Goat Cheeses, Bread, and Rosé. I’ve been Cured.
- At September 18, 2011
- By megan
- In Boulder, Cheese, Cured, The Murrays Cheese Handbook, wine
1
I was really excited to jump right in and write about the four goat cheeses I bought at Cured. But, that has to wait a bit so I can tell you how very happy I was upon leaving Cured. It felt like a movie, or like I was magically somewhere else- walking through downtown Boulder with a small brown paper bag full of wine, plums, cheese, and a freshly baked baguette. This baguette was teasing me with a freshly baked aroma as I ducked into Topo Ranch to buy a birthday present for one of my favorite people in the world. I had a great conversation with the girl working at Topo Ranch about the baguette I got at Cured, my blog posts about cheese, the aroma of the baguette… and more about how I could hardly keep myself from biting right into the tip of the bread that stuck out of that slender brown bread bag.
Ahh… the baguette- it changed things that day. After an unnecessary splurge on my new bracelet (which I justified since I was so excited about the fresh bread) in addition to the important bday gift, I kept walking towards my car. It started to rain. My umbrella saved the day as the most important thing was keeping the baguette dry. A woman asked me if I had bought the bread at Panera bread. Oh, no ma’am. I went to Cured because I’m a food blogger on a mission to explore cheese and wine. And this baguette- well, it’s freshly baked by some guy named Steve who uses a local restaurant space to bake breads. This is no Panera bread baguette.
And so, I got home and unpacked my brown bag.
Coral Ferguson, co-owner of Cured, sent me home with four goat cheeses (beautifully wrapped like little cheese presents), locally grown plums, a bottle of Spanish rosé, and my baguette. Time to explore some goat cheeses.
I had a taste of Capriago (bottom left), Garrotxa (bottom right), Covered Bridge (upper right), and Goat Cheddar (upper left).
But, before I even unwrapped the cheeses, I tore off the top of that baguette and stood in the kitchen, silently enjoying my bread. I didn’t even put on music yet. Just ate the bread. It felt so good to devour the beautiful section of bread that had been teasing me for so long. I poured a glass of Borsao Rosé made from Spanish Garnacha grapes. I’m Spanish wines’ biggest fan, and I really enjoy rosé, so this was perfect for me. It was also light and fruity, which helped cut the fat from all of my cheeses.
So, I just sliced right into those cheeses. A little cheese and bread, sip of wine, bites of plum here and there. It was fun.
Capriago comes from the Bohemian Creamery in Sebastopol, CA. It’s a moist cheese that’s just slightly sweet, and I had no problem eating slice after slice. Yum. I would get this again.
Garrotxa (pronounced ga-ro-cha) comes from Catalonia, Spain. It’s mild, despite a moldy rind, with a delicate goat flavor- so, it didn’t taste too much like a barnyard. However, I tend to enjoy the barnyard in cheese while others do not, so that’s something to keep in mind with goat cheeses. It’s also the only cheese from this sampling that I found in The Murray’s Cheese Handbook, so I’ll quote. “This aged wheel is a brilliant expression of goat’s milk at its best.” I especially enjoyed this one.
Covered Bridge comes from Pholia Farms in Rogue River, OR. This cheese comes from Nigerian dwarf dairy goats. That’s unique. There was something different about this cheese, and it might be because the milk comes from dwarf goats. I know of a number of people who would find it too farmy, or too barny. When I compared it to the Capriago and Garroxta, I didn’t enjoy it as much. A friend actually spit it out, but that’s just rude, gross behavior, now isn’t it?
And finally, Goat Cheddar from Avalanche Goat Dairy in Basalt, CO. This is one I’m still unsure of. I had a problem with the mouth feel of this cheese. I felt a sensation of wet chalk or something, but the flavor was nutty and sweet. This cheese was also spit out by my friend- not once, but two or three times. I kept insisting on trying things over and over to really get an opinion. We both agreed that the texture of goat cheddar was a bit odd for us that evening. I’m open to trying it again, or something like it.
And so, my adventures in cheeses have officially begun. I’m so glad Cured is in town.
