BostonZest

Do You Have a Signature Dish that You Bring to Food Gatherings?

Do you have a signature dish? Is there something that you are often asked to bring to a potluck or holiday meal? Or, are you trying to think about what you might take to an upcoming event?

I've been considering my tabouli with chickpeas. It is best made ahead. It will be a complete protein for vegetarians, a boon to those trying to eat fewer calories, and it's delicious. 

Food Gathering Season

We are about to step into the season of food gatherings. Thanksgiving dinners, potluck suppers, cookie swaps, open houses, Hanukkah celebrations, Feasts of the Seven Fishes, Christmas meals, and New Years rites all have food traditions that we follow. 

Today, many of these events are cooperative efforts. While a few hosting families may insist on doing the whole thing, more often than not, an offer to bring something will be met with a sigh of relief. 

Our friend Bob Oppenheim is assigned the vegetable side dishes for his family’s holiday table. He jokes that this is because the vegetables are the most work. But, it may also be that dishes like his roasted root vegetables have become a favorite among the folks at these events with even fussy eaters finding something they love in the mix.

Here's our post: Roasted Root Vegetables: Treasure for the Busy Cook

What's Your Talent?

If you’ve mastered artisan bread baking, you could bring the bread and rolls for the meal. If you’ve preserved the foods from your garden, you might offer a relish tray of pickles and chutneys.

In my family, Uncle Freddie brought the pies. He was a great baker and his raisin pie was legendary. Not every cook is a good baker, so pies and cakes are often delegated to those with a talent for sweets.  

Contributions for Non-Cooks

Dessert offerings are also a great choice for someone who doesn’t cook. Those who don’t cook at all often know the best places to shop for very good prepared foods. A pie, cake, or tray of cookies is relatively easy to transport, even on the MBTA, and is one less task for the hostess. 

 

Another option for the non-cook to offer is a cheese platter or a large wedge of a special cheese. One reason I often suggest a large wedge instead of an assortment is that it can make for a great presentation, even after a few people have feasted on it. And, it's easier to pack up and put away in good condition after the meal. I would suggest something like Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Moliterno al Tartufo, or a wheel of a semi-soft cheese. 

Let us know what you're asked to bring or love to bring to food gatherings.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2009-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino with the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar Cheese photo courtesy of Cabot Creamery.

Robiola di Capra Incavolata: Goat Cheese Wrapped in Cabbage

What is aging to perfection inside this intriguing cabbage wrapper? A wonderful goat cheese called Robiola di Capra Incavolata from the Italian Piedmont region.

On a recent visit to South End Formaggio, I asked the cheesemonger what was really special in the case that day and he was quick to point out a fully ripened half wheel of this beauty. Formaggio says this cheese is really special when it's ripe. In their cheese notes they say:

"As it ages, the cheese starts to mellow and through contact with the leaves, it develops an vegetal strength in its aroma and flavor. At its ripest, it oozes out through the leaves.  If you're lucky enough to get one at this stage, serve it up on a sloped plate to catch all the gooey goodness."

The cabbage was no longer green and the cheese inside was runny and full flavored. We spread it on the our favorite Sardinian Parchment Crackers and savored each bite. 

The label from Formaggio said it was a mixture of goat and cow, but most of what we've found about this cheese says it is goat. No matter, it is delicious and it has introduced us to a full range of Robiola cheese variations that we will now explore. 

Here is a great article about this cheese from Janet Fletcher at SFGate. We are big fans of her cheese coverage. Cabbage leaf a nice cheese-wrapping resource.

And, here are other posts from our Cheese Collection!

What's on your Cheese shopping list? Here are some great books about cheese. These make wonderful gifts for a cheese lover. And, when you shop Amazon from here, they put some coins in our tip jar.

 

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Top photo photo courtesy of Formaggio Kitchen.

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Cheese Question: Do You Eat the Rind?

One question always comes up when discussing cheese. “Do you eat the rind?”

If it is a natural rind that developed as part of the aging process (like the one on the Rogue River Caveman Blue above), you can eat it. If it is an artificial coating like wax, you shouldn’t eat it. If it's a wrapping like the the grape leaves that Rogue River uses to wrap its award winning rogue River Blue, you can unwrap it, but I would recommend enjoying the flavor the wrapper has added to the cheese it abutted.

