Zebra art & grill, Ibiza

Delicious lunch in Ibiza - took us nearly forever to find a place that served non-British food, but it was well worth the search.

Tomates asados con mozzarella di buffala - roasted tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella

Very cool clear balsamic vinegar from Barcelona

Galtas de cerdo - pork cheeks (really!)

Tallerines frutti di mari - seafood noodles

Tarta de queso - cheese cake

Pera al vino tinto - pear poached in red wine

Little kitten that sat near us while we ate

tomatoes & mozz :: tomates y queso mozzarella

Kat's Kolby

Back in July of '08, I made a tiny wheel of mixed milk (sheep & cow) colby cheese. It spent from July to mid-October in a cave, aging away with other cheeses. The result was good -- kind of sharp, a little tangy, and awesome for grating over pasta or adding to baked mac & cheese. I should have made more!

pita panini

No bread? No problem.

Throw it in a pita and make a panini!

I made this tasty pita panini with pesto, smoked turkey, and provolone cheese. Yum!

i've got the blues...

Yay!

We are in pick-your-own-blueberry season! The bushes at Willow Hill Farm are laden with berries, and although we have been hammered by rain for the last two months, the berries are in great shape!

There are so many berries on the bushes that you don't have to move around too much to pick a flat or two.

Willow Hill Farm's blueberries are NOFA (USDA) certified organic and there are 9 varieties of blues in the field. The bushes are located between two pastures, so you can pick to the sounds of ewes, lambs, and the many birds that frequent the area (keep your eyes peeled for the baltimore orioles!).

Berries are $4/lb for pick-your-own, but if you don't have time for picking or we get rained out (since it seems to be a pattern this year), there are two other ways to get some of our lovely berries:

1) You could drive up to our little store in the cheese plant (look for the sign on the road that says "cheese") and there are usually prepicked blueberry pints in the fridge, along with a delicious selection of Willow Hill Farm artisanal cheeses. The store is also a viewing room that overlooks the "make room" in the cheese plant.

2) Pick up a prepicked pint of berries at the Burlington Farmers' Market. The market is open from 8:30-2:00, but when it comes to berries, coming earlier is better!

As always, we recommend calling first (802-893-2963) to check hours for the day, since they depend on weather conditions and staffing. And, no need for the GPS! There are directions on the machine. =)

smokin' time

In all honesty, this is a flashback-type post. A while back, I was tooling around with my borrowed (now owned) stovetop smoker. All in all, I smoked some skewered shrimp, some potatoes (all over mesquite chips), and later made a wrap sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and a lightly-smoked slab of haloumi. My favorite so far is still the haloumi wrap. Soooo good!

my newest queso-venture...

So it's official -- I've got a wheel of cheese aging away in a cave! For those of you who know me, you know I've worked with a cheesemaker for years, but until recently, I never thought of bringing the "make" process into my own kitchen. I did some research online first, and decided I'd like to make a washed-curd cheese. I first thought I'd head the gouda route, but it's a brined cheese, and for a first at-home attempt, I thought I'd rather go with a salt-in-the-vat recipe. So I went more toward a colby-style wheel, made it with mixed milk (sheep & cow), and now it's hanging out in a cheese cave. I've got no idea how it will come out, but if the quality of it's cavemates is somehow absorbed through osmosis, it will be awesome. But like I said, I've got no idea right now. Ask me in 6 months. =)

On being a curd nerd...

I'm back at work in the cheese plant, so naturally I've had cheese on my mind. Over the past few years, I have come to understand that there are many misconceptions about dairy and cheese out there... I've often been faced with the task of explaining that not all bloomy rind cheeses are bries, and that sheep are NOT, in fact, the same as goats.

The problem is, many of us Americans have grown up eating only cheddar, Kraft American Singles, string cheese, and Velveeta. So when coming face-to-face with a runny camembert at a Christmas party, or with a washed rind at a wine- and cheese-tasting, the whole experience can seem a bit daunting. I have often observed that many people, no matter their age, are hesitant or may even refuse to try new foods, and cheese can be especially tough. Part of the deal is the mold...

People can get freaked out by mold! We have been taught that everything in the fridge that is moldy is bad! This is just not true. In fact, a lot of the cheese that we eat had mold in/on it, and on purpose! Some mold cultures can affect the taste of cheeses and the way they age. On the other hand, some are just "cosmetic", meaning they affect the appearance only and not the taste. So, sometimes, a cheese may not look "pretty" but it could be the tastiest morsel you've ever eaten.

