Tag Archives: cheese

March 21, 2012 · 3:25 pm

Whoot! New Leslieville Cheese Market opened at Donlands and O’Connor

Last time I got excited about the little strip mall at Donlands and O’Connor is when I spied a little confectionary store that sold “British Candy”.  Visions of Jelly Babies raced through my head as I entered but was sorely disappointed by the old and dusty looking stock.  (What, there’s not a huge demand for Fruit Pastilles?)

But as of last week, my hopes are high once again.  Michael Simpson, owner of Leslieville Cheese Market has opened another store in this east end “forgotten zone” as he calls it.

We've been found!

As a resident in this neighborhood  I have to agree that it’s bit thrilling to get noticed by a fine food proprietor.  And there are lots of families in the area that are probably salivating at the thought of artisinal cheese, Rahier croissants, St. Urbain bagels and artisinal breads in the neighborhood (not the neighborhood next door, or the one next to that).  Located across from Fresh from the Farm (which sells local, farm-fresh,hormone and drug-free meat) Mr. Simpson is hoping to start a trend to inspire other food shops to open.

The store wasn’t open Monday when I stopped by, but here’s a little peek into the wee space.  See the cheese!!  Glowing enticingly.  I can’t wait to stop by after school with Felix and pick up cheese for after dinner.

So I hope if you live in the area you’ll come out and support the new store and maybe as Mr. Simpson hopes–“inspire more businesses to come out of the woodwork”.  Then us “other” east-enders can stop referring to our neighborhoods as “close to Leslieville” or “next to Riverdale”.

HOURS ARE:

Mon Closed
Tues 11-7
Wed 11-7
Thur 11-730
Fri 11-730
Sat 10-7
Sun 11-6

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February 14, 2012 · 3:08 pm

Happy Valentine’s Day to Me (and you of course)

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable Valentine’s Day–meaning that you’ve been showered in chocolates, furry stuffed bears and wet kisses (if you’ve been hoping for such things), or that you’ve had the satisfaction of hating this horrible, commercial holiday that compete’s only with New Year’s in terms of hollow and impossible expectation settings.

If you’re panicking (from either scenario) remember this:

This was a Valentine’s message from my friend Joanne at fashioninmotion.com, which should actually be cheeseandfashioninmotion, but too late now.

Yet, good or bad, Valentine’s Day always invites one to think about having a special meal–cheesies, Diet Dr. Pepper and gummies in front of Four Weddings and a Funeral  (where you can throw cheesies at the TV whenever Andie McDowell appears) or some fancy schmancy meal–in your house or out on the town.

I had the latter–last night-actually (we live on Australia time).  No, I have a class tonight so my husband made me a delicious dinner on the 13th.

And I will share it with you:

The appetizers came from T&T and were so delicious, I must apologize for my terrible lighting and staging of the plate but I’m not about to set up a light and worry about camera angles in the middle of a romantic meal (though apparently I will think about my blog for at least 10 minutes).

We had fishballs, and veggie gyoza and sweet and sour daikon with some salted mustard greens in the back.

Next we had a surf and turf thing going on with steak and tilapia in a Yuzu sauce with lots of fresh pepper.  The tilapia was tender, sweet and delicate.

And with that a warm mushroom salad.  Mushrooms perfectly cooked–not over cooked–and in a light Hoisin sauce.

Here is a close-up–

wow–I wasn’t kidding when I went close with this–perhaps I was eating straight from the plate with my mouth?  It was lipsmacking delicious.

And finally some fresh papaya and mango tofu.  I am slightly addicted to mango tofu since our babysitter started buying it for our son.  I am sure it is not healthy at all.  But it SOUNDS healthy!

And then, just to top off my perfect night at home–an hour long Valentine’s episode of 30 Rock!!  And, since it was PVR’d, no commericals and Tad even made sure to start the show again at the end of the preceding commercial  (I hate missing even a second of a scene).

Which reminds me, I have some Valentine Day payback to think about….

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February 10, 2012 · 8:00 am

Toast Post: Welsh Rarebit

See--there's veggies--totally healthy meal.

If it were up to me, melted cheese on toast would be acceptable sustenance for snacks and meals alike.  In fact, forget the melting part;  toast, butter and the sliced fromage will do just fine.  But others (grumpy family members) don’t agree that simply swapping aged cheddar for Oka is a “whole new meal.”

So here’s my lazy solution, Welsh Rarebit, also known as Welsh Rabbit, is essentially a savory melted cheese sauce, poured over toast and then broiled and browned.  (Yes, in the UK cheese sauce can be a main course.)

The name originated as a tongue-in cheek reference to a meat-less meal made from whatever was left in the pantry or one could afford.  So I will lean on tradition and call this a perfect, well-rounded supper—ideal for the Sunday night “Oh God, is tomorrow Monday?” blues.