Cheese, Bread, and Wine Tasting #1
After my catharsis, I decided to put a positive spin on my lonely cheese, bread, and wine dinners. I’m now going to plan on cheese, bread, and wine, and explore some new flavors, textures, and regions of wines and cheeses. Why not?
So, with my Murray’s Cheese Handbook and The Cheese Chronicles as my reference books, I’m embarking on a new adventure.
The first three cheeses that I bought (from Whole Foods) are pictured below:
Beehive Seahive in the foreground- a cow milk cheese sweetened with honey. This was really good. I kept slicing it and snacking and snacking. It’s smooth, just barely sweet, and quite enjoyable.
Romao in the middle- a raw sheep milk cheese that’s rubbed with olive oil and rosemary. Again- yum. There’s just enough rosemary flavor for you to taste the herb without it smacking you in the face the way rosemary can from time to time.
And Taleggio in the back- a cow milk cheese that, according to the Murray’s handbook, is a cheese that “despite pungent, nearly offensive aromas” actually has a “gentle, buttery, mild” flavor. I couldn’t agree more. This cheese was a little scary at first with its moldy, stinky stink. But it is smooth.
Why I’m Not Cooking. A Catharsis.
- At September 8, 2011
- By megan
- In Uncategorized
- 3
Um… I thought this was supposed to be a food blog, with like food, and stuff. Yeah, I did too. That’s how it all started. I so very much identified myself as a home cook for all of my adult life, which coincidentally, was spent with my boyfriend of 12 years. Well, we broke up in April and I’ve been struggling to get back in the kitchen ever since.
I live alone now (with Owsley, my cat, of course), and let’s face it- cooking for one is just not any fun. There’s something so lonely about cooking for myself, I find. Most nights now I eat bread and cheese, wash it down with red wine, and call it a night. It’s a major lifestyle change and I really only find myself eating an actual dinner one or two nights each week. That’s why the number of recipes I’ve posted has dropped significantly and I have mostly been reviewing food products, restaurants, etc.
So, not to spill my guts with how sad and lonely I’ve been as of late. This shall pass. I know I’ll be inspired again… especially once I get a new camera (kind of let the ex take that special little device…). In the meantime, check out what some other awesome local Colorado food bloggers are up to:
Grace(Full) Plate
Use Real Butter
Boulder Foodie
Big World, Small Kitchen
Formation of a Foodie
I Cook, He Drinks
Elana’s Pantry
Chocolocateria
Door to Door Organics
- At September 1, 2011
- By megan
- In Door to Door Organics
- 0
Door to Door Organics delivered a local farm share box to my door a couple weeks ago, and, though I have not yet signed up for their grocery delivery service, they’ve been on my mind lately as I’ve been incredibly busy. Being busy means it is sometimes a hassle for me to get to Whole Foods or the farmers’ market, so coming home to a box of food sounds like a great idea. Especially a farm share box filled with locally grown organic produce.
The box I tried was filled with lettuce, cabbage, collard greens, cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, and green onions. Door to Door Organics picked it all out for me, but, if you sign up for their service, you get to substitute up to five items per order. So, if you don’t like collard greens, swap them out for carrots. But, I must warn you… collard greens, when cooked correctly, are delicately delicious. I found this out thanks to Door to Door Organics because I had never actually bought collard greens before, and having them delivered to my doorstep made me get a little creative in the kitchen, which is always fun.
Door to Door Organics isn’t just produce- you can order meats and freshly baked breads, too, as well as a variety of other products through the Door to Door Market. You can also skip a delivery if you’re away, and cancel any time. You’re not tied in to a lifetime of deliveries, though I do have some friends who have been hooked for a few years now. So, unlike a CSA where you pay for the entire farm share up front and then get whatever the farm grows, whether you’re in town to pick it up or not, Door to Door Organics offers a wider variety at a good price for a convenient service.
Door to Door Organics has a great website that helps you shop, plan meals, find recipes, and learn about local organic produce. So, I suggest you check it out. If you use the promo code “localtabletours” you’ll receive 40% off a bitty box. You can’t beat that!
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