Week 5, July 14 2008

Spring Menu 2008 Week 5

Dessert
A. Cherry crisp
B. Apple cherry crumble tart

Morning Magic
Entree
A. Breakfast empanadas with chorizo, eggs, wilted arugula and Gruyere
B. Grit cakes with sauteed zucchini and onion

Granola
A. Cherry almond
B. Apple maple walnut

Cheese Please!!

Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda (raw cows’ milk) Londonderry, VT
This mild and creamy cheese is a delight to snack on. The sweetness and
rustic smoke flavors evoke slices of simmering and yummy bacon! Made
by Jonathan and Kate Wright, Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda is the
product of totally natural and sustainable farming practices. The cows
are grazed rotationally, and their land is fertilized using completely
natural methods, meaning you are putting some of that rugged Vermont
goodness right back into your tummy.

Beltane Farms Chevre(pasteurized goats’ milk)Lebanon, CT
What began as a tiny goat farm making a few cheeses to sell at farmers’
markets has bloomed into a full-fledged dairy, and become the second
full-time job of Paul Trubey, a hospice worker. The mixed herd of Alpine,
La Mancha, and Nubian goats provides top quality milk which is
transformed into fresh chevre and other aged cheeses. Beltane’s fresh
chevre is mild and spreadable, with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and just
the right amount of tang.

Grafton Classic 2 Year Cheddar (raw cows’ milk) Grafton, VT
Grafton is the quintessential Vermont cheddar. Established in 1892, this,
friends, is a cheese with staying power. They have a whole town up there
named after the cheese plant, for pete’s sake. The two-year Classic is just
the right amount of sharp and creamy. It tickles your tongue without the
sting of some super sharp cheddars. Made from raw milk culled from
family farms across southern Vermont.

This menu was archived on: Monday, July 14, 2008

Week 4, July 7 2008

Spring Menu 2008 Week 4

Salad Greens with your choice of 2 dressings that are packaged in 4oz. squeeze bottles
A. Lemon vinagrette
B. White wine dijon vinaigrette
C. Buttermilk blue cheese dressing
D. Roasted garlic vinaigrette
E. Geary family Cesar dressing
F. Rosemary anchovy vinagrette

Soup
A. Curried lentil and Swiss chard soup
B. Spicy summer squash soup with yogurt and mint

Baked Goodness
A. Seed crusted amaranth biscuits
B. Almond cherry mini loaves

Pasta/Grain
A. Whole wheat fettucini with arugula pesto, summer squash, pea shoots and
spring onions with Pecarino Ramano
B. Swiss chard and fresh ricotta lasagna

Veggie
A. Roasted tomato and summer squash quiche with herbed ricotta
B. Cornmeal encrusted pan fried summer squash (think fried green tomatoes!)

Meat dish
A. Braised duck legs with spring onions and fresh garlic
B. Spicy “BBQ” shrimp cooked with fresh rosemary and beer!

Side… Choose 2!
A. Kholrabi and apple salad with horseradish cream
B. Roasted baby beets with lemon, chives and creme fraiche
C. Sesame chili bok choy
D. Zucchini ragout with bacon and early tomatoes

Dessert
A. Cherry Pie!!
B. Cherry citrus compote
C. Strawberry rhubarb tart with cinnamon brown sugar crust

Morning Magic
Entree
A. Pea-shoot and fresh garlic frittata with herbed ricotta
B. Breakfast empanadas with bacon, mushroom and cheddar

Granola/Baked goodie
A. Maple apple walnut granola
B. Strawberry rhubarb scones

Cheese Please!
Meadow Creek Dairy Grayson (raw cows’ milk) Galax, VA
Rick and Helen Feete present Grayson! A delicious washed rind cheese in a delicious square format. The Feetes are traditionalists when it comes to raising their herd, only making cheese when the cows are on pasture, from April to October. The result: an intense, beefy cheese whose straw-colored paste reflects all the goodness of the Virginia mountain grass the cows are munching on.  When extremely ripe, Grayson can achieve the consistency of buttercream frosting… an eating opportunity not to be missed!

Alleva Dairy Mozzarella(pasteurized cows’ milk)New York, NY
A beautiful fresh mozzarella from the oldest Italian cheese shop in the country!  Established in 1892, Alleva is now in its fourth generation of family ownership, with its roots stretching back to Benevento, Italy. Alleva mozzarella has a distinctive texture, soft and slightly squeaky against your teeth, and is so fresh that milk literally oozes out when you cut into it.

Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue (raw cows’ milk) Greensboro, VT
This blue is so good it’s almost obscene. Almost. Named after the Bayley Hazen road, built by George Washington to launch a Canadian invasion way back when, it is creamy and chocolaty and salty, oh my. The craftsmanship executed by the families Kehler up at Jasper Hill is laudable, and lucky for us, edible too.  Kinda makes you thankful we ever had a reason to fight with Canada. 

