2013/11/13

Morbier

Morbier is a raw cow-milk, semi-firm, washed-rind cheese with a distinctive vein of ash across the middle of the paste.
Morbier

Morbier cheese is named after a small commune in the Massif du Jura in Franche-Comté in eastern France. Today both Jura and Doubs versions of the Morbier benefit from an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée).
Morbier cheese dates back to the 19th century when it was originally made for personal consumption by cheesemakers of the French cheese Comté. The cheesemakers would use some of their leftover fresh curd after making their massive 100 lbs. wheels of Comté. They would sprinkle soot over the leftover curd as it rested overnight at the bottom of a barrel to keep insects away and to prevent a rind from forming until the next morning when more leftover pieces of cheese were put on top to complete what is Morbier cheese. A cheese that can be consumed in 45 days but an affinage of two months is more usual. Today the dark vein in Le Morbier made of vegetable ash is only decorative yet respectful to its origin. 

Montbeliard breed of cow
The milk used in the production of an AOC Morbier cheese must come exclusively from French Simmental and Montbeliard breeds of cow. Production may be artisanal, fermier, coopérative or industriel.
French Simmental breed of cow
Morbier is made in the shape of a large disc with bulging sides. The wheel measures approx. 40 cm (16") in diameter and 8 cm (3") in height, weighing about 9 kg (20 lbs.). The ivory-yellow uncooked, pressed, semi-soft paste with small holes is pliant. Although the golden brown washed rind has a pungent aroma, the cheese is relatively mild with hints of fruit and grass. Morbier melts beautifully, try it in your next raclette.
Morbier pairs nicely with Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer or a white Jura wine.

2013/10/31

P'tit Sainte Maure

The Fromagerie Poitou Chèvre  who produce the P'tit Sainte Maure is located in the small sixth century village of Mothe Saint Héray, situated along the Sèvre River in the heart of southern Poitou, in the west of France.

La Laiterie Coopérative de la Mothe

In 1897 the local farmers of the area got together to create a cooperative dairy they called La Laiterie Coopérative de la Mothe. During the twentieth century, the dairy specialized in cheese production, especially in the production of goat cheese.
In 1996, the Fromagerie Poitou Chèvre took over the management of the dairy and focused on the traditional manufacturing of goat cheese like the Chabichou du Poitou and Mothais sur Feuille.

Goats from Poitou

The P'tit Sainte Maure is one of the newest additions of cheese produced at the Fromagerie Poitou Chèvre. It is a small version of the classic goat cheese Sainte Maure. It is a 170 g (6 ounce) log-shaped pasteurised goat milk cheese.

P'tit Sainte Maure

P'tit Sainte Maure is made with either an ash covered mouldy rind or a cream coloured bloomy ripened rind with a lovely soft white paste. The P'tit Sainte Maure cheese has a buttery and smooth texture with a nutty and slight tart flavour emerging from the edible rind.

The P'tit Sainte Maure pairs nicely with many white wines such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a Sancerre.

2013/09/20

Grant Lazlo - Alabama


'Alabama' by Grant Lazlo is taken from the compilation Electro Blues Vol. 1 on Freshly Squeezed Music. Electro Blues Vol. 1 features a great selection of 24 Electronic Jazz, Blues and Electo-Swing tracks that work perfectly to bring the old with the new. This double CD features tracks from Swing Republic, John Lee Hooker, Moby, Big Moma Thornton and more. Worth checking out!

'Alabama' by French producer Grant Lazlo (AKA 'Lazlo') is a perfect blend of the use of electronic beats with blues. It has great blues vocals, harmonica and even a bit of scratching.

This is a short sampling of Grant Lazlo's track. You can't help but want to move your feet'n'booty listening to this bouncy new refashioned vintage sound.

To listen to more of Grant Lazlo tracks, mixes and remixes, check out: https://soundcloud.com/grantlazlo

2013/09/13

Cheez-Elle's Tomato Cheddar Pie

After reading Fromage Homage Cheese,Please! Challenge I was stimulated to enter her September's Challenge - Cheddar. Not only in England, but also here in Canada "we're practically weaned on cheddar cheese". I just love a good sharp cheddar. Did I have a Cheddar recipe in mind? Sure, that wasn't the dilemma, what better time of year, when tomatoes are aplenty to make a Tomato Cheddar Pie.

Tomato Cheddar Pie

Now the harder choice to make, was which Cheddar would I use for my Tomato Cheddar Pie? Would I use my favourite Quebec sharp cheddar standby; Île-aux-Grues 2 year old Cheddar?  Or would I use the delicious Lindsay Bandaged Goat Cheddar from Mariposa Dairy in Lindsay, Ontario? Instead I selected to use the prized Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar from COWS Creamery in Charlottetown, PEI. Avonlea Cheddar is an exquisite farmstead type cheddar with a wonderful creamy, earthy, tangy flavour. This is exactly the perfect blend I wanted for my Tomato Cheddar Pie that is delicious and very simple to make.

