep’s milk cheese comes from the Merino sheep in the region of La Serena. Eaten with a piece of chorizo and a sip of the wonderful Pado Florentino Tempranillo, you will be hollering, “Vive al queso!”

Taramundi Asturin is a cheese that was easy to forget. This mixed milk of cow and goat has a buttery texture and is ideal for melting or sauces. Fondue anyone??? It should be paired with a crisp white wine.

If I had to use one word to describe the Queso Cabrales it would be STRONG! Made from cow, sheep and goat milk, this ménagetuois of a cheese, lingers in every part of your mouth. The sweetness and acidity of a Moscatel and the fierceness of the Cabrales creates a smoothness of that of the tango.

Here are cheese and olive skewers I made. The olives are stuffed with lemon, hence the halved lemons used to hold them. Goya makes these and you can buy them at any grocery store in the Spanish aisle. They also make olives stuffed with anchovies. They are unbelievable. The cheese is a Spanish Murcia al Vino. I’ve talked about this cheese in previous blogs. Its soft and smooth texture complements the mild and sweet paste.

Due to the sweat, tears and hundreds of phone calls between my mother and I, I am forced to mention the other wonderful tapas that we created for this party.

Deviled eggs, which is where the sweat and tears came from. A lot of work, but well worth it. They not only look really good, but taste even better.

Like any good Spanish family, we had Jamón and plenty of it. For a long time I was truly scared of it. I’m not sure what I thought was going to happen, but I did have a few nightmares where it came alive. Now that has passed and I have embraced the Jamón as if it was one of my own.

All of the cheeses were purchased at http://www.latienda.com/ , an online market that sells specialty Spanish cheeses and other Spanish gourmet items. It is a great resource to learn about cheese and one that I visit quite often.

The Menu

Squid with Caramelized Onion
Traditional Catalan Flatbread
Baked Clams with Chorizo
Artichokes with Jamón
Deviled Eggs with Capers
Onion Confit Tartlets
Empanadas
Potato and Onion Tortilla
Meatballs in a Saffron Sauce
Shrimp in a Green Mayonnaise
Shrimp with Garlic
Cumin Carrot Salad
Pimento Cauliflower Salad
Chicken Thighs with Honey Sauce

Wine and Cheese Garden aka "The Macon”

Some of my friends might complain that I try to “teach” them things too often. But when it comes to “teaching” them about wine and cheese pairings they are most eager to learn. Visiting my dear friend Stephanie, I decided to bring a cheese plate with appropriate pairings. My friend Macon would also be there who had given me a brilliant idea a few weeks prior. Create a “Wine and Cheese Garden.”

The history behind it is that the three of us went to college together and used to love to go the Gilded Otter in New Paltz, NY to get the “Beer Garden.” We would sit there, each ordering a beer garden (or 2) and each drinking it in a different way. Stephanie, finishing an entire taste of one type of beer before going on to the next and Macon taking a small sip out of each and going around the circle as many times possible. What we all did the same was stumble out, full of giggles. Whenever we go back to visit, we always make a stop at the Gilded Otter for their “Beer Garden.” So now it was time to make a “WaCG.”

I wanted to travel the world with this garden and introduce them to wine and cheese they had never experienced before. We started off (left to right in photo) with a fresh Mozzarella from Casa Della Mozzarella in the Bronx. They are world renowned for their mozzarella and it is obvious why. Wet, clean, fresh and light, this mozzarella is what all mozzarellas should be like. I paired it with a clean fresh Prosecco, which turned out to be the groups least favorite pairing. After one bite of the mozzarella they became very bias towards the wine. Me, I liked it.

Next was the Bocconcino di Pura Capra (bocconcino means “little mouth” in Italian). From Piedmont, this small white disc, made from goats milk has a bloomy rind, with a buttery and melting pate. This was one was a big hit especially when tried with the 2004 Langhe Arneis white wine (also from Piedmont) that it was paired with.

Third was an aged Mahon from Spain. At this point people started really getting the hang of this and were giving a lot of feedback. Jonas stated, “My palate has been touched!” which sent the crowd rolling. A tad bit crumbly, dry and grainy, the Mahon left notes of sharp butterscotch. This cheese we had with a Campo Viejo Tempranillo. Absolutely mouth-watering! I am considering writing to Willy Wonka and telling him to get a Tempranillo river and to screw the chocolate one.

Last, but certainly not least in any way was the Roquefort. Covered in blue mold, this aged cheese was extremely creamy and potent. The strength of the cheese alarmed Dave, which put him off of it immediately. Definitely not the groups favorite cheese, however it did show a clear progression of milk types. This was paired with a sweet French Sauterne which balanced out the strength of the cheese.

This was a really great way to educate myself and my friends about cheeses. A fantastic time was had by all and we are planning the next one for the near future.

Eat Your Fruit!

With all the wine and cheese I consume it is important to make sure I get my fruit intake.

For anyone who enjoys cheese and wine then I have found the olive for you! Castelvetrano olives are an Italian olive from Sicily. Their beautiful bright green skin gives a fresh look, while their darker green flesh is meaty, soft with the perfect amount of saltiness. My favorite place to buy them is at Teitel Brothers on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. They scoop and scoop and scoop into a plastic bag until you say, “Stop!” My co-workers and I then rip the bag open, while everyone fights to get their hands on the “last olive” while moaning about how good they are (as if it’s the first time they’ve had them). The price is never too expensive and the olives are consistently luscious.

Gewürztraminer. (Or are you just happy to see me?)

So it seems that in the cheese world, Gewürztraminer is a popular pairing wine. Never having had it, I decided it was time to change that and so I went to Westchester Wine Warehouse and picked up a bottle of the Duckwalk’s Aphrodite Late Harvest Gewürztraminer. Typically from Germany, this Gewürztraminer is from none other than Long Island, NY. Keeping it local and getting to try this wine makes me very happy.

After work, I went home opened the bottle and put on Top Chef. As soon as I opened the bottle, the strong smell of honeysuckle created intense nostalgia of being a children and putting the small flower under our chins to see whether one liked butter or not. Sweet but not too sweet, this wine should be drank with dessert or cheeses (or in my case alone).

* The bottle is also very beautiful. When I am finished I am looking forward to making it a one bud vase.
** Suggestive cheeses to pair with this wine are: Munster Gerome, Great Hill Blue, Jasper Hill Winnimere, Appenzeller and Vacherin Mont d’Or.