This menu was archived on: Monday, July 07, 2008

Week 3, June 30 2008

Spring Menu 2008 Week 2

Salad Greens with your choice of 2 dressings that are packaged in 4oz. squeeze bottles
A. Lemon vinaigrette
B. Buttermilk blue cheese dressing
C. Rhubarb vinaigrette
D. Tarragon Dijon vinaigrette

Soup
A. Green garlic soup
B. Portuguese kale soup with white beans and chorizo

Baked Goodness
A. Herbed flatbread
B. Cinnamon oatmeal scones

Pasta/Grain
A. Soba noodles with sugar snap peas and chives
B. Quinoa with sauteed garlic scapes, spinach and summer herbs

Veggie
A. Empanadas with summer greens, ciantro and queso fresco
B. Grit cake squares with caramelized onions, greens and allepo pepper

Meat dish
A. Braised short ribs with smoked paprika sauce
B. Pan seared duck breast with rhubarb and fresh thyme sauce

Side
A. Garlicky sauteed pea shoots with lemon and fresh herbs
B. Roasted garlic smashed potatoes
C. Sugar snap peas with mint and orange
D. Savory creamed spinach with parmigano

Dessert
A. Stewed rhubarb with candied ginger
B. Strawberry rhubarb tart with vanilla mascarpone

Cheese Please!

Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda (raw cows’ milk) Londonderry, VT
This mild and creamy cheese is a delight to snack on. The sweetness and rustic smoke flavors evoke slices of simmering and yummy bacon! Made by Jonathan and Kate Wright, Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda is the product of totally natural and sustainable farming practices. The cows are grazed rotationally, and their land is fertilized using completely natural methods, meaning you are putting some of that rugged Vermont goodness right back into your tummy.

Beltane Farms Chevre
What began as a tiny goat farm making a few cheeses to sell at farmers’ markets has bloomed into a full-fledged dairy, and become the second full-time job of Paul Trubey, a hospice worker. The mixed herd of Alpine, La Mancha, and Nubian goats provides top quality milk which is transformed into fresh chevre and other aged cheeses. Beltane’s fresh chevre is mild and spreadable, with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and just the right amount of tang.

Grafton Classic 2 Year Cheddar (raw cows’ milk) Grafton, VT
Grafton is the quintessential Vermont cheddar. Established in 1892, this, friends, is a cheese with staying power. They have a whole town up there named after the cheese plant, for pete’s sake. The two-year Classic is just the right amount of sharp and creamy. It tickles your tongue without the sting of some super sharp cheddars. Made from raw milk culled from family farms across southern Vermont. 

This menu was archived on: Monday, June 30, 2008

Week 2, June 23 2008

Spring Menu 2008 Week 2

Salad Greens with your choice of 2 dressings that are packaged in 4oz. squeeze bottles
A. Lemon vinaigrette
B. Buttermilk blue cheese dressing
C. Rhubarb vinaigrette
D. Tarragon Dijon vinaigrette

Soup
A. Green garlic soup
B. Portuguese kale soup with white beans and chorizo

Baked Goodness
A. Herbed flatbread
B. Cinnamon oatmeal scones

Pasta/Grain
A. Soba noodles with sugar snap peas and chives
B. Quinoa with sauteed garlic scapes, spinach and summer herbs

Veggie
A. Empanadas with summer greens, ciantro and queso fresco
B. Grit cake squares with caramelized onions, greens and allepo pepper

Meat dish
A. Braised short ribs with smoked paprika sauce
B. Pan seared duck breast with rhubarb and fresh thyme sauce

Side
A. Garlicky sauteed pea shoots with lemon and fresh herbs
B. Roasted garlic smashed potatoes
C. Sugar snap peas with mint and orange
D. Savory creamed spinach with parmigano

Dessert
A. Stewed rhubarb with candied ginger
B. Strawberry rhubarb tart with vanilla mascarpone

This menu was archived on: Monday, June 23, 2008

Week 1, June 16 2008

Sweet Deliverance Spring Week 1 2008

Salad Greens with your choice of 2 dressings that are packaged in 4oz. squeeze
bottles
A. Lemon vinaigrette
B. Green Goddess dressing
C. Sesame soy
D. Rosemary anchovy vinaigrette
E. Aged balsamic vinaigrette

Soup
A. Spring asparagus soup
B. Vichyssoise - chilled potato leek soup with chive oil

Baked Goodness
A. Strawberry and cream breakfast scones
B. Dill & Gruyere biscuits

