HOUSE OF CHEESE

Wedding and Special Event Cakes Made With Whole Cheeses

Photo by Keith Pomakis on 2006-08-19.

Bon Appitite / September 2007

By: Chef Scott Boswell of Stella! in New Orleans

INGREDIENTS 

8 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 thin prosciutto slices

2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces baby arugula
6 sweet firm red plums (such as Burgundies or Satsumas), halved, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh mint (for garnish)

PREPARATION

Roll cheese into 1-inch-thick log about 10 inches long. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut log crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Wrap each piece with prosciutto.

Whisk vinegar, shallot, mustard, and honey in medium bowl; gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add arugula; toss to coat. Divide plums and prosciutto-wrapped goat cheese pieces among plates. Place dressed arugula alongside; garnish with mint.

Makes 6 servings

From www.Wikipedia.com

Casu marzu (also called casu modde, casu cundhídu, or in Italian formaggio marcio) is a cheese found in Sardina, Italy notable for being riddled with live insect larvae. Casu marzumeans “rotten cheese” in Sardinia and is known colloquially as maggot cheese.

Derived from Pecorino Sardo, casu marzu goes beyond typical fermentation to a stage most would consider decomposition brought about by the digestive action of the larvae of the cheese fly Piophila casei. These larvae are deliberately introduced to the cheese, promoting an advanced level of fermentation and breaking down of the cheese’s fats. The texture of the cheese becomes very soft, with some liquid (called lagrima, from the Sardinian for “tears” seeping out. The larvae themselves appear as translucent white worms, about 8 mm (1/3 inch) long. When disturbed, the larvae can jump for distances up to 15 cm (6 inches), prompting recommendations of eye protection for those eating the cheese. Some people clear the larvae from the cheese before consuming; others do not.

Yaroslav Trofimov, in the August 23, 2000 edition of The Wall Street Journal, describes the cheese as “a viscous, pungent goo that burns the tongue and can affect other parts of the body”. Susan Herrmann Loomis reports an encounter (in a 2002 Bon Appétit article)

An Armed Robber is Stopped by Offers of Wine, Cheese and Hugs
from www.LiveLeak.com 

 From www.thenibble.com  

Equinox Organic Maple Flakes are a ground-breaking product: an exquisitely sophisticated, dehydrated form of maple syrup. Like magic (but with a lot of technology instead of a wand), organic maple syrup is turned into crunchy maple flakes that add the sweet taste of maple to food and beverages. At just 7.5 calories per teaspoon, the Maple Flakes are less than half the calories of regular sugar, brown sugar and maple syrup, and one-third the calories of honey. They are certified organic and kosher.

read the article

Photo from www.dkimages.com

1801 Haight St
San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone: (415) 386-7670
Fax: (415) 386-0417 

I recently vacationed in San Francisco and ate at this fun, funky restaurant in the Haight Ashbury district. 

Cha Cha Cha serves Latin and Caribbean food such as fried calamari, black beans and rice, Cajun shrimp, and BBQ chicken or pork quesadillas. Sandwiches offered include steak, Cajun fish along with burgers and a variety of desserts. This restaurant also has full bar. Delicious Sangria by the pitcher. Festive and Funky decor and friendly waitstaff.

My friend and I ordered 4 tapas dishes expecting them to be small. They weren’t. The portions were huge and we had plenty leftover to take back to the hotel with us. We had quesadillas (the salsa and guacamole were fantastic), rice and beans (cleaned the plate), jerk chicken (yummy), and grilled chicken in a mustard cream sauce (also very good). The sangria was fantastic and if it wasn’t 1:00 in the afternoon I would have downed another two pitchers. I found the prices to be inexpensive compared to other places in San Fran and I loved the eclectic decor. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting the city.

From the article by AMANDA RIVKIN, Associated Press Writer

Manuel Maldonado’s Iberian ham is the best ham in the world because it comes from the best pig in the world.  Maldonado pampers his pigs with a free-range lifestyle and top-quality diet of acorns before slaughtering them, then curing the meat for two years — twice as long as his competitors.

For four generations, Maldonado’s family has been making ham from high-quality hogs in his town Alburquerque in Spain’s southwest Extremadura region.

His salt-cured ham costs about $2,100 per leg, or $160 per pound. It’s a price believed to make it the most expensive ham in the world.

Read the Article

The 6th Annual Miami International Wine Fair presented by INFINITIand benefiting the American Red Cross will open its doors at the Miami Beach Convention Center to thousands of wine trade professionals and avid wine aficionados during the second weekend of September 2007. Returning to a three-day format to better serve the interests of Florida’s growing wine industry (Florida is the 2nd largest market in the country with $1.8 Billion in sales), the Fair’s Grand Tasting will welcome the General Public on Saturday and Sunday evening, while business-to-business meetings will be held on Saturday, Sunday and Monday afternoon.

The more than 5,000 attendees expected will be able to taste nearly 1,000 wines from 15 countries paired with culinary delights served by some of South Florida’s finest restaurants. This year’s program will also include a larger and more spectacular VIP section (also known as the Collectors’ Club), a comprehensive seminar program, including guided tastings for beginners and connoisseurs alike, and South Florida’s 2nd Annual Wine & Food Pairing Competition, a one-of-a-kind culinary challenge that will bring together the region’s leading chef & sommelier teams.

One of the largest wine exhibits in America, the Miami International Wine Fair has become the leading commercial platform for boutique wineries from around the world with limited-production wines available only in a handful of fine restaurants and specialized retail shops.

