Monday, January 17, 2011

Day Three Hundred and Forty Two - MLK Marriage Mondays

Today being the third Monday in January, it is recognized as a federal holiday in remembrance of the life, impact, and changes the world has witnessed due to the remarkable life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So I thought it would be appropriate to commemorate the memory of this amazing man by doing a marriage mondays focusing on his favorite foods.

Dr. King loved all soul and southern food -- collard greens, grits, fried chicken, mac n' cheese, sweet potatoes, and fried pork chops. But his absolute favorite food was pecan pie. So I thought why not suggest the idea of a savory pecan pie Marriage Mondays in honor of MLK day? We will have three cheese contestants today with a recipe for the pie tomorrow!

Contestant Number # 1 : Gorgonzola Dolce - That classic Italian blue but significantly more mild, almost even sweet in comparison to other blue cheeses and other members even of the Gorgonzola family. Why you may ask? Well that's because the cow's milk utilized to produce this cheese comes from only one milking of the cows where as other blue cheeses tend to be composed of milk from multiple milkings. This is coupled with the fact that Gorgonzola Dolce is ready to serve at a much younger age than other blue cheeses -- meaning that the traditionally spicy and piquant qualities typically present in a stinky blue cheese are not found in our first contestant. Does that mean that this light and sweet blue will win the chance to find its place in a pecan pie?

Contestant Number # 2 : Cana de Cabra with Honey - Spain's answer to the French Bucheron style cheese -- semi-firm, bloomy rind, aged goat's milk cheese. Here it is infused with honey giving it a nice chalky, grassy, lactic, bright tang like a classic aged goat's milk but with a sweet natural honey finish. Will our honey win out this week?

Contestant Number # 3 : Grafton Reserve 2 year aged Cheddar - The ultimate in Vermont cheddar, made in the classic English cheddaring style where cheese curds are cut and stacked every ten minutes until the acidity of the whey is extremely low. Our final contestant is aged for two years giving way to a nice firm mouth feel with that fabulous crystallization present in aged cheeses. Mellow yet dynamic, sweet and creamy with a nice buttery butterscotchy finish. Will our two year old win out?

Stay tuned to find out.


Please take a second to think about the manner in which Dr King has changed our world - past, present, and future.


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