Inspired by a recent visit to my favorite local wine bar with awesome flatbread pizzas, I got to thinking about the perfect summertime special pizza, easy to prepare and definitely different than your red sauce or even all white pizza.
I tend to use a gluten free frozen crust crafted by Udi's but feel free to utilize whatever you would like as a base, frozen, fresh, or homemade. So what goes on this crust you might be wondering?
First brush the crust with a nice amount of EVOO, chives, basil, sea salt and crushed black pepper. Next up sprinkle a 1/3 cup of aged grated Parmesan, 1/3 cup of grated Asiago, and a 1/3 of a cup of grated Pepato (a semi-firm sheep's milk cheese infused with black peppercorns). What goes on top of your three cheeses? How about one sauteed shallot to dial up the aromatic side of your summertime pie. What next?
How about ricotta and chive stuffed zucchini blossoms? Delicate and flavorful and only really at their peak in the summer this will be the perfect pizza topping. On top of the zucchini blossoms, add on a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and a few more basil leaves and pop into the oven at 350 degrees for approx twenty minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Enjoy this with a nice crisp glass of white wine, perhaps a Sancerre.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Day 855 : Remembering a Cheese Trailblazer - Daphne Zepos
This past week, the world of American artisanal cheese changed forever -- Daphne Zepos passed away at the age of 52 due to lung cancer.
Daphne Zepos changed the way Americans ate, eat, think, and appreciate cheese as a writer, educator, aficionado, importer, chef, advocate, and more. Where to begin? Zepos co-owned the Cheese School of San Francisco which is one of the foremost cheese education facilities in the country. She also founded the Essex Street Cheese Company that imports small production European cheeses and really introduced Americans to Comte and other popular European cheeses that simply were not available in the American market. She also co-founded the Cheese of Choice Coalition known for preservation of raw milk and artisanal cheeses. From 2002-2005, she played a lead role at Artisanal's Cheese Center, curating and caring for the three hundred cheeses stored in the caves at the time along with being at the helm of their education program. She was a former board member of the American Cheese Society and was the Chairperson of the ACS Annual Cheese Competition from 1999 to 2002. She also wrote on the topic of cheese and all the cheese for the Atlantic -- spreading the wealth of her knowledge to the world. The list goes on and on.
Zepos truly changed the way Americans interact with cheese -- from the growth and stimulation of local farms to the drastic increase in small production European cheeses readily available here to really teaching Americans to appreciate cheese in the ways that Europeans always have.
You may wonder how does someone get into the world of cheese in this manner?
Well Zepos started out as a chef at the hotel restaurant Campton Place in San Francisco where not only would she don her chef whites in the kitchen, she would also change into formal attire to push around San Francisco's first cheese cart and offer diners a European style cheese course. Funnily enough, growing up when my family went to San Francisco we stayed at the Campton Place and although a different era I reckon, what a small world it would have been to have been served cheese by Zepos.
In honor of her memory and the advancement of cheese education, donations can be made through the American Cheese EducationFoundation c/o of the American Cheese Society online at www.cheesefoundation.org.
It's amazing to stop and think what miracles she accomplished in her brief but brilliant time on earth.
Daphne Zepos changed the way Americans ate, eat, think, and appreciate cheese as a writer, educator, aficionado, importer, chef, advocate, and more. Where to begin? Zepos co-owned the Cheese School of San Francisco which is one of the foremost cheese education facilities in the country. She also founded the Essex Street Cheese Company that imports small production European cheeses and really introduced Americans to Comte and other popular European cheeses that simply were not available in the American market. She also co-founded the Cheese of Choice Coalition known for preservation of raw milk and artisanal cheeses. From 2002-2005, she played a lead role at Artisanal's Cheese Center, curating and caring for the three hundred cheeses stored in the caves at the time along with being at the helm of their education program. She was a former board member of the American Cheese Society and was the Chairperson of the ACS Annual Cheese Competition from 1999 to 2002. She also wrote on the topic of cheese and all the cheese for the Atlantic -- spreading the wealth of her knowledge to the world. The list goes on and on.
Zepos truly changed the way Americans interact with cheese -- from the growth and stimulation of local farms to the drastic increase in small production European cheeses readily available here to really teaching Americans to appreciate cheese in the ways that Europeans always have.
You may wonder how does someone get into the world of cheese in this manner?
Well Zepos started out as a chef at the hotel restaurant Campton Place in San Francisco where not only would she don her chef whites in the kitchen, she would also change into formal attire to push around San Francisco's first cheese cart and offer diners a European style cheese course. Funnily enough, growing up when my family went to San Francisco we stayed at the Campton Place and although a different era I reckon, what a small world it would have been to have been served cheese by Zepos.
In honor of her memory and the advancement of cheese education, donations can be made through the American Cheese EducationFoundation c/o of the American Cheese Society online at www.cheesefoundation.org.
It's amazing to stop and think what miracles she accomplished in her brief but brilliant time on earth.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Day 854 : Saturday at the Beach
When out in the Hamptons for a summer weekend where should you go to buy cheese?
Well Lucy's Whey in East Hampton of course!
