Savor Culture

Spring has swept into Tennessee, bringing generous rainfall and an explosion of flowers and foliage (and allergies).  For this Fête, I want to celebrate some goodies that come from the Southeast.

One of the most prominent producers of artisan cheese in the Southeast is Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville, Georgia.  Founding owners Al and Desiree Wehner were already successful dairy farmers when they purchased Green Hill Dairy and a herd of Jerseys in 1993.  Their efforts to farm more sustainably led them to adopt New Zealand rotational grazing.  In 1995, the Wehners bought Sweet Hill Dairy and began keeping dairy goats.  All the while, Desiree was experimenting with cheesemaking, and the dairy’s 2000 entry into the world of artisan cheese received a lot of attention (and ACS recognition).  The couple’s daughter and her husband, Jessica and Jeremy Little, took over the cheesemaking business in 2003.

Sevenwood, a raw cow’s milk cheese, is washed in balsamic vinegar and aged for four to six months.  It carries the fragrance of hay and pasture and has a dry texture, crumbling gently between the teeth with the occasional crunch of grana.  To me, Sevenwood exhibits the quintessential flavor profile of American artisan, farmstead cow’s milk cheese: a little spicy, a little sweet, buttery, with a base note that lasts ’til next week.  Its fruity flavor releases sensations of white peppercorn and cumin, with hay and butterscotch lingering on the tongue. 

What, you may ask, would you dream up to drink with that?  I left it to the folks at Abita Brewing, and they came up with Strawberry Harvest Lager.  Made with Louisiana-grown strawberries, the seasonal lager is delicately perfumed and lively on the palate.  The pairing of cheese and beer was inspired by their special ingredients:  the combination of strawberries and balsamic vinegar, which makes a luscious dessert.  In this savory application, both cheese and beer seemed vibrant, creating a playful match that suits the springtime.

La Fête du Fromage is a monthly blogging event hosted by Loulou. All cheese lovers are encouraged to participate!

May 14th, 2009 by Danielle

This lovely hunk of goodness is a bloomy-rind, goat’s milk cheese called Gabriel.  Actually, it’s a goat-cow blend, as indicated by the yellow hue of its paste; pure goat’s milk cheese, lacking the carotene present in cow’s milk,  is snowy-white in color.  Gabriel is enriched with enough cow’s cream to bump it up to triple-cream status, meaning that more than 75% of its dry weight is butterfat.

Gabriel is among the excellent aged cheeses produced by Bittersweet Plantation in Gonzales, Louisiana.  Though I have purchased several of these cheeses in that neck of the woods, my first experience with Gabriel and the cow’s milk Fleur-de-Lis was during my fromagière days in Chicago.  I had never had such a luxurious goat’s milk cheese as this, as contrasting to chèvre as a rich vinaigrette is to straight vinegar.  It exhibits the caprine scents of chalk and hay, the characteristic tang and powdery texture of goat’s milk, but also has an earthy base note from the cow’s milk.  

This particular wheel of Gabriel had probably aged at least seven weeks (at any rate, its “expiration” date passed last week), causing its “goaty” characteristics to become more discernible.  In the past, I’ve enjoyed this cheese at five to six weeks, when its interior is soft and its flavor is pleasantly mild.  Gabriel’s ability to age gracefully is due to its dusting of vegetable ash under its rind; Evangeline, the ash-less version of this cheese, ripens at three to four weeks.  There are corresponding variations in cow’s milk, as well: Fleur-de-Teche (ashed) and Fleur-de-Lis (unashed, and sublime!).

As enjoyable as the cheese is on its own, my appreciation for it increased upon learning more about Bittersweet Plantation Dairy.  The cheesemaking operation is a part of the empire of  Chef John Folse, a man who is actively involved in Louisiana’s cuisine and culture.  He seems to have a finger in every pot this side of the bayou, from a culinary school and his own production facility to television and radio shows and of course, cookbooks (a copy of Folse’s Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine is among my own cookbook collection).  

In this interview, Chef Folse discusses his reasons for opening Bittersweet Plantation Dairy in 2002: to revive and expand the tradition of small-scale cheesemaking in the Bayou State.  Their fresh products, such as Creole Cream Cheese and Bulgarian-style yogurts, evoke the traditional cheese that would have been produced in Louisiana’s warm climate; their portfolio of aged cheeses reflects the tremendous growth of the American artisan cheese movement.  Chef Folse’s commitment to keeping our culinary traditions vibrant and relevant is inspiring, and I look forward to visiting Bittersweet Plantation on a future visit to Louisiana.

