This week, Abe sends us a primer on the
cheeses he makes here at
Dear CSA members:
Since things change
and people have asked me questions, I thought I would review and lay out the
particulars on the cheeses we make here at Hawthorne Valley Farm.
Of particular note
is the fact that, in addition to our own milk, we are now working with milk
from the herd at Evan’s Farmhouse Creamery in
I do realize that a
number of these cheeses are not available to our CSA members through
pre-order. Part of the reason is supply –
certain cheeses are just not available during the CSA season or the difficulty
of keeping a constant supply of particular cheeses ready for pre-order.
I hope, however,
that we can eventually get you a little bit of most things over the course of
the season. Abe
The Cheeses of
Fresh cheese – all made from
pasteurized milk:
Quark: a fresh lactic curd cheese, with a smooth spreadable texture
and a clean, buttermilky aroma. Make fresh weekly from either our own milk or
Evan’s, depending on the season.
N.B. The term “lactic curd” refers to
a curd that is coagulated through acidity rather than the rennet enzyme as with
our aged cheeses.
Bianca: also a fresh lactic curd cheese made in the style that is
common for goat’s milk cheeses (i.e. “cheve”). It is drier than the quark,
holding its own shape and is also moderately well salted. Made fresh weekly
from either our own milk or Evan’s depending on the season.
Ricotta: drier and more granular than most commercial ricotta. Made from cheese whey and milk. It is
available somewhat sporadically since it is dependent on the scheduling of
other cheeses.
Aged Cheeses – all made from
raw milk in our copper vat.
Alpine: a firm cheese with similarities to a Tarentaise. It is
typically aged 4 to 12 months. The younger cheeses are relatively bland, but
begin to develop a more mouth-filling savory character as they age. They can
sometimes develop a sharp bite in the flavor, though I try to steer away from
that if I can. Made from our summer milk only (while the cows are out on
pasture). Also flavored with caraway and garlic, the garlic being our own and
as such only seasonally available.
Edamer: a mild semi-firm cheese. It is a German variant of the
Cheddar: a moderately dry
cheddar which is aged 4 to 10 months. The cheddar is marketed under two
different labels: “Cheddar” which is made with Evan’s milk and “Westhill
Cheddar” which is made from our own milk. (The West Hill is a pasture grazed by
our cows and also appears on the background of our logo.) Sometimes made with
hot peppers.
Havarti: a mild and very similar in some respects to the Edamer. I thought this style cheese would be an
appropriate vehicle for the rich
Beet and Green Bean Salad
DRESSING:
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp.
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice with the mustard and garlic. Whisk in the oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper; add parsley.
SALAD:
¼ lb. green beans
2 large red beets
3 cups mixed lettuces
1 medium cucumber
4 large scallions, minced
½ green bell pepper, cut in strips
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the beans until just tender, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to a colander. Refresh under cold running water. Drain and pat dry. Cut the beans into 2-inch lengths.
Add the beets to the boiling water and simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain, peel and cut into 2-inch chunks. Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Slice crosswise.
In a large bowl, toss the beans with the beets, lettuces, cucumber, scallions, and bell pepper. Add a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
6 Servings
Late summer often means zucchinis large enough for stuffing, but weather too hot for long baking times. Try one or more of these cool and quick shortcuts:
How to Stuff a Wild Zucchini
Cut the zucchini into sections instead of
halves
Make quick-cooking zucchini
“cups” by slicing zucchini crosswise into 2-inch thick sections. Hollow out the
center of each piece, leaving a ¼” shell.
Before stuffing, pre-cook zucchini until just
tender.
- Blanch in boiling water for about 3 – 4
minutes. Drain well.
- or brush with butter or oil and broil for 5 - 6 minutes.
- or roast (brush with butter or oil) for
10 - 12 minutes at 400o.
Stuff pre-cooked zucchini with a COLD or
fully-cooked filling.
- Fill with your favorite raw vegetable
salsa or cold chopped salad.
- Fully cooked stuffing only needs to be
heated at 375 o for 10 minutes, or broiled until top is browned.
Skip the traditional egg-based stuffing
Try filling with
sautéed minced zucchini, garlic, onions and add one of the following
combinations:
- tomatoes, thyme
- celery, green pepper, basil, &
oregano
- or mushrooms, basil, thyme &
rosemary
- or parsley & dill
For a heartier meal,
add grated cheese, wheat germ, cooked rice, and/or browned ground meat to the
cooked vegetables.
Cool Cucumber Salad
Known as raita (RI-tah), this refreshing saucy dish balances
spicy meats.
2
cups plain yogurt
1
large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1
medium-size sweet onion, chopped
1/2
to 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/4
cup chopped fresh cilantro
1
teaspoon cumin seeds*
1
teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2
teaspoon salt
Garnishes:
fresh cilantro sprigs, cucumber slices
Stir together first 8 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
Garnish, if desired.
*1/2 teaspoon ground
cumin may be substituted.
Makes 3 1/2 cups fromSouthern Living, july 2003