Monte Enebro

Monte Enebro is an award winning soft paste full flavoured pasteurised goat milk cheese from Spain.

The striking blue-gray coloured mold rind made from penicillium roqueforti covers the 2 1/2 lbs. elongated tubular shaped log. The snow white paste is dense and chalky when the cheese is young with a mild tangy flavour. As Monte Enebro ages the paste becomes creamy and runny and the flavours and aromas strengthen and become more pungent.

Monte Enebro is very tasty on its own but it is a delight with a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil or served with fresh figs when young. A more mature Monte Enebro is great served with olives.

Monte Enebro is produced by Queserías del Tiétar. This artisanal cheese dairy is located in Ávila, Spain in the La Adrada area in the Tiétar valley. The Tiétar Dairy is run by father and daughter team, Rafael and Paloma Báez Bravo-Murillo.

http://www.queseriasdeltietar.com/indexeng.htm

'Alaska' Shasta Daisy

(Leucanthemum x superbum 'Alaska')

 

‘Alaska’ Shasta Daisies are attractive large single snow white blooms with soft yellow centers that bloom in June through July. It is a hardy perennial that will thrive just about anywhere and will grow to a height of 60-90 cm (2'-3'). It grows best in full sunlight, but will tolerate any light, or soil condition. The stems are long and stiff which makes beautiful cut flowers and the blooms are long lasting.

This eye-catching Shasta daisy is a popular favourite garden plant as it mixes magnificently in any perennial garden. The plant is attractive to bees and birds and serves as a good butterfly nectar source. 
 

Waldorf Salad à la Bleu d'Elizabeth

A  Waldorf salad is usually made of fresh apples, celery and walnuts dressed with mayonnaise. The salad was created in the 1890’s by Chef Oscar Tschirky for the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. Today many variations of the salad can be found. 

Waldorf Salad à la Bleu d'Elizabeth 

Recipe Ingredients

2 diced sweet red apples

2 stalks of sliced celery

1 cup red seedless grapes, halved

1/2 cup walnut pieces, broken

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 cup crumbled Bleu d'Elizabeth

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the apples, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Add the mayonnaise and toss well. Add pepper and cayenne to taste and crumble the blue cheese over salad.

Serves 4

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth

The perfect cheese to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; Le Bleu d'Elizabeth

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth is an award winning blue cheese made by La Fromagerie du Presbytère. The cheese is made with thermized organic cow milk, it has a thin amber natural rind with lovely blue and greenish coloured veins running through the pale yellow paste that is semi-firm.

Bleu d'Elizabeth has a soft rich creamy texture with a well-balanced salty taste leaving a slight caramel flavour on the tongue. Bleu d'Elizabeth is not an overbearing blue cheese it can be served and enjoyed alone, as an attractive and well appreciated addition to any cheese platter or added to your pasta dishes or salads. Here's a tasty recipe for a Waldorf salad using Le Bleu Elizabeth.

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth is the second gold medal winning cheese to come from Fromagerie du Presbytère run by brothers Jean and Dominique Morin who are fourth generation farmers. The family farm named Louis D'Or (also the name of their other gold winner cheese) is located in Ste. Elizabeth de Warwick in central Quebec near Drummondville. The organic milk used to produce their award winning cheese come from the farm's mixed herd of Holstein, Jersey and a few Canadienne cattle.

http://www.fromageriedupresbytere.com/

Mozzarella di Bufala

Mozzarella di Bufala  is a fresh, stringy textured cheese made exclusively from whole water-buffalo milk from Campania in Central-South Italy. The cheese has a porcelain-white colour and a very thin rind.

Mozzarella di Bufala  has a delicate taste, with a creamy soft texture. I find it is best with a drizzle of olive oil and combined with tomatoes and basil. It can also be added to any vegetable dish, pasta or pizza to add a nice rich and delicious consistency.

Mozzarella di Bufala is very nutritional. Buffalo milk is rich in calcium, high in protein and has a high vitamin content.

Mozzarella di Bufala received the DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) status in 1993.
 

Heatwave 1980

This past Saturday the staff from La Fromagerie Atwater  and other vendors of Montreal’s Atwater Market conglomerated to enjoy a cold ale after a busy day of work. The atmosphere was quite pleasant with the funky rhythmic beats of Talking Heads being played at the Satay Brothers stand as they were closing down. David Byrne singing "Take me to the river" got some of us talking and reminiscing about bands that we saw live.

 

Yes, I did see Talking Heads live and it was quite a memorable experience.

I remember my partner Chris and I, driving down the 401 in his 1964 Chevy pick-up truck to attend one of the biggest outdoor New Wave music concerts of the summer - Heatwave Festival held at Mosport Park on August 23, 1980. Heatwave live performances included Teenage Head, The Pretenders, The B-52's, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello and the Attractions among others. Although The Clash who was also booked to play at the festival cancelled at the last minute, the line-up for the day did not disappoint. Though Heatwave was over 30 years ago, there are numerous songs and moments that will forever remain with me.

What is one of your favourite or memorable live performances?