Traditionally made with cheddar, you can swap in any cheese on hand (that’s the point I believe) but I’m going to go with Lancashire (for tanginess) and some Oka (for the nutty, fruity quality) in this recipe.

Welsh Rarebit (one of many versions)

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ cup Guinness beer

¾  cup cream  (less for a thicker sauce)

1 ½ cups shredded cheese (1 cup Lancashire, ½ cup Oka in this case)

salt  (adjust to taste , some cheeses are saltier than others)

fresh ground pepper

8 slices toasted sourdough or rye

Method

  1. In a medium pot over low heat, melt the butter until foaming subsides. Add the flour and whisk it in until you form a smooth past (a roux).  You do not want the roux to brown at all.

 

  1. Take the roux off the burner and cool slightly (so will not splatter) when you add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce.  Whisk until smooth and then back on medium-low heat add the beer.

 

  1. Now add the cream and whisk until the sauce thickens, this will take a couple minutes.  You don’t want this to boil, if it does just lower the heat.
  2. Pull the sauce off the heat and slowly add the cheese.  It should melt easily, (if you need to you can throw the sauce back on the heat for a minute as you stir).  Set aside, keep warm.

  1. Season to taste.
  2. Turn on your broiler or preheat the oven to 500°F (260° C).
  3. Toast the bread until crisp (to avoid sogginess once cheese is added)
  4. Put the bread on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Pour the sauce over each piece.  Broil until browning slightly (1-2 minutes).

  1. Allow to cool slightly -so it can be handled- and serve to salivating dinner companions.  (Don’t forget to drink the remaining beer!)

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK

chatteringkitchen.com, who first generously posted this as a guest blog this week–do check her out.

and also mention Mr. Cardwell who wrote a comment on the Fromage Fort post asking me to do a little testing and come up with a recipe.  I took inspiration from this great Welsh Rarebit link he sent from The Guardian.

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January 18, 2012 · 3:21 pm

Toast Post: Fromage Fort

Today I wrote a piece in the Globe about a spread called Fromage Fort.  Without repeating myself (as you can simply read the actual piece), I thought I would expand a little on the recipe that is in the Globe and tell you the specific cheeses that I blended to make two versions of the spread as I was testing it.

This makes such a fabulous grilled cheese or quick meal just broiled on baguette that I almost had to stop myself from eating it twice a day (I didn’t stop myself though, that would be wrong).

And my cheese drawer is suddenly SO spacious.  I feel some cheese shopping coming on….

Yep, 5 or 6 of these and contentment is yours.

TRIAL 1:

The first trial was made of actual leftover cheese in my fridge.  I used:

2 oz Stilton (blue)

3 oz Pierre Robert (soft, triple creme)

2 oz Garottxa (hard)

2 oz asiago (firm)

handful parsley

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup white wine

lots of fresh ground pepper

So, just about an even ratio of everything though I threw is some extra Pierre Robert that was leftover on the cutting board.  (Why  did I not just eat it?  Oh the willpower I possess.)

Then I just buzzed it for 30-60 seconds in the food processor til completely combined and it was done.

TRIAL 2

Same wine, pepper, herbs and garlic, I went out and bought specific bits of cheese for this one:

2 oz Abondance (firm)

2 oz old cheddar (firm)

2 oz Munster (soft, washed rind)

3 oz Brie (soft)

This version was quite strong (though the blue in the first batch really spoke out) but it was a little more pungent due to the Munster.

But again–I find when melted the flavours mellow out a bit (not if you ask my husband about the Munster version though!)

TA-DAAAAA!!!!!!

I know I am going on about this, but it is truly some of the easiest and most rewarding “cooking” I have done.   And it all has to do with cleaning out the fridge.  Two birds…lots of cheese bits.

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August 10, 2011 · 10:50 am

American Cheese Society Conference: Cheese a Go-Go

Setting Up the Festival of Cheese

This is what 1676 cheeses look like set-up for nibbling.  The Festival of Cheese which is also open to the public concludes the events at the ACS conference.

I was lucky enough to get a peek while the room was being set-up.  This is only one side of a giant conference room.

It smelled pretty amazing in there.  Fresh, milky and rich.  Cheese land.  And the roller coaster was awesome.

Here are a few more images of the room to make you wish you were there.

This is the soft, bloomy-rind table underway.  Some of the really rich yellow ones were made with Jersey milk.  Comfort Cream from Upper Canada Cheese Company is in there–it won a ribbon.

