The question at our house last week was how to revive our flagging interest in cauliflower. I’ve been gardening forever, but I still haven’t learned that when you plant a dozen cauliflower seedlings at once, they all mature at once. I wasn’t sure I could get another cauliflower risotto past my husband unless I changed it up. So I did. With a little digging online, I turned up a new method that produced the creamiest risotto I’ve ever made. The truffled pecorino I had in the fridge put it over the top. I knew I’d nailed it when my husband amped up his usual praise—from “this is good, hon” to “this is really good, hon.” I couldn’t agree more.
Read moreHomemade for the Holidays
At this time of year, everyone’s a cook. People who never bake are baking. We’re all on the hunt for festive recipes to make for parties or cart to potlucks. So I gathered a few of my own holiday favorites for your consideration. I make almost all of these dishes at some point between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. They are tried, retried and true. The best gougères. The best panforte (beautiful on a cheese board). The best pumpkin cheesecake. My opinion, of course, but I hope you’ll try some of these recipes and let me know what you think. All are party-ready and cheesy or intended to accompany cheese.
Read moreGreat Gifts for Cheese Fans
Cheese enthusiasts are so easy to buy for. We love boards and platters, cheese books, accouterments and, of course, great cheese itself, especially if it’s something under the radar. I’ve gathered a half-dozen recommendations in this post and hope they solve at least some of your holiday gift dilemmas. You might want to stock up on a few of these items for housegifts throughout the year. After all, what cheese lover would prefer a supermarket bouquet over one of these?
Read moreFarewell to Two Favorites
Indiana cheesemaker Matthew Brichford; UK’s Berkswell sheep cheese
It’s such a bummer when a great creamery shuts its doors, and this fall brought a double whammy. First, we lost a fine American cheesemaker to vascular disease in mid-September, and his family has decided not to soldier on. Now we learn that one of the most admired British cheesemakers—producer of a superb award-winning sheep cheese—is tossing in the towel. What makes this news even more troubling is that both cheesemakers were farmstead producers working with raw milk from grass-fed herds—a small niche that seems to grow smaller every year.
Read moreA Star is Born
If you are looking for an exceptional American cheese for your Thanksgiving festivities, or for a host gift, you won’t be disappointed by this beauty. It’s a recent release with a long origin story and absolutely worth the wait. A collaboration between the Maryland creamery that produced it and the New York affinage team that nurtured it from infancy to its prime, this aromatic goat cheese seduced me at the first sniff. I’m hoping that affinage—expert cheese aging—will become more of a thing in this country, as it is in Europe, and that success stories like this one will pave the way.
Read moreOops. Missed One!
Sometimes it seems like my brain is at capacity. If a new cheese name goes in, another one gets pushed out. In last week’s post about great French Basque cheeses, I inadvertently omitted the newcomer that got me thinking about Pyrenees cheese in the first place. Former cheesemonger Steve Jones alerted me to Tomme per Diou, and there aren’t many cheese people I trust more. I can’t wait to share this raw-milk wheel in my classes (which reminds me: the 2024 World Cheese Tour class schedule is online) and to see more retailers stocking it.
Read moreBasque-ing in Glory
If you were limited to eating cheese from only one region (perish the thought), where would you choose? I’m going with the Pyrenees, preferably the French side. The cheeses we get from the Basque Country and neighboring Béarn are so consistently appealing that I don’t even think I would feel that deprived. Two new imports from the region make the choice even easier.
Read moreCheese O’Clock Returns!
Gather your cheese-loving friends and family and join my cheese pal Laura Werlin and me for the return of Cheese O’Clock, our popular Zoom-based tasting series. Laura and I reuniting on Thursday, November 30, for one night only, with two delightful guests, some favorite cheeses…and bubbles!
Read moreYour Raw-Milk Cheese Roster
The trend line for American raw-milk cheese is not what I wish it were. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a decline in the number of creameries producing cheese from unpasteurized milk, according to member surveys commissioned by the American Cheese Society. Cascadia Creamery’s Glacier Blue (above) remains among those cheeses made the traditional way, with milk at the temperature it comes from the animal. But the niche is shrinking.
Read moreGoat Cheese and Grilled Veggies Make a Tostada Masterpiece
Photo: Jeff Babcock
To answer your first question: Yes, it’s as good as it looks. And a breeze to make. Wish I had thought of it, but at least I recognize a genius idea when I see one. Crisp tostada, warm soft goat cheese, grilled autumn vegetables. My friend-in-cheese and talented cook Jeff Babcock was experimenting with fresh chèvre at home when this tasty concept took shape.
Read more