How Cheesey Is My Valley?
The writing on the wall says it all.
Wisconsin, as mentioned in an earlier blog post, is America’s Dairy Land. No doubt about it. They make a lot of cheese there and there is no lack of talent. Among those talents are Sid Cook, head cheese maker at Carr Valley Cheese Company. As a dairy that has survived over 100 years of operation and with Sid, as a 4th generation cheese maker who has won numerous awards, they have a pretty good grasp of what they’re doing. (more…)
Fall & Holiday Recipe File
This inspires us to cook at home.
Now that it’s finally started to snow and be a proper winter, you’re more likely to cook and stay in. As indicated in an earlier post we include a recipe in almost every single e-mail that we send out to inform folks about special events and products at Farmstead and La Laiterie. We try to utilize ingredients and items that are fresh and at their peak when we share these recipes. If you would like to receive these emails please sign up here and we’ll be happy to have you aboard. We hope that these recipes inspire you to get more properly acquainted with your stove. Enjoy! (more…)
Aux Canada!
There are a lot of fine foods in the world. If you’re obsessed, like we are, about finding the best specialty foods the universe has to offer, you’ll see, and hopefully, taste it all. You’ll sample 25 year-old balsamic vinegar, top of the line honey from far off locales and exotic spices that add excitement to your foods. Many of these foods come from Europe: they are wonderful and have a definite “je ne sais quoi” mystique about them, but at the same time they are rooted firmly in the Old World.
The Holy Trinity of Quebecois ingredients.
Enter Société-Orignal, a firm from Montreal that promotes top-tier New World products. They argue, quite passionately, that because many of us in North America are of European descent, our traditions and tastes are linked back to the “old country” and therefore, aren’t truly our own. So why not take inspiration from those high-quality, far-away foods that we love, and create our own versions of them here, utilizing the best North American produce available, and adding our own North American twist. (more…)
Different Takes on the Same Thing
Montgomery on the left. Cabot on the right. Both delicious.
Cheddar! As Monty Python reminds us it is the “single most popular cheese in the world!” Regrettably, the term cheddar gets bandied about like a worn out soccer ball. For ages there were no hard and fast rules about what made a cheese cheddar or not. Everything from spray cheese to Kraft processed cheese could be called a cheddar. Though we carry a few different types of cheddar here, all of which are good in their own way, the type of cheddar that we love so much here at Farmstead is made in the English farmhouse tradition. This type of Cheddar is typically wrapped in cloth and aged for a year or more in a humid, yet airy, cave or cave-like environment. Currently we have two great examples of this style of cheese. One is a true English cloth-bound cheddar called Montgomery’s. The other is a domestic upstart called Cabot Clothbound. We had two of our mongers, Thomas and Darren try them and convey why these cheeses are so wonderful and satisfying.
Wisconsin Wednesday: Thomas’ Adventures in Dairy Land
Hello, Wisconson!
I am a New Englander through and through. I’ve lived within this 6 state region for virtually all my life. I grew up in rural eastern Connecticut, literally, next to a cow pasture and down the street from a premier artisan cheese producer, Cato Corner Farm. I’ve lived in Vermont, where dairy is a vital part of the state economy, so much so that the expiration of the Northeast Dairy Compact had devastating effects on family farms. I thought I had a pretty good bead on what it was like to live in an area that had a vibrant agricultural tradition. This agricultural tradition is nothing compared to the acre upon acre of corn, wheat and dairy farms that I witnessed on a recent visit to Wisconsin and the Midwest. Sure I’ve driven through California and seen the fields of, well, everything. But that’s California. Where they have a 12 month growing season.
Crackers (Italian Style)
Little Ragghi's are big on taste!
Even before bread, crackers seem to be the first item to come to mind when thinking of things to go with cheese. They can add a satisfying crunch and a nice textural flair to your cheese selection. Whether you’re looking for something fairly neutral or something with a robust flavor, we’ve got you covered. There are many crackers out there with different styles, different flavors and different textures. But Italian style crackers, with a bit of rusticity to them and a hearty crunch are among our favorites. (more…)
Totes My Goats!
These are goats getting toted.
September is when everything interesting starts to arrive in the shop. All the cheeses that have been set aside for aging to get us through the winter months start rearing their heads. Notably, sheep season begins. The first of the larger, aged sheep milk cheeses are finally ready for consumption. Also, this is the time when we start bulking up for the holidays at Farmstead. To that bulk we’ve added quite a few cheeses from our goat’s milk producing friends, notably Twig Farm in Vermont and Capriole in Indiana.
End of Summer Recipe File
Ah, summer!
The final days of Summer are here. The good thing, for us at least, is that a lot of seasonal cheese producers are getting their first batches into our shop and then to you. The sad thing is that with the harvest right on top of us, a lot of the produce that we’re joyous about the Summer for will soon be gone or coming in from beyond our borders. It’s ok, it’s just the cycle ever repeating itself. For those of you who may not subscribe to our periodic newsletter, every email we send, we try to include a recipe featuring new produce, cheese or what we’re in to at that particular moment. We have decided to compile these Summer recipes into a convenient file for you to reference. Though some of the produce may not be available or at it’s freshest, you’re still welcome to make these recipes with slight substitutions or save them for a later date. So without further ado, here we go!
Ricotta: The not-really-a-cheese cheese
Ricotta is a, sometimes, misunderstood dairy product. Ricotta means, in the Italian, re-cooked. Technically it’s not really a cheese. It’s a coagulation of albumin and globulin, proteins found in the whey after a primary cheese has been made. Basically, it’s making the most out of what you got. For most of us, we’re familiar with ricotta in it’s creamy spreadable state, but it is, and can be, so much more.
Ricotta in the basket
Let’s Talk Condiments
McClure's Spicy Relish, made from McClure's Spicy Pickles!
Recently, we discussed sweet spreadables. But with barbecue season going full steam ahead, we thought it would be prudent to talk about a few of the tasty and savory items that we have available here at Farmstead. While Americans do love food from the grill, we love putting condiments on it even more. Join us as we delve into the wonderful world of relish, mustard, chutney and, of course, the king of them all, ketchup. (more…)