I strongly urge you to sample new cheeses whenever you have the chance; at wine or beer pairings, holiday parties, or at restaurants (check out their cheese plate, especially if it showcases local cheeses). Also, don't shy away from the cheese section of your local healthfood store (I recommend Healthy Living -- new location and great cheese area!!) or gourmet market. Many times, you can find small cuts of cheeses for reasonable prices, so don't be afraid to test the waters (or the whey, if you will). =)

I absolutely love cheese. It's great for adding to salads or sandwiches or wraps, or for just plain snacking. If you have a favorite wine or beer, do some research online to see what cheeses pair with it best (or vice versa). I love testing out new flavor combinations. In addition to eating cheese as-is, it can also be a great ingredient. Cooking cheese can intensify the flavor or even change it. Try grating a tomme into a fondue or stuffing chicken breasts with soft sheep cheese or chevre. Feta is great on pizza, smooth ripe buttery bloomy rinds are great for making mac & cheese, and the list goes on and on...

Bottom line-- the world of cheese is filled with endless possibilities. Just get out there and explore it! And to all of you cheese-haters out there--"Quit yer uncurdly ways!"

Some cheeses I've been obsessing about lately:

LOCALS

• Willow Hill Farm's Butternut -- a cousin of the late Mountain Tomme, Butternut is made only with cow's milk (the MT was made with sheep-cow mix).
• Boucher Blue from Green Mountain Blue Cheese (Boucher Family Farm) is tasty and makes a great cobb salad...
• Doe's Leap goat feta is zesty, citrusy, and satisfies my feta addiction
  
• Grafton's Maple Smoked Cheddar is creamy and delicately smokey -- delicious when paired with Miguel's Reserva "Everything" chips

SPANISH

• Manchego -- Pasamontes or Ojos de Guadiana -- nutty and delicious, as always
  
• Tetilla -- smooth, buttery, creamy paste
  
• Prebat de Ossera -- utterly delicious soft goat cheese
  

GREEK

• Halloumi -- very versatile... Great in salads, grilled and served in a pita, or even lightly smoked

red pepper and sheep cheese stuffed chicken

I was looking for inspiration in my newest Spanish cookbook... Not necessarily Spanish-style cuisine, but cuisine written in Spanish. =) Anyway, I came across this recipe that called for slitting a chicken breast and stuffing in rounds of goat cheese and red pepper. I did not have goat cheese, but I have never really been one to follow recipes to the T, so here I am with a photo of my own creation... Chicken breast stuffed in three places with Willow Hill Farm's Alderbrook cheese (sheep bloomy rind -- pyramid shape) and sauteed red peppers. Test it out--seriously.

baked egg over ranch potatoes

I layered together sautéed potato slices and sautéed green pepper strips with smoky paprika, drizzled the whole thing with ranch dressing (ok, I know it sounds weird but try it out!), sprinkled it with Mexican-style shredded cheeses, cracked an egg in the middle (make sure you season it with salt and pepper!) and popped the whole thing in the oven until the egg was cooked (I cooked it until the yolk was set). Let me tell you, it was amazing!

You could experiment with adding different vegetables and using different sauces or herbs for seasoning. Test it out!

Bites in Bubión

Save yourself the trouble of scouting a good restaurant... Restaurante El Teide Alpujarra (c/ Carretera, 2) is all you need when you are in Bubión. The servers are nice and they start you off with a tasty plate of apps, but the rest is up to you. Try the Ensalada Alpujarreña, the fennel- and red pepper-stuffed eggplant, the fried openface trout (straight from the Río Poqueira), the Plato Alpujarreño (fried eggs, local meat specialties, and taters), the fillet of beef, the grilled pork chops, and the flan. Trust me, it's all good... =) Scroll down for pix...

Bites in Córdoba

Mesón de la Luna (c/ Luna, 1) offers a delicious menu-of-the-day. For starters, try the "fruit salad" with ham (Ok, Spain, here I draw the line. It's one thing to have ham in nearly all of the vegetable dishes I've enjoyed, to add ham to most pizza options, and even to have ham-flavored Pringles and potato chips, but it's completely different when you add ham to my fruit salad.) and "crave stick" (aka "fake crab" -- Thank you to all of those restaurants out there that offer an English translation of the menu that proves to be more confusing than reading the Spanish one.) or the mini-raviolis with roquefort and wild mushrooms. For a main dish, try the grilled swordfish or the "pluma" (fillet mignon of pork and absolutely delicious). For dessert, fresh fruit -- green apples or juicy melon. You can enjoy your lunch under in a tiny shaded plaza... Fabulous.

Bites in San Sebastián - Donostia

Spent the weekend in San Sebastián - Donostia with some friends, and enjoyed some delicious cuisine. If you are at a loss for where to go, check out the following suggestions:

• Pick up some local pastries at a pastelería, some fresh strawberries at a frutería, and head to the beach for a relaxing breakfast
  
• La Tahoma (pastelería/pastry shop in Gros, on San Franzisco) has a huge selection of pastries and breads.
• There are tons of pastry shops and bakeries, however, so take your pick. =)
• If you're there on a Saturday, check out the farmers' market in Gros and pick up some local goods -- breads, local goat or cow cheeses (sample some from the lady that sells only goat cheese... it's delicious!), baked goods, veggies and fruits, or flowers.
  