Cheez-Elle's Tomato Cheddar Pie
Serves 4

Tomato Cheddar Pie ingredients
Ingredients:
1 large onion
1 Tablespoon oil
1 to 2 teaspoons mustard
1 pinch of basil
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
1 unbaked 8 or 9 inch pie shell

Instructions:
- Slice your onion in rings
- Heat the oil in a frying pan
- Sauté the onion with basil and mustard
- Place this mixture in the bottom of unbaked pie shell
- Slice the tomatoes into slices and place on a paper towel and pat dry
- Cover the onion preparation that is in the pie plate with the grated cheddar cheese
- Top with the tomato slices
- Sprinkle a pinch of basil, salt, pepper to taste
- Sprinkle the pie with small pieces of garlic
- Bake at 350 F. for about 20 minutes
This is quite a versatile pie. You can easily substitute mustard with pesto, which is quite plentiful in my kitchen this time of year. Or if you want to use gruyère or any other cheese you have on hand instead of cheddar, it always turns out yummy.

Here are two other great cheddar cheese recipes you might want to try: Apple Cheddar Soup, SharpCheddar Zucchini Bread

Have a Cheddar recipe in mind? Want to take part in September’s Cheese, Please! Recipe Blog Challenge? Check out the full rules here.

Fromage Homage

2013/09/05

L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi


 Olivier Ducharme de la Fromagerie Du Charme

L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi is an artisanal sheep-milk blue cheese fabricated by Fromagerie Du Charme located in Saint-Rémi-de-Tingwick in the Appalachian mountain area in the Centre-du-Québec region. Young entrepreneur Olivier Ducharme has recently acquired the Fromagerie from what was formerly Bergerie Jeannine 
L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi during affinage
L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi is a lovely blue-veined cheese made from thermized sheep-milk cheese. It is produced in a small cylindrical 1.5 KG wheel that is distinguished by its blue aluminum foil covering.
L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi

L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi has a white, crumbly yet creamy texture, with lovely veins of blue-green mold. The overall flavour sensation starts off slightly mild, then a sweet fruity taste, ending with a moderately sharp tang. 

What I like about L'Étoile Bleue is that even though it is made from sheep milk like the world renowned Roquefort blue cheeses, it is not as salty.

L'Étoile Bleue could be a great addition to any salad. It pairs nicely with a dry white Jurançon.

Fromagerie Du Charme is currently producing two excellent cheeses made from ewes milk, from recipes that he has retained from the former owners; L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi and Le Friesian. They also produce two new cow-milk cheeses; Hermann and La Tablée.

Photo sources:
www.lanouvelle.net
virtuel.lesactualites.canoe.ca

2013/08/30

Deep-Dive-Corp. - Summertime

Deep-Dive-Corp. was formed in 1999 in Hamburg, Germany. Deep-Dive-Corp. consists of Björn Gerhard and the driving force of the group, guitarist Peter Musebrink. To this date they have released 6 albums under the moniker Deep-Dive-Corp.

As well as recording under the names of Box of Frox, P.M.FM and Ibiphonic they have also remixed various tracks.
Deep-Dive-Corp. - Summertime EP

Deep-Dive-Corp - Summetime featuring vocals by Sarah Walker was released on their first album entitled Support Your Local Groover in 2000. It was also released as an EP titled Summertime.
“Summertime” is a George Gershwin 1935 classic which was composed for the musical Porgy and Bess.
Deep Dive Corp. has transformed this song into the ultimate jazzy ‘Summertime’ tune. Although the original album version is unavailable on video, here is the Sweat Mix which is a more down-tempo rendition. 


2013/08/28

Pionnier

What happens when two of Quebec's finest cheesemakers collaborate to fabricate a new cheese? You get, what I believe to be one of Canada's greatest cheese; Pionnier.

Pionnier

Pionnier is a firm, washed rind, cooked paste cheese, made from a blend of raw cow and sheep milks. The large 40 KG wheels which are aged for 10 to 12 months are branded with a muslin label integrated in the crust.
The history of the Pionnier is explained on the muslin label; "C’EST ELLE, C’EST LUI, C’EST EUX", which translates to "It's Her, It's Him, It's THEM". She is Marie-Chantal Houde from Fromagerie Nouvelle-France (maker of Zacharie Cloutier winner of the 2011 Sélection Caseus Gold & 2013 Bronze), he is Jean Morin from Fromagerie du Presbytère (maker of Louis-D'Or winner of the 2012 Sélection Caseus Émérite and Bleu d'Elizabeth winner of the 2013 Sélection Caseus Gold and 2013 Émérite award). They have put their hands and heads together to create the Pionnier another award winning cheese (2013 Sélection Caseus Bronze & a special award for Best Raw Milk Cheese).