Pasta/Grain
A. Faro salad with wilted arugula, shallots lemon and spring garlic
B. Chiocciole pasta tossed with arugula walnut pesto, and Parmigiano

Veggie
A. Herbed ricotta and asparagus quiche
B. Early summer greens and wild mushrooms atop black rice with
sesame scallion sauce

Meat dish
A. Chili braised pulled pork and brioche buns for pulled pork sandwiches!
B. Garlic and herb marinated chicken, roasted, with salsa verde

Side
A. Whole roasted mini potato salad with capers,leeks, fresh dill and creme fraiche
B. Summertime maple baked beans
C. Sugar snap peas sauteed in lemon butter
D. Southern style spicy sauteed greens

Dessert
A. Strawberry crumble pie
B. Strawberry orange compote

Morning Magic

Homemade Granola
A. Maple walnut raisin
B. Almond blueberry

Entree
A. Bacon cheddar mushroom frittata
B. Creamy polenta with chorizo and garlic chives

This menu was archived on: Monday, June 16, 2008

Winter Menu Week 15 Apr. 14th 2008

Winter Menu Week 15

Soup
A. Hearty minestrone
B. White bean stew with kale and chorizo

Baked Goodness
A. Baked herbed flatbread
B. Cheddar rosemary scones

Pasta/Grain
A. Quinoa with soy glazed ginger and garlic sweet potatoes
B. Angel hair with caramelized fennel and onion in a cream sauce with
fresh herbs

Veggie
A. Potato cheddar and herb quiche with Flying Pig Farm smoked ham
B. Sauteed greens and herbed goat cheese wrapped in phylo

Meat dish
A. Spicy southern style meat loaf with Hawthorne Valley Farm beef
B. Slow cooked organic chicken paprikash

Side
A. Honey roasted butternut squash
B. Herb roasted potatoes

Dessert
A. Apple pear pie with hazelnut and oat crumble top
B. Molassas cookies

Cheese Please!!
Cato Corner Farm Vivace
Vivace is a young raw cows’ milk cheese reminiscent of provolone. Sprightly and sharp with beautiful eyes (you know, like the Swiss cheese kind of eyes) which occur naturally as gases are produced within the cheese as it is aging. It has a squeaky and firm texture and a bright golden paste that shows off the herds’ rich diet of pasture.

Nettle Meadow Kunik (pasteurized goats’ milk with Jersey cream) Warrensburg, NY
Kunik is dreamy mold-ripened cheese made from a mix of goats’ milk and fresh Jersey cream. It ranges from earthy, grassy and slightly firm to supple and unctuous and pungent. Kunik is delightful at any state of ripeness, and deserves a much-coveted place in your belly.

Hook’s Cheese Company Original Blue (pasteurized cows’ milk) Mineral Point, WI
Original Blue is made by Tony and Julie Hook and aged for over a year; yielding a cheese that is intense, fudgy, and peppery. It’s your grandpa’s blue cheese...sharp and fermenty and bold. Made from the milk of cows from family farms all over the Mineral Point area, the Hooks have been supporting their local dairymen since 1976. A classic American blue, ideal for salads, crostini, or atop a juicy burger! 

This menu was archived on: Monday, April 14, 2008

Winter Menu Week 14 Apr. 7th 2008

Winter Menu Week 14

Soup
A. Chunky lentil soup with butternut squash
B. Celery root and potato soup

Baked Goodness
A. Lemon poppy seed bread
B. Oatmeal maple walnut scones

Pasta/Grain
A. Farro and greens salad with shallot, lemon and fresh herbs
B. Wild Mushrooms and shallots atop black rice with chives

Veggie
A. Caramelized fennel and herbed ricotta frittata
B. Parsnip puree with roasted root veggies

Meat dish
A. Lemon thyme roasted chicken
B. Pan roasted Flying Pig Farms pork chops with country mustard sauce

Side
A. Creamy red cabbage and carrot coleslaw with fresh herbs
B. Oven roasted beets with horseradish creme fraiche and fresh herbs

Dessert
A. Lemon tart
B. End of winter citrus marmalade (goes great with Bayley Hazen Blue
cheese and a little sea salt!)

Cheese Please!!

Beltane Farms Chevre
What began as a tiny goat farm making a few cheeses to sell at farmers’ markets has bloomed into a full-fledged dairy, and become the second full-time job of Paul Trubey, a hospice worker. The mixed herd of Alpine, La Mancha, and Nubian goats provides top quality milk which is transformed into fresh chevre and other aged cheeses. Beltane’s fresh chevre is mild and spreadable, with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and just the right amount of tang.

Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue (raw cows’ milk) Greensboro, VT
This blue is so good it’s almost obscene. Almost. Named after the Bayley Hazen road, built by George Washington to launch a Canadian invasion way back when, it is creamy and chocolaty and salty, oh my. The craftsmanship executed by the families Kehler up at Jasper Hill is laudable, and lucky for us, edible too. Kinda makes you thankful we ever had a reason to fight with Canada.

Meadow Creek Dairy Grayson (raw cows’ milk) Galax, VA
Rick and Helen Feete present Grayson! A delicious washed rind cheese in a delicious square format. The Feetes are traditionalists when it comes to raising their herd, only making cheese when the cows are on pasture, from April to October. The result: an intense, beefy cheese whose straw-colored paste reflects all the goodness of the Virginia mountain grass the cows are munching on. When extremely ripe, Grayson can achieve the consistency of buttercream frosting… an eating opportunity not to be missed!

Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda (raw cows’ milk) Londonderry, VT
This mild and creamy cheese is a delight to snack on. The sweetness and rustic smoke flavors evoke slices of simmering and yummy bacon! Made by Jonathan and Kate Wright, Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda is the product of totally natural and sustainable farming practices. The cows are grazed rotationally, and their land is fertilized using completely natural methods, meaning you are putting some of that rugged Vermont goodness right back into your tummy. 

This menu was archived on: Monday, April 07, 2008

Winter Menu Week 13 Mar. 31st 2008

Winter Menu Week 13

Soup
A. Fennel soup with chive oil
B. Curried sweet potato and apple soup

Baked Goodness
A. Classic sticky buns with walnut and currents
B. Bacon cheddar chive buttermilk biscuits

Pasta/Grain
A. Baked polenta with winter greens and Grafton cheddar
B. Fettuccine with butternut squash and sage puree and Flying Pig Farm
sausage with herbed ricotta

Veggie
A. Wild mushroom and leek quiche
B. Chickpea and vegetable tagine with carrots and curry squash

Meat dish
A. Chili braised pork empanadas with allepo spiced creme fraiche
B. Catskill Merino Farm Lamb patties with parsley sauce

Side
A. Satuee of red cabbage apples and onions
B. Saffron braised rutabaga

Dessert
A. Mexican chocolate bread pudding
B. Orange almond shortbread cookies

Cheese Please!!
Cobb Hill Farm Ascutney Mountain (raw cows’ milk)
Ascutney Mountain (incidentally a cheese and a mountain) hails from an intentional community in Vermont started by Donella H. Meadows, a Harvard PhD in biophysics.  What is an intentional community, you may ask? An online encyclopedia defines it as a ‘planned residential community with a much higher degree of social interaction that other communities.’ In the case of Cobb Hill, the community is devoted to sustainable agriculture. The cheese makers, Gail Holmes and Marsha Carmicheal had never set foot in a dairy before moving to Cobb Hill, but took notes from some of the best in the biz, including Peter Dixon, of Westminster Dairy… and learned their craft with astonishing speed. Ascutney is a rich, deep yellow cheese with a pleasant, nutty and lightly sweet flavor.

Nettle Meadow Kunik (pasteurized goats’ milk with Jersey cream) Warrensburg, NY
Kunik is dreamy mold-ripened cheese made from a mix of goats’ milk and fresh Jersey cream. It ranges from earthy, grassy and slightly firm to supple and unctuous and pungent. Kunik is delightful at any state of ripeness, and deserves a much-coveted place in your belly.

Woodcock Farm Magic Mountain (raw sheeps’ milk) Weston, VT
Magic Mountain hails from Vermont and is crafted from the milk of Mark and Gari Fischer’s East Fresian sheep. It is an aged, Alpine-style sheep’s milk cheese, made in large wheels typical of the famous Alpine cheeses such as Gruyere and Beaufort. Magic Mountain is aged for over 10 months and is dense and smooth, with a subtle nutty flavor.

This menu was archived on: Monday, March 31, 2008

Winter Menu Week 12 Mar. 24th 2008

Winter Menu Week 12

Soup
A. Butternut squash soup spiced with allepo pepper
B. Creamy fennel and potato chowder

Baked Goodness
A. Cheddar corn muffins
B. Banana walnut bread

Pasta/Grain
A. Black rice with greens and spiced pumpkin seeds
B. Lasagna with Alleva Dairy Fresh Ricotta and winter greens

Veggie
A. Polenta triangles with root vegetable ragout
B. Spanakopita with spicy greens and feta

Meat dish
A. Shelburne Farm’s Shepherd’s Pie with caramelized onions and cheddar smash
B. Maple and black pepper chicken

Side
A. Shaved salad of red cabbage, fennel, carrot, celery root and fresh herbs
B. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes with chives

Dessert
A. Apple pie with crumble top
B. Peanut butter cookies

Cheese Please!!