Ontario also had winners from Glengarry Fine Cheese (Aged Lankaaster), Monforte (Abondance) and Best Baa Dairy for their yogurt (a no-brainer, especially if you’ve had the maple flavoured one!) and Mouton Rouge, a washed-rind wheel.

Here is the part of the blue table.  One of the Quebec winners was one of my absolute faves–the sheep’s milk Bleu Moutonnière .  YUM. YUM. YUM.

Finally-we had 44 Quebec ribbons over all and here are a few of the winning Fromageries:

La Moutonnière (5) Fritz Kaizer (3) Maison d’affinage Maurice Dufour (2) and of cour La Presbytere whose Louis D’Or took third prize for Best in show.

Cheesed out yet?   Someone get me a green salad.


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July 14, 2011 · 1:38 pm

Drink free wine at lunch on July 15. I’ll fill your glass to the brim.

Come, take home a raven as a souvenir!

I lied, I’m not actually allowed to pour the wine.  I’m too messy to have contact with liquids that stain.

Luckily, you can’t pour cheese.  Here’s the scoop, come out tomorrow between noon-3pm and try some wines from Ravenswood Winery in California (Sonoma Valley to be precise).  Joel Peterson, Ravenswood’s wine maker will be there and for once you won’t have to talk about the weather as where he lives–it’s nice all the time.  He’ll never say, “whoa, three days of sun, awesome!”  But he will tell you about his Zinfandels and Shiraz and a special blend called ICON.

And you’ll be sober enough to go back to work  (functionally sober I mean) as  Nick from Olympic Cheese and I will fill you up with delicious fromage.  And if you feel sad that you can’t talk about the weather, I’m there for you.  “Humid today, eh?” I promise to say.

DEETS:  July 15, 12-3pm, Victor Restaurant and Lounge, 30 Mercer Street     RSVP marian@eventrix.ca as numbers are limited.

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July 2, 2011 · 10:21 am

Toast Post: Cottage Gold

Cottage Gold, sibling to Niagra Gold

It’s not my camera, it’s the Guernsey milk.  The cheese really is this intense colour.  All due to the elevated beta-carotene levels found in the milk of the Guernsey cow.  (It also has more protein and vitamin A and D than Holstein milk.)

Let’s stop picking on the Holstein and concentrate on the fact that this cheese is A. only here for the summer and B. the summer is not that long. (I’m being a pessimist like my mom, who on the first day of a long-awaited vacation will point out “well, it’ll all be over in 10 days– also there’s a lot of rain in the forecast.)

Cottage Gold is a cheddar-like version of Niagara Gold (an Oka-style cheese) made by Upper Canada Cheese, who are also known for Comfort Cream and the lip-smacking and grillable Guernsey Girl.  Cottage Gold is dense, salty and buttery with a pleasant earthiness at the   rind. Avoid the rind if you prefer but if sliced thinly the “earthy” quality appeals on the palate and evokes a real sense of the outdoors.

Today was my first time trying the Cottage Gold and I can already see it doing a heelside front flip on the wakeboard and then drying off with a threadbare “Florida: The Sunshine State!” towel obtained from a long-ago family drive to Daytona Beach.  Also I can see Cottage Gold reclined on a patio chair drinking a cold beer.  Actually, that’s me on the chair with a beer, and a slice of cheese.  Or maybe I’d melt it onto a burger or pack it with some pickle chips and apple slices for an afternoon outing to Snake Pond (childhood reference–insert any mucky, deliciously squishy-between-the-toes pond with frogs and dragonflies from your own youth).

Cottage Gold in 11 words or more:    The Guernsey cow breed, originally from the British Channel Island of the same name, was introduced to North America in the 19th century and officially imported to Canada by future prime minister Sir John Abbott in 1878.  If you’d like to know more, check out this informative review of Cottage Gold  by Stacey at A Taste of Cheese. I’m going to eat more cheese.

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June 6, 2011 · 2:56 pm

Gwyneth Paltrow is GOOPing on my territory

My mouth is a bit smaller than in this picture.

First the acting, then the singing, next a cookbook and now a blog post about cheese. I’m exhausted GP.  You don’t have to do everything.  Let me do the cheese- seriously.  I mean, really…what else do I have?  A small film called Salami Heaven, songs at pre-school where I keep my voice low enough to blend in with the hum of the fan and a kick-ass recipe for fudge.  But no cook book.

All I had was the cheese.  And now you had to go there.  And I had to go there to get the link to your post. It’s just unjust.  But, it is kind of a good post.  I grudgingly admit.

And I do love, love, love (love) La Fromagerie in London, and their cheese room and their soft-boiled egg for breakfast with the imported Italian coffee.  And nothing bad to say about Murray’s cheese in New York either.

The newspaper is for when you eat breakfast alone-- which is the best way to dine in the early morning.