Cheeses may also be rubbed with something delicious and that may tempt you to taste the rind. The Vella Dry Jack above is rubbed with a mixture of oil, pepper, and unsweetened cocoa during the aging process.

One of the best suggestions I’ve heard over the years was in the The Murray's Cheese Handbook. “If you're not sure eat your cheese from the inside out. The flavors will be stronger the closer you get to the rind, and if you don't like the paste just beneath the rind, you probably won't like the rind itself.”

This is a great suggestion for the Twig Farm Mixed Drum above. In the photo you can see how the cheese texture and look changes from inside out. Ed would cut off all the rind. That's how he enjoys it. I will taste it before I decide. Sometimes it's too funky but other times it's like getting a second cheese flavor as a bonus for tasting the rind with some of your bites.

I may wash the rind on a stinky washed rind cheese (like the Brebirousse d'Argental Petit: Soft Ripe Sheep's Milk Cheese above) before I try to eat it.

For me, it depends on the type of rind and the condition of the cheese. I’ll normally eat the rind on Brie, Camembert, and a soft bloomy goat cheese like the Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor in the photo above. But, I only buy these cheeses when they are perfectly ripe and I use them right away.

Most of the time, I don’t eat the hard, crusty rinds on long-aged cheeses like Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Tasting the rind and eating the cheese all the way to the rind can be one more way to explore cheese.

And, here are other posts from our Cheese Collection!

What's on your Cheese shopping list? Here are some great books about cheese. These make wonderful gifts for a cheese lover. And, when you shop Amazon from here, they put some coins in our tip jar.

 

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar photo courtesy of Cabot Cheese.

Twig Farm Mixed Drum Cheese from South End Formaggio

We are big fans of Twig Farm Cheeses and try to follow what the farm is producing and taste a sample when we can. On a recent visit to South End Formaggio, we added Twig Farm Mixed Drum to our favorites from this Vermont producer.

Expert Descriptions

Here's what the cheesemaker has to say:

"Mixed Drum is a natural rind semi-hard cheese aged for four to seven months, usually weighing about 5 pounds. Round (drum) shaped, 7-8" in diameter, about 6" tall. Made from raw (Ayrshire) cow's milk from Scapeland Farm (Crawford Family Farm) in Whiting and raw goat's milk from our farm. Produced from May to December."

Cheesemonger Anne Saxelby in her 2014 cheese picks wrote:

"Mixed Drum Twig Farm (raw goat and cows’ milk/animal rennet, Cornwall, VT)
A seasonal special from Twig Farm! Mixed Drum is an earthy, hearty, rustic wheel made from a blend of goats’ milk from their herd and cows’ milk sourced from neighboring farms. The ratio of goat to cow is about 20/80. The texture is semi-firm and squidgy, with the center of the cheese remaining chalky and breaking down around the rind. Nutty, lightly sharp and citrusy with some yeasty and lactic notes.
Aged for 4 months or more.

We loved the various textures Anne describes with the runny outer layer and firmer center. You can see the difference in the photo above.

If you want to learn more about cheese listen to Anne Saxelby's Cutting the Curd podcast. You can even search for Twig Farm and pull up the shows that feature this farm.

And, here are other items from our Cheese Tray!

What's on your Cheese Shopping List? Here are some great books about cheese.These make wonderful gifts for a cheese lover. And, when you shop Amazon from here, they put some coins in our tip jar.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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Brebis Pardou: One Sheepie Cheese

Ed and I both have a taste for Sheepie cheeses, so we both enjoyed a wedge of Brebis Pardou from the Pyrenees region of France that was recommended by a cheesemonger at South End Formaggio.

Ed was waiting outside the shop with our puppy Poppy. I loved my first taste so much that I had to share it with him and excused myself for a moment to bring him half of my sample slice. (The shop is smart enough to have a bench out there. Thanks!)

Ed approved the purchase with a happy nod and we enjoyed this piece over the next week.