Cobb Hill Farm Ascutney Mountain (raw cows’ milk)
Ascutney Mountain (incidentally a cheese and a mountain) hails from an intentional community in Vermont started by Donella H. Meadows, a Harvard PhD in biophysics.  What is an intentional community, you may ask? An online encyclopedia defines it as a ‘planned residential community with a much higher degree of social interaction that other communities.’ In the case of Cobb Hill, the community is devoted to sustainable agriculture. The cheese makers, Gail Holmes and Marsha Carmicheal had never set foot in a dairy before moving to Cobb Hill, but took notes from some of the best in the biz, including Peter Dixon, of Westminster Dairy… and learned their craft with astonishing speed. Ascutney is a rich, deep yellow cheese with a pleasant, nutty and lightly sweet flavor.

Nettle Meadow Kunik (pasteurized goats’ milk with Jersey cream) Warrensburg, NY
Kunik is dreamy mold-ripened cheese made from a mix of goats’ milk and fresh Jersey cream. It ranges from earthy, grassy and slightly firm to supple and unctuous and pungent. Kunik is delightful at any state of ripeness, and deserves a much-coveted place in your belly.

Woodcock Farm Magic Mountain (raw sheeps’ milk) Weston, VT
Magic Mountain hails from Vermont and is crafted from the milk of Mark and Gari Fischer’s East Fresian sheep. It is an aged, Alpine-style sheep’s milk cheese, made in large wheels typical of the famous Alpine cheeses such as Gruyere and Beaufort. Magic Mountain is aged for over 10 months and is dense and smooth, with a subtle nutty flavor.

This menu was archived on: Monday, March 24, 2008

Winter Menu Week 11 Mar. 17th 2008

Winter Menu Week 11

Soup
A. Creamy and simple potato leek soup
B. Hearty split pea soup with or with out Flying Pig Farm smoked ham

Baked Goodness
A. Honeyed apple tea bread
B. Irish soda bread with raisins and caraway

Pasta/Grain
A. Bitter greens sauteed with garlic and crushed red pepper atop spiced lentils
B. Whole wheat chiocciole with arugula walnut pesto and Grana Padano

Veggie
A. Herbed goat cheese tart with fennel and onion
B. Savory kale and wild mushroom bread pudding

Meat dish
A. Hawthorne Valley Farm Irish beef stew
B. Oven roasted Catskill Merino Farm lamb chops with chimichuri

Side
A. Citrus roasted beets with fresh herbs
B. Maple roasted carrots

Dessert
A. Meyer lemon cake with lavender scented buttercream
B. Apple cinnamon compote for ice cream or pancakes

Cheese Please!!

Barick Obama Lazy Lady Farm (pasteurized cows’ milk. Westfield, VT)
A noble square of delicious cows’ milk cheese inspired by the famous
senator from Illinois. Barick looks like the French Pont L’Eveque, and
shares with it it’s beefy buttery flavor. The delicate pungency of the
washed rind is nuanced with notes of green apples and fresh wet straw.

Grafton Classic 2 Year Cheddar Grafton Village Cheese (raw cows’ milk. Grafton, VT)
Grafton is the quintessential Vermont cheddar. Established in 1892,
this, friends, is a cheese with staying power.  They have a whole town
up there named after the cheese plant, for pete’s sake. The two-year
Classic is just the right amount of sharp and creamy.  It tickles your
tongue without the sting of some super sharp cheddars. Made from raw
milk culled from family farms across southern Vermont.

Kunik Nettle Meadow Farm (pasteurized goats’ milk with Jersey cream. Warrensburg, NY)
Kunik is dreamy mold-ripened cheese made from a mix of goats’ milk and
fresh Jersey cream. It ranges from earthy, grassy and slightly firm to
supple and unctuous and pungent. Kunik is delightful at any state of
ripeness, and deserves a much-coveted place in your belly.

Timberdoodle Woodcock Farm (raw cows’ milk. Weston, VT)
Long before there were Labradoodles, there were Timberdoodles! (Just
another way of saying woodcock.) This cheese is luscious and dense,
with a creamy, peanut-buttery paste that will drive you bananas.
Timberdoodle is washed with brine as it ages, giving it that special
pungent funk that we all know and love. Though Timberdoodle is made
year-round, the composition of the cheese changes as different milks
come in and out of season.  During the summer months, it is made from
pure sheeps’ milk, while in the late fall it switches to a combination
of sheep and cows’ milk.  Throughout the winter when all the sheep are
dry (i.e. pregnant and not producing milk), it is made with pure cows’
milk.