Pionnier cheese wheel

The Pionnier has a lovely honey coloured paste that is rich and creamy. Pionnier has a strong fruity, buttery and hazelnut flavor, with a perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, followed by a complex lasting aftertaste. This artisanal mountain style cheese reminds me of the French Savoie cheeses; Abondance and Beaufort d'Alpage.
Remember, Pionnier is an artisanal cheese and is produced in limited editions. If you get your hands on a piece, savour it.  The Pionnier pairs nicely with a white Chardonnay de Chablis or a Merlot de Savoie.

2013/08/01

Burrata

Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. Burrata is usually made from  buffalo milk but it is also made from cow milk or a combination of both milks. The success of Burrata cheese is huge right now, not only in Italy but here in Montreal it is very much in demand.
Burrata
Burrata was first made in the early 1900s on the Bianchini farm in the town of Andria in the region of Puglia in southern Italy. The ingenuity of these cheesemakers began producing Burrata as a natural consequence of the typical peasant culture and accustomed to little waste and the reuse of any surplus. They decided to mix the residues from the processing of the cheese dough with the cream and wrap it all in a casing which is also made of spun paste.
Burrata is formed into a pouch made from spun curd which contains a soft heart of cream called 'panna' and is filled with ritagli ( the 'scraps' or 'rags') of mozzarella, wrapped with leaves of asphodel, a local herb which grows in the wild in the area of Andria and gives an aromatic and tangy note to the cheese.
The Burrata I selected is produced by Cilento S.P.A. a cheese factory located in Cellole in the region of Campania in southern Italy. The Cilento family have been operating for more than a generation in the dairy sector, dedicated exclusively to the production of the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP (Protected Designation of Origin).
Burrata with tomatoes, olive oil and ground pepper
Enjoy the sweet milky buttery taste of Burrata in simple dishes and also in very elaborate meals. Burrata can be enjoyed simply accompanied by a green salad or served with ripe juicy red tomatoes, olive oil and ground black pepper.  A delightful rich cheese that pairs nicely with a Castel del Monte, a dry, medium-bodied chardonnay from the Puglia region of Italy.
Here is a great video put out by the Culinary Institute of America on the making of Burrata: Puglia's Molten Mozzarella.

2013/07/26

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - Don't Take Me Back


Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real is an American rock group based out of Venice, California.
The group consists of Lukas Nelson (son of Willie Nelson) who is lead vocalist & guitarist and Promise of the Real members; Anthony Logerfo (drummer), Tato Melgar (percussionist) and Merlyn Kelly (bass).
Don't Take Me Back is reflective of Lukas Nelson's usual style; honest and direct, a song that captures a strong feeling and tie to a powerful melody. This live version was recorded at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Avon, Colorado on October 23, 2011.

Don't Take Me Back and a fine selection of other guitar based rock tracks appear on the album Wasted.

2013/07/11

Le Maréchal

Le Maréchal

Le Maréchal is a firm raw cow's milk cheese produced by Fromagerie De Granges in the Vaud region of Switzerland.

Artisan cheesemaker Jean-Michel Rapin from Granges-Marnand in Broye started making Le Maréchal in 1992. The cheese is named after his grandfather Emile Rapin who was a blacksmith-farrier, which is called a maréchal-ferrant in French. A large picture of his grandfather which reflects his original and robust character is on the label of every wheel of Le Maréchal.

The cheesemaker and a team of local dairy farmers that supply the milk to make Le Maréchal, are bound by an agreement they created to guarantee good quality milk in a production process that looks after the cows and nature in general and guarantee an original, creamy tasting cheese.

Le Maréchal is a robust mountain style cheese similar to Gruyere but the wheels are much smaller weighing 6 kg. It is aged for 130 days. During the ripening process the rind is hand-rubbed with aromatic herbs.

Le Maréchal cheese

Le Maréchal has a dry brown rind that is flecked with herbs. The firm cooked pressed paste has a beautiful golden colour which is smooth and solid with few holes. It has a nutty and herbal aroma.

Le Maréchal has a melt in your mouth texture and a rich, nutty flavour with sweet tones of butterscotch and berries.

Pairs nicely with figs and a glass of dry white wine or a Beaujolais.

www.le-marechal.ch/


Photo source : www.lake-geneva-region.ch