Oblatory Potatoes (Secular)

Ever since my Penina (like My Antonia, but Jewish and Jersey) departed San Francisco to make a name for herself in the wilds of Brooklyn, I've struggled with the concept of cooking for one. It's just not as fun. I could and would cook Perrin breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and maybe an afternoon snack for good measure, but when it comes to feeding myself I'm just not as ambitious, nor as nourishing. In fact, cooking for one notably lacks the element of nurturing that I find so pivotal to the joy I garner from my culinary endeavors. And I don't just mean the act of solitary eating can be monumentally less satisfying, but more importantly that cooking, for me, is inextricably wrapped up with the idea of nurturing someone. It's a kind of offering: here, eat my food, absorb my affection, accept my care. Let me share with you. Share with me.

And so when I recently had the opportunity to cook for someone, I pulled out all the stops. I served a highly-tinkered version of this salmon ceviche with pickled cucumbers and tomatillos (don't let anyone, particularly the fishmonger at Whole Foods, tell you that salmon is a bad choice for ceviche); Smitten Kitchen's rosemary flatbreads (but substituting chives and wheat flour); my now-classic stuffed baby potatoes; wilted spinach salad goat cheese packets and a warm honey-balsamic vinaigrette; and drunken peaches with ginger sorbet. My guest's selection of a Macon-villages Chardonnay complemented my culinary choices surprisingly well, and a spot of pear brandy with dessert rounded out the meal. It's nice to have a hand in the kitchen, but mainly nice to have company in the kitchen...and help with the dishes certainly doesn't hurt.



These potatoes can be a bit time-intensive, but a good choice if you have a minion, er, assistant to help out. I particularly enjoy them as a tapas-style offering as they travel well and make good finger food. If you're especially finicky about presentation, cut off the rounded bottoms so that they sit flat -- myself, I'm a fan of curves.

8-10 Baby potatoes
3-4oz Goat cheese
~2 T Coarsely chopped herbs of your choice (I used chives and a sprinkling of dried thyme)
2-3 Cloves garlic, crushed
A few healthy pinches of sea salt and plenty of fresh cracked pepper
Capers (or, olives)

Boil potatoes with salt until just tender. Rinse, let cool, halve, and scoop out the fleshy insides. Mix with everything except capers/olives, check seasoning, then pack into potato skins. Top with capers or olives, garnish with chives or parsley, and chili oil if you're feeling especially decorative.

NB: You could also sprinkle with breadcrumbs and broil for a few minutes, but I prefer them cold, despite the persistent San Francisco summer fog.

Haystack Mountain Red Cloud (Niwot, CO)

Served with brown butter apricots

They say: "Washed simply in brine, Red Cloud exhibits the red fruity qualities of a cheese typically washed in spirits. It is unpasteurized goat's milk, scrubbed and washed daily giving it a marbled red/orange color. The high acidity of the goat's milk i san interesting contrast with the usual pungency of a washed rind cheese, as is the bright white hue of the paste inside. Niwot, Colorado is just outside of Boulder, and Haystack Mountain is a pile of rubble near the dairy."

Cmoore says: Surprisingly mild for a washed-rind cheese, my hunch is that this firm little round will soften and intensify as it ripens. The high acid of the goat's milk comes through nicely, finishing with a sharp bite bordering on ammonia-esque, similar to the pine-y-ness of Vacherin Mont D'Or or Chaput Grand Foin. Haystack Mountain does great things with goat's milk -- this washed rind wonder is definitely worth a try.

Serving suggestions: Something sweet and smooth, like a Riesling, Sauterne, or Tripel. Try with pears?

La Tur (Piedmont, Italy)

Served with porcini honeycomb

They say: "La Tur is about the size of a cupcake and wrapped in a ruffled paper doily, so instantly there is an indication that the cheeses will be a real treat. An usual blend of cow's, goat's AND sheep's milk, not one component dominates the others. The rind is lightly dusted with P. Candidum, giving it a wrinkly, membrane-like texture. It is luscious and creamy next to the rind, and slightly firmer, although still spreadable, toward the center. Aged for less than a month, La Tur has a remarkable depth of personality, ranging from delicately salty cream to earthy and mushroomy, with the animal undertones of sheep and goat."

Cmoore says: Awesome creamline, with a light but luscious whipped texture. Salty paste that promises to ooze as it ripens. Flavor profile is barnyardy and mushroomy, with notes of hay. Who doesn't like salt and cream?