This menu was archived on: Monday, March 17, 2008

Winter Menu Week 10 Mar. 10th 2008

Winter Menu Week 10

Soup
A. Rich onion soup
B. Creamy carrot cumin soup with spiced toasted pumpkin seeds

Baked Goodness
A. Apple morning muffins
B. Gruyere scones

Pasta/Grain
A. Curry squash ravioli with sage walnut pesto
B. Garlic and thyme creamy polenta with Grafton cheddar and scallions

Veggie
A. Sweet potato and leek frittata with herbed fresh goat cheese
B. Ragout of broccoli rabe, white beans and wild mushrooms

Meat dish
A. Braised rabbit with whole grain mustard sauce
B. Lamb chops with fresh herb gremolata

Side
A. Buttery mashed parsnips
B. Fennel carrot and cabbage slaw

Dessert
A. Tangy sweet glazed lemon cookies
B. Homemade apple cobbler

Cheese Please!!

Barick Obama Lazy Lady Farm (pasteurized cows’ milk. Westfield, VT)
A noble square of delicious cows’ milk cheese inspired by the famous
senator from Illinois. Barick looks like the French Pont L’Eveque, and
shares with it it’s beefy buttery flavor. The delicate pungency of the
washed rind is nuanced with notes of green apples and fresh wet straw.

Grafton Classic 2 Year Cheddar Grafton Village Cheese (raw cows’ milk. Grafton, VT)
Grafton is the quintessential Vermont cheddar. Established in 1892,
this, friends, is a cheese with staying power.  They have a whole town
up there named after the cheese plant, for pete’s sake. The two-year
Classic is just the right amount of sharp and creamy.  It tickles your
tongue without the sting of some super sharp cheddars. Made from raw
milk culled from family farms across southern Vermont.

Kunik Nettle Meadow Farm (pasteurized goats’ milk with Jersey cream. Warrensburg, NY)
Kunik is dreamy mold-ripened cheese made from a mix of goats’ milk and
fresh Jersey cream. It ranges from earthy, grassy and slightly firm to
supple and unctuous and pungent. Kunik is delightful at any state of
ripeness, and deserves a much-coveted place in your belly.

Timberdoodle Woodcock Farm (raw cows’ milk. Weston, VT)
Long before there were Labradoodles, there were Timberdoodles! (Just
another way of saying woodcock.) This cheese is luscious and dense,
with a creamy, peanut-buttery paste that will drive you bananas.
Timberdoodle is washed with brine as it ages, giving it that special
pungent funk that we all know and love. Though Timberdoodle is made
year-round, the composition of the cheese changes as different milks
come in and out of season.  During the summer months, it is made from
pure sheeps’ milk, while in the late fall it switches to a combination
of sheep and cows’ milk.  Throughout the winter when all the sheep are
dry (i.e. pregnant and not producing milk), it is made with pure cows’
milk.

This menu was archived on: Monday, March 10, 2008

Winter Menu Week 9 Mar. 3rd 2008

Winter Menu Week 9

Soup
A. White bean stew with bacon and kale
B. Creamy celery root soup with herbed croutons

Baked Goodness
A. Cheddar and chive buttermilk biscuits
B. Maple almond cream scones

Pasta/Grain
A. Quinoa with roasted root veggies and fresh herbs
B. Spicy hoppin’ John with black-eyed peas and brown rice

Veggie
A. Three caramelized onion and herb quiche
B. Shredded potato cakes with leeks and Ouray from Saxelby Cheesemongers

Meat dish
A. Pan roasted chicken with lemon, capers and thyme
B. Cider and spice braised pork butt

Side
A. Brown butter creamed winter greens
B. Savory ginger sweet potato puree

Dessert
A. Brown sugar cookies
B. Apple cheddar rosemary galette

Cheese Please!!

East Dorset Consider Bardwell Farm (raw cows’ milk. West Pawlet, VT)
Can you say asparagus?  Dorset is an incredibly talented shape-shifter of a cheese, melding a myriad of different sensory experiences into each tiny morsel you chew.  Earth, root vegetables, minerals and wet stones are all things that come to mind as the smooth paste melts in your mouth.  Dorset is fashioned in the style of a simple Alpine tomme, and has a pliant, elastic texture and a golden ochre paste.

Maytag Blue Maytag Dairy (raw cows’ milk. Newton, IA)
Mr. Maytag, the appliance mogul, discovered the joys of noble European blues, namely Roquefort, during a trip to Europe in the early 1900’s. When he got back to Iowa, he sought to replicate this delicious cheese, alla Americana. Taking a scientific approach, he teamed up with Iowa State University and created Maytag Blue, a true American original. Still made from raw milk entirely by hand, this cheese is fruity, buttermilky and packs a tangy punch. Great for burgers… isn’t it time you had a barbeque?

