Sunday, April 4, 2010

The Delight of Fresh Cheeses


In today’s world of super-grocery stores, it is so easy to forget that the foods we consider common, everyday staples, are in-fact quite seasonal. This past weekend, at a friend’s apartment for brunch, I remarked on how absolutely luscious the cream cheese spread on my bagel was. I knew this wasn’t your average “philly,” the texture was just slightly too structured, the cheese too lactic and fresh tasting. When I asked what she was serving, I was surprised and delighted to learn that it was a goat’s milk cheese! A fresh chevre, called Capri, from the Westfield Farm in Massachusetts. This very delicate cheese remained so; she was informed from her monger, because it was only about a week old. Westfield farm makes their cheese every four days and delivery to certain locations in NY is immediate. I rarely find myself raving about a pasteurized, vegetable rennet cheese but this one is special!

I promise you, enjoying a fresh chevre will change your mind about ever wanting to eat packaged goat cheese again. As cheese sits in its cryovaced packaging, off flavors develop. What most people associate at ‘goaty’ flavors in fresh chevre is usually just a sign of old cheese! Do yourself a favor and get the good stuff while it lasts! The season for these cheeses is now until the beginning of October. Look at farmers markets or cheese shops for non-cryovaced fresh goat milk cheese from local farms to insure freshness.

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