Category: Uncategorized

Cheeses from our Past

When we first started the cheese blog, we were detailed and whether we liked them or not. And now that we have tried so many, we are always trying to remember if we tried them or not.

Here’s are a few from a tasting years ago — I think Melissa and I went to at Whole Foods, Clarendon — free and utterly delicious:

Firefly Farms MD: Merrygoat Round & Buche Noir – goat so Wendell wouldn’t be a big fun, but recommended for people who are new to goat in the SlashFood blog.

Cherry Glenn MD: Monacasy Ash — Goat. Fun ash line through the center.

Old Chatham Sheepherding Co., NY: Nancy’s Camembert — black sheep cheese — because the kind of sheep make a difference. I like there slogan: “Fresh from a ewe near you.”

Meadow Creek Dairy, VA: Grayson — “Reminiscent of the Italian Taleggio”

And of course we had a cocktail in her honor:

Government (and our) offices were closed today & will be closed tomorrow.

The Sandy:

• 1 1/2 oz rum
• 1 oz cointreau
• 2 oz watermelon & ginger ice
• 2 oz orange, peach, and mango juice
• tangerine wedge

Will probably have another & watch Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers (until the power goes out)

 

Thanks to W’s brother who gets the Culture Cheese magazine subscription for him each year.

I’ve been entering for at least 3 years, so it was quite exciting to get the whole package.

It was Norwegian cheese, from Jarlsburg USA,  with accessories. We like the traditional Jarlsberg, a cow cheese we have had often, and we got about a pound of it.  It also included Snofrisk and Ski Queen Gjetost (yaytoast — has a flavor similar to tangy fudge — this blog, Cheesemonger’s Wife, describes it well). Both were goat cheeses. We got to enjoy it with some homemade, pickled veggies that we got from family at Christmas. The mustard was similar to a spicy, German mustard, and we haven’t opened the pricey, strawberry preserves yet.

And now the slate board  ($40) means we have one for the city (another family gift) and one for the country. The little cheese cooler will be handy, and the cute, little cheese knife that works quite well. The whole package was probably worth $150 or so.

Now we  you can win the next giveaway for the fall Culture magazine package.
• Yanni Grilling Cheese (plain and jalapeño-flavored)
• Hand- Braided String Cheese (plain, marinated, and smoked)
• Labne Kefir Cheese
• Basket Feta (green olive and sun-dried tomato–flavored)
• Plus, an insulated cooler, cheese knife and blade cutter, to-go coffee cup, spatula, and measuring cup.

This total package has a value of $120. Enter your name below for our November 30, 2012 drawing. No purchase necessary, you must be a US resident to enter.

 

On Sunday AT and I went to the Montpelier Mansion in Laurel. There was a woodturning demonstration there, and Jeff Bridges made AT a wooden goblet. It was interesting.

It started with a stick.

Then he started cutting it.

More cutting.

And more cutting.

They were from Chesapeake Woodturners.

And finally sanding.

And in minutes there was a goblet!

We were skeptical, but this 3-cheeese Emmental, Comté and Gruyère cheeses mixture melts into one another to form a thick and creamy fondue. No preservatives, but certainly not low-cal.  We split the container up into two, separate fondue parties, and that worked fine. Surprisingly smooth, and ready in under five minutes. La Fondue is available at Trader Joe’s 17.9 oz • $5.99.

Cowgirl Creamery has assembled paper bag fondue kits for under $20. It’s easy to make your own, but it was nice to have all the rinds removed and just exactly what you need – with no preservatives.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound Cave Aged Gruyere

1/2 pound Wagon Wheel

1 clove crushed garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine

salt & pepper to taste

Dice cheese into small cubes. Heat fondue pot, add crushed garlic clove. Deglaze with white wine. Sloly add cheese until meled and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat.

Served with cubed bread or raw veggies for dipping. Nice if you have  a small crockpot or fondue part to keep it warm.

It serves 4, so we split the recipe and did it a half at a time.