Winnemere Jasper Hill Farm (raw cows’ milk. Greensboro, VT)
In the words of Mateo Kehler, the cheese maker at Jasper Hill Farm, this cheese is terroir cubed. Why, you ask?  Well, for starters, the cheese is made from the milk of the Ayrshire cows that roam the idyllic pastures of Jasper Hill Farm, eating up all the sunshine infused goodness of the grass. Second, Winnemere is washed in beer that is brewed at the farm by a brewmaster friend of the Kehler families. Thirdly, the beer is a lambic, meaning it is fermented with wild yeasts. The yeasts used to start the fermentation are culled from spores found in the cheese cellars at Jasper Hill, making it one heck of an interesting cheese.  Winnemere is then bound in spruce bark, and when aged takes on a rich thick pungent flavor with pine needle and woodsy undertones.

Ascutney Mountain Cobb Hill Farm (raw cows’ milk. Hartland, VT)
Ascutney Mountain (incidentally a cheese and a mountain) hails from an intentional community in Vermont started by Donella H. Meadows, a Harvard PhD in biophysics. What is an intentional community, you may ask?  An online encyclopedia defines it as a ‘planned residential community with a much higher degree of social interaction that other communities.’ In the case of Cobb Hill, the community is devoted to sustainable agriculture.  The cheese makers, Gail Holmes and Marsha Carmicheal had never set foot in a dairy before moving to Cobb Hill, but took notes from some of the best in the biz, including Peter Dixon, of Westminster Dairy… and learned their craft with astonishing speed. Ascutney is a rich, deep yellow cheese with a pleasant, nutty and lightly sweet flavor.

This menu was archived on: Monday, March 03, 2008

Winter Menu Week 8 Feb. 25th 2008

Winter Menu Week 8

Soup
A. Curried sweet potato soup
B. Hearty spilt pea soup with or without Flying Pig Farm smoked ham

Baked Goodness
A. Whole grain coffee crumb cake
B. Flakey buttermilk biscuits

Pasta/Grain
A. Aromatic brown rice with spicy cabbage sauté
B. Thyme and garlic creamy polenta topped with mushrooms and chives

Veggie
A. Potato cheddar and herb quiche
B. Sweet potato gnocchi with grated Sprout Creek Farm Ouray (raw cows’ milk cheese!)

Meat dish
A. Red wine braised Bison Ranch short ribs
B. Maple brined Flying Pig Farm pork chops

Side
A. Honey roasted winter squash
B. Saffron braised rutabaga

Dessert
A. Glazed honey cake
B. Peach lavender jam filled shortbread thumbprint cookies

Cheese Please!!

Blue Paradise Hook’s Cheese Company (pasteurized cows’ milk. Mineral Point, WI)
A divine double cream blue from the capable hands of cheese maker Tony Hook.  Blue Paradise is the kind of blue you’d like to be stranded with on a desert island, rich and thick with a lingering taste of fermented fruit. Flavors of sweet prunes and spicy dark cracked pepper color the veins of this incomparable cheese.

Maple Smoked Gouda Taylor Farm (raw cows’ milk. Londonderry, VT)
This mild and creamy cheese is a delight to snack on.  The sweetness and rustic smoke flavors evoke slices of simmering and yummy bacon! Made by Jonathan and Kate Wright, Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda is the product of totally natural and sustainable farming practices. The cows are grazed rotationally, and their land is fertilized using completely natural methods, meaning you are putting some of that rugged Vermont goodness right back into your tummy.

O’ My Heart Lazy Lady Farm (pasteurized cows’ milk. Westfield, VT)
Could it be that this cheese is a cautionary tale against overconsumption?  Surely, if you ate too many of these little buggers, you would be a likely candidate for a coronary.  Or is it just an ode to the fatty buttery goodness of organic cows’ milk from the Northern climes of Vermont? Either way, this mold-ripened disc of double cream cows’ milk is a winner.  At just four ounces, it is the perfect cheese to tote along with you to a dinner party, and pairs equally well with viscous white wines as well as bolder reds.

Timberdoodle Woodcock Farm (raw cow and sheeps’ milk. Weston, VT)
Long before there were Labradoodles, there were Timberdoodles! (Just another way of saying woodcock.) This cheese is luscious and dense, with a creamy, peanut-buttery paste that will drive you bananas. Timberdoodle is washed with brine as it ages, giving it that special pungent funk that we all know and love. Though Timberdoodle is made year-round, the composition of the cheese changes as different milks come in and out of season.  During the summer months, it is made from pure sheeps’ milk, while in the late fall it switches to a combination of sheep and cows’ milk.  Throughout the winter when all the sheep are dry (i.e. pregnant and not producing milk), it is made with pure cows’ milk.