• Sample some delicious local seafood at Freiduría San Francisco in Gros (They have a selection of fried fish, grilled fish and shellfish. Try the gambas a la plancha -- grilled prawns, tortitas de camarones -- crispy fritters made with absolutely tiny shrimp, and fried chipirones -- crispy fried whole baby squid.
• For delicious Italian food, try La Mama Vía (Paseo Colón). They have a selection of pizzas, pastas, salads, and risottos. Try the pizza primavera (with chorizo and green pepper), the pizza la toscana (with chorizo, chicken and hot peppers), or the risotto quatro formaggio (four-cheese).
• Hit up any number of bars (they are all over the place -- Bar Barandiarán on Avda. Boulevard is just one) for local pintxos (pronounced "peen-chose") and a cold beer. Pintxos (or pinchos) are like tapas (appetizers), but refer to a specific type of appetizer. The words pintxo and pincho mean thorn (in Spanish and Portuguese, respectively), and a pintxo consists of a slice of bread, a topping, and a toothpick (aka. the thorn) holding it all together. Common toppings include fish -- tuna, bacalao, smoked salmon or anchovies, faux crab or tortilla de patatas (Spanish potato omelette). See photo below of pintxos and tapas...

I got to cook!!!!

I had dinner at a friend's house last night, and I have to say, I was so glad to be back in the kitchen again. This study-abroad-without-kitchen-priveledges thing is killing me. My friend made a caprese salad, and I roasted some veggies (shittakes, zucchini, onion, green pepper, and garlic) and served them over fresh pasta. Delicious. And it was great to chop things again. =)

Pix from Mario

Do you... fondue?

What a New Year's celebration! Last night my boy and I got together with some friends (and their dogs!!!) for a fondue night... We started off with a cheese fondue made with a tomme from Willow Hill Farm. For dipping -- fingerling taters, broccoli, carrots, bread cubes, apple wedges, chicken bites, and mini smoked sausages. We finished with champagne and a chocolate ganache fondue. For dipping -- shortbread, green grapes, strawberries, bing cherries, orange segments and apple wedges. Talk about a great ending to 2007!

Holy Manchego!

Earlier this week, I celebrated my birthday with my family... and with some

delicious food!

We enjoyed Pasamontes Manchego cheese with membrillo and Gerard's bread. Of course, it was paired with a 2005 Monastrell/3 red wine by Diego Fernandez (also from La Mancha... for label, see right). Yummm....

The main dish was a pasta dish with roasted artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes. Soooo good. :)

Local Prizes - Fall '07

This is the fall edition of my new blog series: Local Prizes. Every quarter, I plan to release a list of my local favorites for the season. Here we go...

Bloomy-rind cheeses from Willow Hill Farm. The cheesemaker creates heaven on a plate with her lovely sheep and cow milk cheeses. Right now, the little sheep bloomy-rinds are not in season, but La Fleurie, a cow's milk bloomy rind is delicious and available. And the hard cheeses are soon to follow. My current favorite (it changes throughout the year, as the availability of cheese changes) is Summertomme, a bloomy sheep round that is coated in herbs. It is creamy, smooth, and delicious. It's great with a crusty baguette and fresh ripe tomatoes. Side note: I may be slightly biased here, but I absolutely love these cheeses. Each cheese is truly unique, and the yogurt is to die for.

Tomme Collins from Green Mountain Blue Cheese. It's a raw-milk tomme-style wheel, full-flavored and nutty with a sharp hint of pepper. It's delicious on its own, served with fresh fruit and crusty, or shaved over pasta. It's quite a find, and would be a great addition to a Vermont cheese plate. In fact, who needs a selection? This cheese stands perfectly on its own. Side note: Green Mountain Blue Cheese offers a selection of blue cheeses and washed rinds in addition to the Tomme Collins.

Feta from Doe's Leap. This is most definitely the best feta I have ever had. And coming from a feta addict, that means a lot. It is made with organic goats' milk and is salty, tangy and wonderful. It perfectly completes a Greek salad or a caramelized onion flatbread. It's great crumbled over roasted artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and pasta. More commonly, though, it doesn't even make it to the plate. It's just that good.

Produce from the Burlington Farmers' Market. Vermont has a huge number of farmers' markets now, some on weekends and some during the week. Even in October, the selection is outstanding: root vegetables, squashes (winter and summer), melons, greens, beans, peppers. Who needs a grocery store when we have such great local produce?