Buy Tickets Now

Miami Intl. Wine Fair
1680 Michigan
Ave. Suite 700
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Phone: 1-305-777-2255
Toll Free: 1-866-887-WINE
Fax: 1-866-229-3031

From www.miamiwinefair.com

AMERICAN CHEESE SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE
As an avid cheesehead I was thrilled that the ACS were returning to my home state of Vermont for their conference this year. My wife and I eagerly anticipated the event, which was packed full of seminars, tastings and of course the oppurtunity to meet with some of America’s best cheesemakers. We were not to be disappointed………
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 1ST
We had a wonderful evening of cheese and food at the delightful Essex Inn, courtesy of the Great Cheeses of New England. Here we mingled with the great cheesemakers from Cabot, Grafton and Cato Corner, and sampled delicious appetizers made with their finest cheeses. A French Onion Soup was finished with Grafton maple Smoked Cheddar, whilst one of Vermonts other specialties, smoked bacon, nestled atop a fondue of the powerful Hooligan cheese. Thankfully Harpoon Brewery were at hand to offer a selection of their finest hand-crafted beers to wash it down with.
Then came the main event: a four course extravagnza, each highlighting the undeniable quality of New England cheeses. The dishes had been prepared by the students of the New England Culinary Institute, and were first class! Our first dish was Peppercorn-Crusted Pan Seared Scallops, served over a Great Hill Blue Cheese, Brandy and Pancetta studded Fondue with Frizzled Spring Leek.
The second course arrived as the room was still raving about the starter. Fire Grilled Beef Tenderloin, served with a Cabot Vintage Reserve Cheddar & Wild Mushroom Risotto. The plate was finished with my favorite, white truffle oil.
After that heavy-hitter we were treated to a refreshing salad of Boston Bibb and Asian Pear Carpaccio. This was topped with Smith’s Farmstead Aged Gouda and a drizzle of 25 year old balsamic Vinegar. This lovely course really cleansed our palette just in time for my wife’s favorite course - dessert!
Vermont Butter and Cheese produce consistently high quality products, and their mascarpone was the focus of our final dish. Served with a Key Lime Pie martini, the mascarpone was a perfect pairing, and was a great finish to a wonderful meal.

THURSDAY AUGUST 2ND
The day began with a lovely stroll around charming Burlington. Despite the unusually high temperatures, we really enjoyed our urban hike, and knew that we had to build up an appetite for the deluge of cheese to come. Our first seminar focused on the future and success of American Artisanal Cheeses, and featured a variety of speakers. Whilst my wife and I first discovered the joy of farmstead cheeses during extensive visits to Europe, we do everything we can to support our great cheesemakers here in the US, and were thrilled to hear that this years competition had over 1,200 entries! The only stumbling block I see to American artisanal cheese continuing to grow is the ease of access, although now there are some great websites offering many of the cheeses we tasted here at the show. Great for those of us that don’t live in New York City!
After Lunch we were lucky enough to have the books we’d purchased signed by our favorite cheese authority, Laura Werlin. Her knowledge, passion and enthuiasm are unrivalled, and it was a real pleasure meeting her. We skipped the afternoon seminars, as they were mostly scientific, and instead headed over to the stunning Shelburne Farms a little early ahead of the evening reception. If you are ever in this are you simply must go visit. This is a truly spectacular farm in the most beautiful of settings.(Their cheese is pretty spectacular too!) Here is their website: http://www.shelburnefarms.org
The reception was held in the gigantic breeding barn, and their were over 50 Vermont cheesemakers on hand sampling their carefully created delights. I feel bad about missing anyone out, but the standouts for us at least were Neighbourly Farms organic cheeses, Tarentaise, Great Hill Blue, Orb Weaver Farm, Cambridge Reserve by West River Creamery, Blythedale Camembert, Jasper Hill Dairy, Smith’s Gouda, Bridgid’s Abbey, and of course Shelburne Farm Aged Cheddar.

It was a great evening with live music, drinks a plenty, and Vermonts finest!

More to follow………

- Paul

I’ve always like prosciutto, but recently I found this amazing brand that is actually produced in Iowa.  It’s called La Quercia and they produce artisan cured meats in the traditional Italian style, but are very strict about not using hormones or antibiotics, as well as sourcing free-range pigs.  There are no nitrates, nitrite, or preservatives in any of their products.  They even use Heirloom Berkshire breeds in some of their premium offerings.

I’ve only tried two of the products from their line: the sliced prosciutto and the block of spiced prosciutto piccante.  Each one was incredibly tender and flavorful.  The fat ring on the proscuitto melted easily once I began to eat it.  The meat is pure and delicious, without being overwhelmed by salt.  What impressed me the very most is the tenderness of the presliced prosciutto; normally I find prepackaged slices to be a bit drier and chewy than freshly sliced prosciutto, but these were exceptionally supple.  I would have thought they were straight off the knife.

The block of prosciutto piccante is also exceptionally tender, but it is designed more for cooking.  Rubbed with red pepper and fennel, it’s perfect for putting through the meat grinder and adding extra flavor to homemade sausages.  I have a bit left I’m planning on using as part of a stuffing for peppers.

La Quercia also offers guanciale, which I would love to try.  I’ve previously had Niman Ranch’s guanciale, which is also very good.  But Niman Ranch’s guanciale is heavily spiced and seasoned, so I’d like to see how the pure porkiness of La Quercia’s holds up.  Guanciale is my preferred topping for pizza with goat cheese and rosemary, much to the dismay of my cardiologist, and I’m always excited to try a new brand of it.  Other hog-wild swine-enthusiasts should at least give the prosciutto a shot.

Nick.