This menu was archived on: Monday, February 25, 2008

Winter Menu Week 7 Feb. 18th 2008

Winter Menu Week 7

Soup
A. Celery root and apple soup
B. Mexican spiced vegetable soup

Baked Goodness
A. Curry squash bread (curry squash is a medium size pumpkin like squash)
B. Hearty whole wheat biscuits with honey glaze or Maldon salt

Pasta/Grain
A. Black rice with soy glazed sweet potatoes, ginger and garlic
B. Whole wheat chiocciole with squash puree and sage

Veggie
A. Roasted beets with blood orange, Bayley Hazen Blue cheese and spiced candied walnuts
B. Buttery cabbage and onions with or without Flying Pig Farm bacon

Meat dish
A. Hawthorne Valley Farm beef empanadas with Aleppo pepper crème fraiche
B. Slow cooked organic chicken paprikash

Side
A. Mustard and coriander roasted potatoes
B. Roasted garlic mashed rutabaga

Dessert
A. Carrot cake with ginger cream cheese frosting
B. Apple spice cake

Cheese Please !!

Lazy Lady Farm O’ My Heart (pasteurized cows’ milk) Westfield, VT
Could it be that this cheese is a cautionary tale against overconsumption? Surely, if you ate too many of these little buggers, you would be a likely candidate for a coronary.  Or is it just an ode to the fatty buttery goodness of organic cows’ milk from the Northern climes of Vermont? Either way, this mold-ripened disc of double cream cows’ milk is a winner. At just four ounces, it is the perfect cheese to tote along with you to a dinner party, and pairs equally well with viscous white wines as well as bolder reds.

Twig farm Fuzzy wheel,(raw goats’ milk) Cornwall VT.
Will wonders never cease? Michael Lee and the goats up
at Twig Farm keep coming up with new and tasty cheeses
as the season pass. This little fuzzy buddy is sweet,
green, grassy and as a minerally finish. Unique and
wonderful stuff!

Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue (raw cows’ milk) Greensboro, VT
This blue is so good it’s almost obscene. Almost. Named after the Bayley Hazen road, built by George Washington to launch a Canadian invasion way back when, it is creamy and chocolaty and salty, oh my. The craftsmanship executed by the families Kehler up at Jasper Hill is laudable, and lucky for us, edible too. Kinda makes you thankful we ever had a reason to fight with Canada.

This menu was archived on: Monday, February 18, 2008

Winter Menu Week 6 Feb. 11th 2008

Winter Menu Week 6

Soup
A. Creamy Potato leek soup
B. Celery root soup

Baked Goodness
A. Apple spice morning muffins
B. Cheddar and chive buttermilk biscuits (with or w/o bacon)

Pasta/Grain
A. Whole wheat penne with kale, wild mushrooms and Grana Padano
B. Quinoa cakes with roasted curry squash

Veggie
A. Parsnip puree topped with roasted root vegetables
B. Kale, bacon and hot pepper quiche with Gruyere

Meat dish
A. Southern spiced meatloaf with Hawthorne Valley Farm beef
B. Organic chicken braised with tomatoes and onions

Side
A. Winter slaw of cabbage, carrot, apple and celery root
B. Maple roasted carrots

Dessert
A. Orange almond shortbread cookies
B. Old fashioned sweet potato pie

Cheese Please!!

Sprout Creek Farm Ouray (raw cows’ milk) Poughkeepsie, NY
One bite and this cheese will leave you exclaiming OO-ray! A one of a kind cheese with a flavor that is a hybrid of Cheddar and Parmesan with perhaps a little bit of English Lancashire thrown in the mix to make things interesting. It is bright and tart with a flaky and somewhat granular texture. Accented with sharp and lactic notes and rustic mossy undertones which evoke the damp cellars in which it is aged. 

Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue (raw cows’ milk) Greensboro, VT
This blue is so good it’s almost obscene. Almost. Named after the Bayley Hazen road, built by George Washington to launch a Canadian invasion way back when, it is creamy and chocolaty and salty, oh my. The craftsmanship executed by the families Kehler up at Jasper Hill is laudable, and lucky for us, edible too. Kinda makes you thankful we ever had a reason to fight with Canada.

Meadow Creek Dairy Grayson (raw cows’ milk) Galax, VA
Rick and Helen Feete present Grayson! A delicious washed rind cheese in a delicious square format. The Feetes are traditionalists when it comes to raising their herd, only making cheese when the cows are on pasture, from April to October. The result: an intense, beefy cheese whose straw-colored paste reflects all the goodness of the Virginia mountain grass the cows are munching on. When extremely ripe, Grayson can achieve the consistency of buttercream frosting… an eating opportunity not to be missed! 

This menu was archived on: Monday, February 11, 2008