CRAVING MORE CHEESE

After my exploration of the variety of cheeses at Fairway Market it may have been a coincidence receiving an email from a company named Sugar Brook. Cheese Spreads was the topic with cheese coming from Wisconsin. I was kinda wondering about domestic cheeses. Although I know that there are farms all over this country I wasn't sure of which companies were into cheese production aside from Cabot Creamery.

There are dairy farms with farmstead cheese, where the cheese is actually prepared on the premises. Artisanal cheese is cheese that has been hand-crafted in small batches according to time-honored techniques, recipes, and traditions.

Sugar Brook's thing is to purchase various Wisconsin cheese and create spreads, cheese balls and cheese logs. Kelly Logseth is behind the recipes as well as her brand known asKelly's Kitchen.

The spreads that I sampled with the Sugar Brook brand were: CheddaBlu, CheddaDew, and CheddarBrew. CheddaBlu spread is a combo of Cheddar and Bleu Cheese which was perfect on crackers as well as in a roast beef sandwich. Excellent little kick from the Blue. CheddaDew. There is this sweet piquante fruit called Pepperdew that is just a bit spicy. Mixed a bit in an omelet and used to top a hamburger. CheddaBrew, as you may guess is cheddar with a stout beer. I do get that hint of beer. Great on a soft pretzel.

Kelly's Kitchen posed a problem with putting the spreads on anything. For instance there is the Traditional Tapenade with Odyssey Feta and the Mediterranean Tapenade with Goat Cheese (which has some peppadew in it). I used them both as sides with chicken, steaks and salmon.

Garlic and Herb Gourmet Spread was not the usual. I could taste and feel the consistency of the cheese. Tasted it on a cracker and used it to top a steak.

Two dessert cheeses made there way here. One was a Cranberry Almond Dessert Spread and the other was a Chocolate Cheese Fudge. Just give me the spoon and didn't need a lot to fulfill my sweet after meal crave.

A second company called Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces soft cheeses. Fresh mozzarella balls in a marinade. Not only was the mozzarella tasty but the marinade made it to a few salads and a pasta dish.

Their Farmer's Rope is a string cheese type using some part skim milk mozzarella. Great for a snack. I'm going to try it on pizza, making the crust from flour and beer as well as preparing my own tomato based sauce.

Then there is the mascarpone made from sweet cream. I baked a few cookies using flour, butter, sugar and almond extract. While they were cooling a combined Kelly's Chocolate Fudge with some mascarpone and used it to top the cookies. OMG!!!

Lastly is their European style cheese called Les Freres, an American original cheese with a robust, earthy flavor that is washed, which means the the rind is in a brine and edible. It's a soft spreadable cheese that is perfect with fruit.

SAY, "CHEESE" AT FAIRWAY MARKET

Fairway Market has a vast array of cheeses. What I love about Fairway is that they have two areas of cheese, one of which is already packages and just across are loads for you to be able to taste before you buy. If you're not sure of what ilk of cheese you want, the person behind the counter will give you suggestions if you give some palate taste, which animal (cow, sheep, or goat)and perhaps the use. You're looking at hard cheeses for grating, firm for slicing up or melting, and soft cheeses that you may want to spread on a cracker.

I do not know cheese. I grew up on either slices of "American Cheese", which is now considered to be a "cheese food" and the grilled or mac and cheese option of Velveta...another "cheese food". Over the years I have tasted many, going to Cabot Creamery in Vermont for various cheddars, and to an Italian market for mozzarella and the grating kind, since cheese is sprinkled on so many Italian dishes.

Steve Jenkins is the Cheesemonger for all of the Fairway Markets. I have yet to meet and interview him. What I wanted to see is whether the employees who work behind the counter in Douglaston were knowledgeable. Each time I've been to that Fairway I would go to the counter and ask for recommendations and taste.

Gary is the Cheesemonger at the Douglaston store. I asked for a Mac and Cheese suggestion and rather than just one cheese, he pulled these four: Cantal – French Semi-Hard Cow’s Milk;Delice Du Jura – French Soft Cow’s Milk;Swiss Gruyere Switzerland Hard Cow’s Milk; and Australian Cheddar – England Hard Cow’s Milk. I got the mouth sense of how the combination would fall. I made the Mac and Cheese for dinner to find out if Gary was "on the money"...he certainly was! One great thing about this is that I can freeze the leftovers as you basically can't freeze cheese.

There was one day that I requested a cheese tasting of one's made from Sheep's Milk. Jose offered: 16 Month Aged Manchego, from Spain; Moliterno With Truffles, from Italy; Queso Idiazabal, from Spain; and Prince De Claverolle, from France.

I caught Jose another day, saying that I was having a cheese tasting at home.
Vento D’Estate, cow's milk from Italy; Rustico With Lemon, sheep's milk from Italy;
Pyrenees Bethmale, cow's milk from France; President Wisconsin Brie, cow's milk from the USA; Drunken Goat, from Spain; Moulis Brebis, sheep's milk from France; and Idiazabal, sheep's milk from Spain

Back to shop, Rich was helping me with some dessert cheeses: Ricotta With Lemon (tastes like having a lemon cheesecake without flour), and English Sticky Toffee. I passed on the obvious soft cheeses with fruit.

I called back one day to ask about cheese life, speaking with Lillian. Waxed paper or aluminum foil will keep refrigerated for 2-3 weeks, which is why they use the paper when you're getting it from the counter. If you obtain cheese that is pre-packaged, unless you intend to eat it soon, remove it from the plastic wrap and re-wrap. Hard cheeses, especially ones that are aged for over more than about 15 months, will last a lot longer in the frig.

I certainly can't leave out Cosmo who makes the mozzarella. Fresh is best. Slice it up with the kumato tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil or balsamic vinegar.

As for the cheese tasting. I did this with two others each having a different palate. We used sesame crackers and apple wine, first tasting it plain. All were great, some better than others regarding my palate.

I had gone online to see what was on sale, or as they call it, "Price Shockers". Eye round roast, $4.99 lb. I had the butcher pull one and slice up for steak portions to freeze. He even repacked it so that I could just toss the whole thing into the freezer.

Best bargain is when they have the ready cooked chickens for $4.99 and they are certainly not puny ones. Plain, herbed, bbq, etc. This day there was a sign that said that for $5.99 you can bring the chicken to the deli counter and get two sides. Descent variety to choose from. My problem is that garlic is used in so many of their cookings...I'm just not a fan of that spicing.

NEW YORK SHARKS SPONSOR

Cabot Creamery Co-op, a sponsor of the New York Sharks, was onhand to give out samples of their cheese as well as tossing frisbees into the crowd. Six of them had a coupon attached for a free t-shirt. They had a tough time tossing due to the high winds, but the crowd loved it as well as the samples of extra sharp cheddar, jalapeno cheddar and a low fat version of pepperjack. Check out the website of the New York Sharks at www.nysharksfootball.com for a video of the Cabot Creamery player of the game, Chante Bonds...it's her second time winning.