An excellent selection of American artisanal cheeses, cured meats, preserves, crackers and breads is on offer in this small quaint shop next the local nail salon.
Fromagical recommends right now Mecox Bay Dairy's Sigit -- Produced locally, it is Mecox Bay Dairy's aged cow's milk cheese aged for at least 18 months. Nutty, butterscotchy, caramelly and buttery, this aged uniquely locally infused terrior cheese is perfect with a glass of light red wine while you're waiting for the grill to warm up to cook your veggies, meats, and fish.
Here's to a great weekend out in the sun!
Lucy's Whey
80 North Main Street
East Hampton, NY
Well Lucy's Whey in East Hampton of course!
An excellent selection of American artisanal cheeses, cured meats, preserves, crackers and breads is on offer in this small quaint shop next the local nail salon.
Fromagical recommends right now Mecox Bay Dairy's Sigit -- Produced locally, it is Mecox Bay Dairy's aged cow's milk cheese aged for at least 18 months. Nutty, butterscotchy, caramelly and buttery, this aged uniquely locally infused terrior cheese is perfect with a glass of light red wine while you're waiting for the grill to warm up to cook your veggies, meats, and fish.
Here's to a great weekend out in the sun!
Lucy's Whey
80 North Main Street
East Hampton, NY
Friday, July 6, 2012
Day 853 : An Aromatic Summertime TGIF Pairing
You know its a summer Friday when the idea of lying by a pool in the sun with a glass of rose brings a smile to your face. July 4th came and went and we're moving into the dog days of summer where books, hammocks, BBQs, beaches, and drinks with umbrellas in them sound like just the ticket.
Last summer I discovered a fabulous trick that I have since adopted -- a simple riff on a glass of rose but boy is it wonderful! What is it you might be wondering? Add in a few sprigs/leaves of sage into a medium bodied fruit forward rose and let the rose chill over night. What do you get on the palate? A floral and fruity yet crisp and eminently drinkable rose with aromatic herbaceous tangy notes -- refreshing and light and totally perfect for a hot summer day like today.
With those rose, you want a young creamy, tangy, citrusy chevre. I like to pair big aromatic notes with big aromatic notes so I think that olive oil dusted crostini topped with Westfield Farm's Chive Capri would be perfect! Hailing from Hubbardston, Massachusetts, this fresh young goat's milk cheese is rubbed in local chives. Milky young chevre notes find their counterpart with the green aromatic brightness of the chives and form an excellent pairing partner to your sage infused rose.
Happy Friday folks!
Last summer I discovered a fabulous trick that I have since adopted -- a simple riff on a glass of rose but boy is it wonderful! What is it you might be wondering? Add in a few sprigs/leaves of sage into a medium bodied fruit forward rose and let the rose chill over night. What do you get on the palate? A floral and fruity yet crisp and eminently drinkable rose with aromatic herbaceous tangy notes -- refreshing and light and totally perfect for a hot summer day like today.
With those rose, you want a young creamy, tangy, citrusy chevre. I like to pair big aromatic notes with big aromatic notes so I think that olive oil dusted crostini topped with Westfield Farm's Chive Capri would be perfect! Hailing from Hubbardston, Massachusetts, this fresh young goat's milk cheese is rubbed in local chives. Milky young chevre notes find their counterpart with the green aromatic brightness of the chives and form an excellent pairing partner to your sage infused rose.
Image courtesy of www.chevre.com
Happy Friday folks!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Day 852 : My new summertime salad obsession
When it's 93 degrees out, the idea of a crisp and fresh salad just sounds fabulous with an herbaceous and light glass of white wine, right?
My current go-to salad is a pretty simple melange of ingredients but is bright and lively and hits the spot on a day like today!
What goes into my summertime salad?
Baby Spinach
Fresh Basil
Steamed corn
Sliced cucumbers
Cilantro
Sauteed Zucchini
Pine Nuts
Cypress Grove Psychedillic Chevre - Fresh chevre infused with dill pollen that adds a fabulous aromatic herbaceous tangy-ness to the salad.
Sea salt
Black Pepper
Homemade vinaigrette (Dijon mustard, Apple cider vinegar, EVOO, 1/4 sauteed shallot, lemon juice)
Young Goat Gouda
First step is to steam your corn and once it is finished, remove the corn kernels from the cob. While preparing your corn, dice up a zucchini and place with some EVOO and sea salt in a saute pan over low heat. Cook till golden brown. While that is on the stove, combine in a big salad bowl your corn, diced cucumbers, pine nuts, diced cilantro and crumbled Cypress Grove Chevre. Next up add your spinach and basil to the mix. Mix together and then add in your sauteed zucchini. Drizzle your homemade vinaigrette over the top and mix together. Lastly top with a nice amount of grated Young Goat Gouda for a fresh, crisp, tangy, goaty milky finish to this wonderful summertime salad!
Enjoy folks!
My current go-to salad is a pretty simple melange of ingredients but is bright and lively and hits the spot on a day like today!
What goes into my summertime salad?
Baby Spinach
Fresh Basil
Steamed corn
Sliced cucumbers
Cilantro
Sauteed Zucchini
Pine Nuts
Cypress Grove Psychedillic Chevre - Fresh chevre infused with dill pollen that adds a fabulous aromatic herbaceous tangy-ness to the salad.