Serving suggestions: Sparkling! Particularly sparkling rose or grower's champagne. I think a Belgian tripel would be nice, too, or the true champagne of beer, Deus.

Westfield Blue Log (Hubbardston, MA)

Served with Tuscan pepper honey

They say: "Aged for about 3 weeks. This is a goat cheese with the legendary blue mold, Penicillium Roqueforti. Unlike many artisinal cheeses, this aged goat cheese encrusted by blue mold is a unique, American creation. The Stetsons of Westfield Farm begin with their traditional, high quality chevre, but then cover the outside with the famed mold. After 20 days in a warm curing room with high humidity, the exterior forms a grayish-blue crust. The fluffy interior remains bright white and goaty to the core. It ripens from the outside in, but no blue veins enter the paste. (Note: blue veins are possible only when the cheese maker pierces the paste with copper needles, allowing oxygen and Penicillium Roqueforti to creep in.) The exterior mold gives the cheese a gentle piquancy near the rind, but it is tempered with the lemony tang of a fresh goat cheese."

Cmoore says: "Blue Log" doesn't exactly evoke the paragon of deliciousness, so I usually opt for "Classic Blue Log", which somehow ups the ante. The blue mold is thick, more like a a soft shell than a thin skin. It provides a smooth coating that packs a spicy punch, nicely contrasting the salty, light, creamy-yet-fluffy interior. This might not be the best choice for a crowd-pleaser, but definitely a fun cheese.

Serving suggestions: Blue mold is from Mars, and goats are from Venus, so how do you find a beverage that suits both? Look for something with sweetness to complement the blue, and acidity to temper the goat: perhaps a Chenin Blanc or Viognier, or on the barley-based end, a Belgian tripel would do nicely.

Valencay (Loire Valley, France)

Served with red beet jam

They say: "Shaped like a pyramid and covered in blue-gray mold, Valencay has a very distinctive appearance. Legend has it that it was originally a complete pyramid, with a point at the top. This was lopped off by an angry Napoleon when he stopped by the castle of Valencay. He had just been defeated by the Egyptians, and the stately pyramids aroused his rage. The mold is caused by a generous coating of salted charcoal ash, an excellent preservative for goat cheeses. Valencay is the first region in France to achieve AOC status for both wine and cheese."


Cmoore says: All the classic qualities of a Loire goat's milk cheese -- lactic, grassy, slightly lemony -- with a creamy, mouth-coating consistency and pleasantly peppery finish. Between the fresh, young scent and subtly biting arugula-reminiscent finish, this is an ideal spring cheese. I bet it would be great with a plate of lightly dressed greens and a very fresh baguette.

Suggested pairings: The Loire is known for their Sauvignon Blanc as well as their goat cheeses, and not coincidentally the two make a lovely union. Other zippy, slightly minerally whites like a Bordeux Blanc or an Austrian Gruner Veltliner would also accentuate this cheese in all the right ways. If you want to go beer try something light but hoppy, like a pilsner, a gentle IPA, or a saison.

Vermont Butter & Cheese "Coupole" (Websterville, VT)

Served with brown butter apricots

They say: "Vermont Butter and Cheese Company is a cooperative supporting over 20 family farms. They pay each dairy for quality milk, providing incentives for each farmer to raise his standard of purity. The co-op has a strict standard of testing each milk, and the higher the score of an individual's milk, the more money she will receive. They have a line of fresh cheeses and butters, but are mostly known for their aged artisanal goat cheeses, modeled after the famous Loire Valley chevres. Bijou is their take on the classic French Crottin de Chavignol, and Coupole is made with the same recipe as Bijou. It is then drained into a larger mold, that of a miniature dome. They sprinkle it with a small amount of vegetable ash. Coupole is fully mature at 45 days."

Cmoore says: Dense, lactic, and chalky, with an overall mild, slightly sweet flavor profile and pleasant mouth-coating texture. Goat cheese seem more appealing and apropos in the summer, perhaps because the dense chalkiness pairs so nicely with the crisp, cold beverages I crave in the summer heat. I love that VBC is a co-op, and I love that this cheese is vegetarian: I think it would be particularly delicious with some honey and green apples.

Suggested pairings: Crisply acidic whites, like Sauvignon Blanc or Vernaccia; Light, effervescent beers like Belgian wit beer, a mildly hoppy Saison/Farmhouse ale, or even a nice Hefeweizen.