To spare you Evangeline’s lifelong search for Gabriel, check Bittersweet Plantation’s website for a list of retailers and online ordering.  In addition to the aged cheeses, seek out the dairy’s yogurt; the Sugar & Vanilla flavor is outstanding, with the fine texture and balanced sweetness of a delicate dessert sauce.  Yum!

La Fête du Fromage is a monthly, international blogging event hosted by Chez Loulou.  Join us by writing about cheese and sending your link to Loulou by the 13th of the month.  Visit Chez Loulou for the roundup on the 15th of every month.

Apr 13th, 2009 by Danielle

I changed my selection for January’s Fête du Fromage based on the preference of my dad for Dutch Double-Cream Gouda.  I figured, if it’s good enough for The Dad, it’s good enough for us!

While many of us are familiar with double- and triple-cream varieties of soft-ripened cheeses, it is more unusual to find examples in other styles of cheese. Perhaps we associate the oozing character of a double-cream brie with its butterfat content (over 60%); in fact, that loose texture has is due to the high proportion of water in the cheese, not cream or butterfat. For this reason, butterfat content is expressed as a percentage of fat in dry matter (matière grasse), disregarding the proportion of water in the cheese.

Okay, let’s drop the books and experience the cheese!  What does the extra cream do for us?  In this Gouda, it imparts a luxurious, supple texture that melts beautifully and pairs well with a variety of assertive flavors.  Because the cheese is aged for only six months, its flavor is mellow, with only a hint of tanginess.  

Like most young’uns, this cheese seems timid and inexpressive when it’s cold and alone.  However, warmed up and given a playmate like fruit preserves, olive tapenade, or sun-dried tomatoes, Double-Cream Gouda is ready to charm.  Imagine piling thin slices of this cheese on thick rye bread, popping it under the broiler for a few minutes, and slapping it down next to a steaming bowl of tomato bisque.  Sensational!

Double-Cream Gouda is available at Trader Joe’s stores, and can also be found at cheese purveyors (just ask for Roomkaas).

La Fête du Fromage is a monthly blogging event hosted by Loulou. All cheese lovers are encouraged to participate!

Jan 15th, 2009 by Danielle

Wonderful Husband Charles and I have moved to my old stomping ground in Middle Tennessee. Among the personal and professional reasons was my desire to help in opening the new Nashville location of Trader Joe’s, where I am a crew member. In honor of our opening day this Friday, I would like to share some of my favorite products and tips to enhance your shopping at Trader Joe’s!

We’ll start in the cheese section, where you’ll find a variety of imported and domestic wedges at competitive prices.  The cheese that I purchase most often, and which makes tasters’ eyes roll back, is Emmi Cave Aged Gruyere from Switzerland.  TJ’s Cave Aged Blue, a domestic cow’s milk blue, compares favorably to Maytag Blue (particularly in price).  Traditional French Brie, though pasteurized, is aromatic and full-flavored.  Goudas are available in double-cream cow’s milk, 100% sheep’s milk, and 100% goat’s milk varieties. There are also plenty of fun cheeses for snacking or partying: try English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions, Seriously Seeded English Cheese, or White Stilton with Apricots and Dates.  You also can’t go wrong with three-year-old Vermont Cheddar, which is available in limited quantity.  

To accompany your cheese, I recommend a fresh, artisan-baked loaf of Peasant Bread. TJ’s Water Crackers with flax seeds are great with semi-firm cheeses, and Dare Vinta crackers are WH Charles’s choice for snacking. TJ’s French Toasts, though dry on their own, perfectly complement soft and blue cheeses.

The Dairy section has several products that turn my head, particularly the six-packs of creamy yogurts, available in strawberry/banana and vanilla/blueberry combinations.  Normally, I’m a yogurt purist, but those little cups are divine… better than a milkshake, for my money!  My favorite breakfast yogurt is Whole Milk European Style Yogurt, made with only organic milk and cultures.  I also indulge in Fage Greek Yogurt with Honey, which I’ve enjoyed guilt-free since realizing that it’s made in New York, not shipped from Greece.  Whew!

What goes with plain yogurt?  How about Trek Mix Granola?  Purple box or blue– both are delicious!  I also love trek mix sans granola– So Fruity, So Nutty and Oh My! Omega are my favorites (bonus points for fun punctuation).  Among the nuts, the 50% Less Salt varieties get my vote, especially the cashews and the new Dry Roasted Mixed Nuts.  I also like my nuts in spreadable form: TJ’s Raw Crunchy Almond Butter is indispensable.

In the world of munchies, it doesn’t get much better than TJ’s Organic Unsalted Tortilla Chips with Salsa Autentica.  Unless, of course, you picked up a Guacamole Kit from the produce section and added Hatch Valley Green Chiles from New Mexico.  