Here's how Formaggio describes this cheese:

"Brebis Pardou
Country of Origin: France
Region: Pyrénées-Atlantiques
City / Village: Laruns
Type of Milk: Sheep
Flavor Profile: Medium
Wine Pairings: White: Full-bodied & Dry
Wine Pairings 2: Red: Lean Old World

A farmhouse sheep's milk cheese from the Vallee D'Ossau Iraty using the milk of the traditional breed of sheep: brebis béarnaise. Brebis Pardou has a wonderful smooth and supple texture with flavors and aromas of herbs, nuts, and sweet cream."

And, here are other items from our Cheese Tray!

What's on your Cheese shopping list? Here are some great books about cheese. These make wonderful gifts for a cheese lover. And, when you shop Amazon from here, they put some coins in our tip jar.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino  

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Champagne Paul Bara Grand Rosé – Our Memorable New Year’s Eve Guest!

We had been storing our bottle of Paul Bara Grand Rosé Champagne at the top of our wine rack for nearly a year awaiting an extra special occasion to pop its cork. Through the months, we took care to properly store this $60 bubbly – always on its side, never subjecting it to extreme temperatures, occasionally turning and, yes, even dusting it – but couldn’t quite commit to opening it.

Finally, with the eve of 2014 closing in, we had to act. The day before the big night, we began chilling the Paul Bara but, just to be on the safe side, iced down a back-up bottle of Bollinger as a sort of new year’s celebration insurance.



Soon after dark on New Year’s Eve, we put together a cheese plate and sat down to try our much anticipated rosé champagne. The clink of glasses, a toast, that first sip, and ... Lovely fruit balanced by a crisp backbone, not heavy at all. And, the wine’s copper hue, that Penny described as an Italian rose gold color, is amazing!  

The perfectly ripe (but not over-ripe) brie and Bara were excellent together! There was no problem with the black peppered cheese and a liver paté with truffles. The fruit of this rosé was like the taste of early season Atlas Farm strawberries from the Copley Square Market.



Despite being 70% pinot noir, it’s a Champagne that’s not overpowering. It has finesse. It reminded Penny of “... people who deliver on what they say they’re going to do versus those who just talk a good show.” And, what a show it was! We couldn’t have been happier with our selection.

By the way, as you’ve probably guessed, there was no need for our rescue bottle of Bollinger. But, since it was prepped and ready to go, we invited this irresistible French charmer to join us at our New Year’s day table. Happy 2014!   

For more about this special Champagne, see: Here's Our Wine Pick for New Year's Eve 2013


Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution   

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Rogue River Caveman Blue Cheese

The most recent addition to our blue cheese life list was Rogue River Caveman Blue Cheese. Penny spotted it at the River Street Whole Foods in Cambridge and added a piece to our selection for that evening's cheese supper. It was so good, we finished it with one of our last heirloom tomatoes the next night.

While Rogue River Blue will remain our favorite from this cheese maker, Caveman will be a welcome alternative.

Describing the Flavor

On their site, lead cheesemaker Jason Garcia describes Caveman as "sweet, fruity with vanilla tones, and earthy notes. It’s addictive," he says. "It’s savory, with no tang at all, very smooth and mellow."

Janet Fletcher wrote in SF Gate, "What I notice first with Caveman is the rich butter color of the background, which makes me suspect the cows enjoy fresh grass at least some of the time... Caveman manages to be bold and concentrated without being salty, biting or hot, qualities that make many consumers reluctant to purchase blues." 

We try to include a photo of the label with these posts because that will give you pricing information and whatever details the vendor includes.

What to Drink with the Caveman

While the creamery suggests a stout as a match for the cheese, Janet Fletcher enjoyed an oloroso sherry as the wine lover's option. 

Here is a list of places where you can buy Rogue River Cheese.

Do you include blue cheeses on your cheese trays? Do you have a favorite or do you try different ones each time?

As we approach the season when we move indoors and gather friends and family, we'll be featuring more of our favorite wine and cheese. And to make it easy to find all that we have written on these two topics, we have them collected in easy to find categories.

Here is our wine collection.

And, here are other items from our Cheese Tray!

What's on your Cheese Shopping List? Here are some great books about cheese. These make wonderful gifts for a cheese lover. And, when you shop Amazon from here, they put some coins in our tip jar.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 PennyCherubino 

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.