Lactard-Friendly Cheeses

If you check up on this blog, you've probably noticed the recent influx of cheese-related posts. A few of you have questioned the presence of such content on a not-quite-vegan themed blog. However, I'm posting today to defend my current love affair with cheese.

Let's start with the basics. There are two kinds of lactose intolerance:

1) Primary Lactose Intolerance: People who don't have enough lactase enzyme, which helps break down lactose (milk) sugars. Our bodies naturally produce less of this when we aren't breast-feeding infants, not expecting to process the breast milk of other mammals for years to come. Inadequate amounts of lactase result in big chunks of unprocessed sugars trying to make their way through the intestines, which is quite uncomfortable -- hence the bloating, gassiness, pain, etc. For these people, products like Lactaid pills and Lactaid milk, which contain supplements of the lactase enzyme, often eliminate discomfort. Some claim that the big chunks of sugar absorb water and becomes food for bacteria that form gases and acids. Ouch.

2) Secondary Lactose Intolerance: People with unhealthy or imbalanced gut flora (the array of bacteria living in the intestines). Everyone has plenty of *good* bacteria that hang out make sure everything is chugging along as per normal, and work to ward off *bad* bacteria. Strong doses of antibiotics can wipe out the strains of good gut flora and make way for bad bacteria. I myself went through several rounds of antibiotics (for two cases of walking pneumonia and several stubborn ear infections) over a three-year period. This basically wiped out my gut flora, and the less-desirable bacteria hanging out in my intestines now love to feed off the milk sugars that may pass through my system. They get excited and produce, again, gas, bloating, pain, etc. Pills don't help people in this category.

So, what's a lactard to do? Give up all milk products? That means cheese, ice cream, milk, pizza, butter, cottage cheese, yogurt...oh my! I don't want to! And, according to several sources, I don't have to. For example, Bob Fusco of the NIH says:

Most of the lactose is removed from the cheese with the whey during the manufacturing process. As a result, most ripened cheeses contain about 95 percent less lactose (.4 to 1 gram per serving) than whole milk (9-12 grams per serving), and less even than Lactaid milk (3 grams per serving), a brand of fluid milk that has most of the lactose specially removed.

Now, I tend to stay moderately suspicious of the NIH, but ever since I've been broadcasting my lactose intolerance, servers, doctors, friends, and various internet sources have been telling me the same thing. Here are the cheeses that seem to be ok for me:

Aged Cheeses
Most styles of cheese are aged a certain length of time before consumption. Any cheese aged over six months -- including most hard cheeses, cheddars, etc -- will have 0g lactose. No lactose means no problem for the lactose-intolerant! Some experts claim any cheese aged more than 60 days has less than 1g of lactose and therefore ought to be safe for most of the lactose-sensitive population. However, some people still suffer from headaches when eating aged cheeses.

Goat Milk Cheeses
Goat's milk contains slightly less lactose than cow's milk, so some goat's milk products are more digestible. Additionally, goat's milk does not contain casein, the protein found in cow's milk, therefore making goat's milk easier to digest.

Raw Milk Cheeses
Raw milk contains harmless bacteria which produce lactase which, in turn, enables the human body to break down and absorb lactose. Pasteurized milk has had all of these bacteria killed off and is therefore lactase-free, but still contains lactose, causing problems for many people who try to drink it. Raw milk cheeses are said to promote easier digestion and better calcium absorption; contribute to a stronger immune system; aid in combating allergies; are high in conjugated linoleic acid - the most potent cancer fighter; and contain a perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

I can tolerate yogurt and aged cheeses with no problem. Pizza and ice cream are the most vicious culprits for me, and lately goat's milk cheeses haven't been so great, either. Fresh cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta are pretty much death, and I've just started experimenting with raw milk. Stay tuned!

Pata de Cabra (Aragon, Spain)

Served with membrillo mustard

They say: "Pata Cabra means the foot of the goat." [Yep. That's all I got.]

Cmoore says: A washed-rind goat cheese from Spain with a surprisingly mild flavor profile. The firm paste was sweating slightly when I tried it, and my primary impression was a lactic sweetness with a hint of tang on the finish. I think it would be nice with a fruity (perhaps Spanish) beverage.