Sea salt
Black Pepper
Homemade vinaigrette (Dijon mustard, Apple cider vinegar, EVOO, 1/4 sauteed shallot, lemon juice)
Young Goat Gouda
First step is to steam your corn and once it is finished, remove the corn kernels from the cob. While preparing your corn, dice up a zucchini and place with some EVOO and sea salt in a saute pan over low heat. Cook till golden brown. While that is on the stove, combine in a big salad bowl your corn, diced cucumbers, pine nuts, diced cilantro and crumbled Cypress Grove Chevre. Next up add your spinach and basil to the mix. Mix together and then add in your sauteed zucchini. Drizzle your homemade vinaigrette over the top and mix together. Lastly top with a nice amount of grated Young Goat Gouda for a fresh, crisp, tangy, goaty milky finish to this wonderful summertime salad!
Enjoy folks!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Day 851 : Red, White, and Blue - My picks for July 4th cheeses
In honor of tomorrow being Independence day - its time to break out our Red, White, and Blue of American cheese selections courtesy of Fromagical. All Northeast based cheeses honoring our local farmers' excellent cheesemaking craft.
Our Red selection is Twin Maple Farm's Hudson Red hailing from Ghent, NY. A raw cow's milk washed rind cheese aged for anywhere between two and four months with a semi-soft consistency. Buttery and milky with a fabulous roundness on the interior has an earthy, rustic, funky, meaty richness from the washed rind exterior. A great washed rind cheese that pleases the amateur and the cheese aficionado alike. Perfect with a medium bodied fruit forward white or a nice IPA.
Our White selection is Vermont Farmstead's Lille hailing from South Woodstock, VT. Lille is inspired by Coulommiers, a French bloomy rinded cow's milk cheese that is believed to be an ancestor of Brie. But get those Brie like thoughts out of your head here! Thicker and denser than a Brie -- Lille is all about bright buttery, milky decadence -- hints of mushroom and slight fruity and nutty notes coat the interior of your mouth as you enjoy a morsel of this fabulous cheese. A perfect partner for a glass of bubbles.
And finally our Blue selection is Berkshire Blue hailing from Great Barrington, MA and crafted by Ira Gramble. Aged just for sixty days, this raw Jersey cow's milk blue cheese is made in the traditional blue cheese manner. Spicy and piquant yet creamy, round and milky with delicate grassy notes. Perfect with a glass of light red wine.
Have a great 4th all!
Our Red selection is Twin Maple Farm's Hudson Red hailing from Ghent, NY. A raw cow's milk washed rind cheese aged for anywhere between two and four months with a semi-soft consistency. Buttery and milky with a fabulous roundness on the interior has an earthy, rustic, funky, meaty richness from the washed rind exterior. A great washed rind cheese that pleases the amateur and the cheese aficionado alike. Perfect with a medium bodied fruit forward white or a nice IPA.
Image courtesy of www.artisanalcheese.com
Our White selection is Vermont Farmstead's Lille hailing from South Woodstock, VT. Lille is inspired by Coulommiers, a French bloomy rinded cow's milk cheese that is believed to be an ancestor of Brie. But get those Brie like thoughts out of your head here! Thicker and denser than a Brie -- Lille is all about bright buttery, milky decadence -- hints of mushroom and slight fruity and nutty notes coat the interior of your mouth as you enjoy a morsel of this fabulous cheese. A perfect partner for a glass of bubbles.
Image courtesy of www.artisanalcheese.com
And finally our Blue selection is Berkshire Blue hailing from Great Barrington, MA and crafted by Ira Gramble. Aged just for sixty days, this raw Jersey cow's milk blue cheese is made in the traditional blue cheese manner. Spicy and piquant yet creamy, round and milky with delicate grassy notes. Perfect with a glass of light red wine.
Image courtesy of www.artisanalcheese.com
Have a great 4th all!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Day 850 : My Spanish Cheese Crush in honor of their EuroCup Win!
Spain took the cake in yesterday's EuroCup final and in honor of their win and their country's colors, I thought I would introduce you all to my favorite Spanish cheese -- red on the exterior like the team's uniforms -- Ibores.
A firm aged goat's milk cheese that has been rubbed and brushed with Pimenton and Olive oil over the course of its two to three month aging process. Bright white ivory on the interior with a bright reddish show-stopping exterior. Tangy, zesty, citrusy, milky notes are paired with an aromatic herbaceous spicy tangy round kick. Great with some crusty bread and a glass of semi-sweet Riesling from the Finger Lakes.
Cheers to Spain!
A firm aged goat's milk cheese that has been rubbed and brushed with Pimenton and Olive oil over the course of its two to three month aging process. Bright white ivory on the interior with a bright reddish show-stopping exterior. Tangy, zesty, citrusy, milky notes are paired with an aromatic herbaceous spicy tangy round kick. Great with some crusty bread and a glass of semi-sweet Riesling from the Finger Lakes.
Image courtesy of www.artisanalcheese.com
Cheers to Spain!
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