Of course, sometimes we cook actual meals, for which we keep such staples as California Estate EVOO, Jasmine and Basmati Rice, Sesame Oil, Gold Label Balsamic Vinegar, cans of Organic Garbanzo Beans, and cartons of Vegetable Broth.  Withdrawal symptoms are setting in for the fresh-cut Southern Greens Blend, which I like to stew with canned Cannellini Beans.  TJ’s Harvest Grains Blend makes a versatile side dish, especially with fall vegetables.  TJ’s Cuban Black Beans are ready to pair with fajitas or fill Handmade Whole Wheat Tortillas with other burrito goodies.  And we always have a jar of Rustico pasta sauce, just waiting for the night when we can’t be bothered to cook anything else.  

My sweet tooth loves this time of year, when the crew get to taste the new holiday items! Look for the drool-worthy Dark Chocolate Caramels with Sea Salt– and buy five boxes, as they’ll disappear by January. Make friends at work by bringing in a box of Peppermint Joe Joe’s. But be careful giving limited-time gifts like Dark Chocolate Almond Bark, lest the recipient crave it ten months a year when it isn’t available (right, Mom?).

I could go on, but I’d miss the Friday morning ribbon-cutting for the new store.  I’ll be waiting in line at some point tomorrow, with a cart full of the goodies listed above and more!  Come on down for a visit if you’re in the Nashville area.

Trader Joe’s #664
3909 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville, TN 37215
615.297.6560

Nov 7th, 2008 by Danielle

Formaggio Kitchen piles it high.

 
Our recent trip to Boston included a visit to a revered institution in Cambridge, populated with model specimens from home and abroad.  I speak, of course, of Formaggio Kitchen, one of America’s pioneering purveyors of gourmet foodstuffs.  Now in its thirtieth year, FK offers a bounty of fresh produce, breads and pastries, beverages and wines, tea and coffee, chocolates, jams, pastas, oils and vinegars, sauces… and of course, cheese.

There’s no need to stoop as you peruse the impressive collection of domestic and imported cheeses: the aged wheels are arranged neatly at eye level, atop the refrigerated cases that house the more perishable soft cheeses and hams, terrines, and sausages.  Everything is beautifully trimmed and faced, the freshness of the cheeses a testament to the store’s high turnover.  Because the cheeses are kept at room temperature, their fragrances and flavors are readily apparent; reach out, pick up one of the hundreds, and take a deep sniff.  If it appeals to you, ask for a taste!  

Each item is labelled with a descriptive tag, filled with handwritten phrases such as, “palate-coating texture,” and “a hint of oystery brine.”  However, you won’t need your reading glasses, as several knowledgeable, friendly cheesemongers are likely to be close at hand.  We appreciated the personal attention that we received, as one cheesemonger provided samples of our requested cheeses, recommended her favorite gouda, and made sure we had everything we needed before helping her next customer.  

While representing several New England artisan producers, the cheese assortment at Formaggio Kitchen is notable for its imported varieties, including many small-production and seldom-exported cheeses from Europe.  Examples include Comté of four ages from Marcel Petite; Stichelton, a blue similar to Stilton, but made with raw milk; Taupinière, a unique goat’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley, which is recommended by Loulou; cheeses from Austria and Germany that you won’t find anywhere else in the US.  In their mail order catalog, owners Ihsan and Valerie Gurdal also highlight producers who utilize sustainable, organic, or biodynamic practices in the creation of their foodstuffs.

Here are the cheeses that we selected during our visit to Formaggio Kitchen:

Reypenaer VSOP, a cow’s milk gouda aged eighteen months from the Netherlands.  Deep and robust, with flavors of browned pie crust, butter toffee, and roasted root vegetables.

Tomme Fedou, a cellar-aged, sheep’s milk wheel from Languedoc-Rousillon, France.  Semi-firm, with sharpness of pine sap and a full, nutty flavor. 

Charmoix, a washed-rind, raw cow’s milk from a Belgian cooperative (read more here!).

I’d love to return to Formaggio Kitchen regularly, as a good number of their 300 varieties of cheese are unfamiliar to me.  However, our visit to Boston was a last hurrah before leaving New England.  We’ve moved to middle Tennessee, where I plan to make my own regional cheese discoveries, and to progress in cheesemaking at home.  I do have, however, a copy of Formaggio Kitchen’s current mail order catalog, which I heartily recommend as excellent bedtime reading.  You can also order from their online store, of course– but a catalog can be placed conspicuously on the table, where your loved ones are sure to see it (Wonderful Husband Charles, are you paying attention?).

Formaggio Kitchen
244 Huron Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
617.354.4750

Satellite locations in Boston and New York City.

Oct 23rd, 2008 by Danielle