Just one thing, I resent the “cheese is kind of unhealthy” disclaimer off the top.  At its best, made with care and with pristine milk I would consider it pretty darn healthy.  And btw, so does Patricia Michelson, owner of La Fromagerie.  A quote from her first book, The Cheese Room (personally autographed–(ha GP!)– to my husband… but details..),

“Who would have thought a book on cheese would contain a beauty tip? Not such a daft idea as we should all know about the health enhancing qualities of cheese–good for teeth and bones as well as the blessed dietary attributes of Parmigiano Reggiano for young children, women in pregnancy, the elderly and sporty types.”

She’s talking about the fact that Italian scientists have studied the benefits of Parmigiano-Reggiano for many years. It is easy to digest for children (and people with gastrointestinal problems) as the long ageing process slowly breaks down the milk proteins. It has high levels of calcium and phosphorus making it very good for people suffering from osteoporosis.  Plus for athlete’s it can provide the protein they might get from meat, but is lower in cholesterol and generally one of the lower-fat cheeses.

BTW, Patricia’s books are wonderful and fun to read, not only if you love cheese but if you enjoy food.  And if you’re in London, you must absolutely head to her store.  Even more important than a visit to Top Shop,  afterall,  you can dress in cheese, but you can’t eat clothes.

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May 9, 2011 · 8:30 pm

Toast Post: Louis D’Or

Louis D'Or from Quebec reclines on avocado from Mexico

I first had Louis D’Or last fall.  I was smitten fast.  I wanted to move the relationship forward, make it more permanent but our fling was brief.  Louis D’Or was one hard cheese to track down.

It entered my life again this April, at the same time as Ben Mulroney who was hosting the 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. Being in cocktail attire, at an event where wedges of cheese are being flashed onto giant screens while Ben Mulroney is announcing, “and nominees in the fresh cheese category are…” is slightly like being at a Star Trek convention for cheese lovers (geeks, OK, geeks) or (as my friend pointed out) being in an excellent mockumentary.

Louis D’Or swept the night. I wondered what Louis was thinking about all the fuss around him.  Maybe, “If I win this category will Ben Mulroney’s hands touch my rind? Ok, I’ve now won two categories, this is going well, now will he touch me?   Maybe if I sweep the awards, surely he’ll glance my way.  Nothing?!  Are you serious?  There’s my maker–he’s shaking hands with my maker!  OMG, please come over here and wash my rind before I ferment myself!”

Louis D’Or in 11 words or more:  Firm, washed-rind. The producer is Fromagerie du Presbytère in Sainte-Élizabeth de Warwick, Quebec.  They also make the excellent blue cheese Bleu D’Elizabeth. Made with raw, organic cow sourced from the cheese maker’s farm.  When I first had the cheese last fall I loved its complexity and fruity, caramel and herbal notes which reminded me a bit of Comté.   I think I may have had the 9 month old version because when I tasted it at the Grand Prix it seemed further aged (further sleuthing has me thinking 18 months)–more crumble, less suppleness and though complex, perhaps a little less fruity or “fresh”.  It was still lovely but I think I prefer the younger wheel.

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April 28, 2011 · 9:51 am

Toast Post: Red Leicester

Red savoury heaven on Red Fife sourdough

It’s British, it’s bright orange and it’s looks slightly obnoxious on a plate.  Red Leicester will soon be your taste bud’s new BFF.  Les (all good friends should have a nickname) is so rich in savoury, nutty, sweet, umami-ness that he could be Parmesan’s bawdy, British cousin (thrice removed).  Don’t worry, he won’t overstay his welcome, in fact he’ll be gone much too soon.

It’ll be a testament to your willpower if you manage to save some for the toast you’re waiting to pop.  I shaved thin morsels of Red Leicester onto my sourdough but chunks are nice for a snack.  But not a snack you’ll want to share.  People will eye Les and as you unveil him from your lunchbox, and you might be forced to ask, “Would you like some?”  But maybe you’ll add something like,  “It’s quite past its due date but I didn’t want to waste bad cheese. God, I hope it isn’t rife with listeria from being wrapped and left out of the fridge with that cheap baloney!  Oh well, what’s life without some risks?  Please, help yourself, I insist. And take some for your baby too.”

Red Leicester in 11 words or more: Leiscester (Less-ter) hails from Leiscester county in England and has been made since the 18th century.  It was original created as a use for milk left over from Stilton production.  Traditionally, it was produced in a cloth-wrapped  wheel which could weigh up to 45 lbs.  In today’s more common factory production it is often made in blocks.  Aged from 3-9 months, older is probably better in this case: firmer, flaky, concentrated flavour. The orange colour comes from annato which is the same natural dye used for orange cheddar.

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