Suggested Pairings: Rioja, Riesling, Belgian wheat beer, Deus

Tomme du Berger (Provence, France)

Served with porcini honeycomb

They say: "Two brothers came up with this mixed-milk cheese recipe: one had a goat dairy in Provence and the other had sheep in Corsica. It is now produced in Sardinia, shipped to Corsica and matured in Provence. "Berger" is French for shepherd. During the fall and winter, the cheesemakers use much more sheep's milk than goat's milk."

Cmoore says: A beefy, pungent tomme with a pleasant saline character and a sharp, funky finish. The porcini honeycomb balances out the moderately biting piquancy with an earthy sweetness. Excellent with riesling or similarly sweet/malty beverages.

Suggested Pairings: Riesling, Belgian wheat beer, Abbaye-style ale

Brunet (Piedmont, Italy)

Served with porcini honeycomb

They say: "Brunet is one of the many fresh Piedmontese cheeses that are so delicate, they have to be transported in cupcake holders. The goat that makes the milk for Brunet is actually a brunette; the label shows her sporting a long, luxurious coat of brown fur and fine stiletto hooves. Even Italian goats know how to dress! Brunet cheese looks like a flattened out, wrinkly Brie. It has a supple coating of mold with a dense, almost flaky paste and a runny, creamy texture towards the rind. It ages for about a month. At this stage, it is tangy, salty, lactic, and acidic yet not overpoweringly goaty."

Cmoore says: Ahhh, the Brunet. At points it vies with Truffle Tremor for the spot of cmoore's favorite cheese. The small, soft disk of fermented goat's milk bears the brilliant white coat characteristic of bloomy rind cheese. Right now it is ripe (read: runny), creamy, salty, and generally delicious. The porcini honeycomb we serve as an accompaniment is, to bring back a moderately antiquated expression, simply to die for: savory, slightly earthy porcini oil drizzled over a runny honeycomb. Divine, and lovely with a crisp sparkling or white wine to cut through the rich paste.

Suggested Pairings: Rose, Cava, Rose Cava, Pinot Gris, Frambozenbier, Lambic

Cypress Grove "Truffle Tremor" (Humbolt County, CA)

Served with local honey

They say: "Cypress Grove is well-known for their American original Humboldt Fog, a bloomy-rind goat's milk cheese with a line of vegetable ash running through it. Truffle Tremor is Cypress Grove's newest cheese, with the same velvety texture and fluffy white rind as Humboldt Fog. It stands out with the addition of fresh black truffles, whose earthiness contrasts nicely with the lemony tang of the goat's milk."

Cmoore says: Well, 'they' said it pretty well. Truffle Tremor was on our autumn cheese list as well, and it was then (as it is now) my favorite selection on the menu. Soft, oozy, and delicious, the paste is tangy and creamy with flecks of savory black truffle infusing an earthy flavor. The slightly sticky, smoothly sweet honey provides a lovely accompaniment.

Suggested Pairings: Cotes du Rhone, Cahors, Cava, Golden ale, Tripel, Saison

Vermont Butter & Cheese "Bijou" (Websterville, VT)

Served with chamomile cranberries

They say: "Vermont Butter and Cheese Company have created their own line of French style goat cheeses, including the popular Bonne Bouche, Coupole, and Bijou. Bijou is modeled after Crottin de Chavignol, whose name means "horse dropping," while "bijou" is the much more appealing "jewel."

Cmoore says: This dense little crottin features a mild, nutty flavor contrasted with a peppery burst from the natural rind. The gummy consistency may soften as the crottin ripens. Bijou is made with pasteurized goat's milk and a vegetarian rennet, and thus quite amenable to lactose-intolerant vegetarian preferences!

Suggested pairings: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Saison

St Maure de Touraine (Tours, France)

Served with red beet jam

They say: "St Maure de Touraine looks like a cheese on a stick. It is skewered with a piece of straw that ventilates it while aging. The stick should not be cut; instead piece of the cheese are pulled off the stick like a kebab. 241 farm producers make St. Maure, and traditionally the name of the farm was printed on the straw to identify the producer."

Cmoore says: Fresh, slightly chalky texture with a slight creamline under the rind. The interior is lactic and goaty, with a peppery accent from the ashy rind. The beet jam (a puree of roasted beets and dijon mustard) adds a lovely tanginess that complements and enhances the cheese. Nice with crisp or bubbly beverages to cut through the fluffy paste.

Suggested pairings: Vouvray, Champagne, Loire valley white (e.g. Sauvignon Blanc), Flemish ale, Kriek, Hefeweizen