Marie Fromage

Spring Fun Fromage: Tarentaise Reserve

Throw open the doors and fling open the windows – the sun is out and spring is here! 

Today’s beautiful weather found me running errands around town and into Ideal Cheese Shop in Midtown.

The knowledgeable folks behind the counter turned me on to Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise Reserve: an aged, Alpine-style raw cow’s milk cheese from Vermont with a tangy, vague nutty stink. Hello gorgeous! You are coming with me to a rooftop party tonight!

They also introduced me to a crisp French Jenlain Printemps Ale paired with an aged Gouda. It’s a zoomy combo, perfect for park picnic fun, so keep that in mind for your next day date with your honey.

 

TRIBUTE

I recently said good-bye to my best friend of almost 30 years, Michael Sullivan, who died February 7 of complications following heart surgery. He was 46 years old.

He & I always had different nicknames for each other over the years, and he started calling me "Marie Fromage" when I began working at The Cheese Shop of Upper Montclair way-way back when, and it stuck. As time wore on he just called me "Fromage". I guess a person would be insulted if someone calls you “cheese” (even if it is in French). But coming from Mike, it was one of the most hilarious things I'd heard whenever he said it.

Mike will be remembered for his profound generosity, his brilliant mind and his sense of humor. The memory of the laughter that we shared will provide me with many smiles for the rest of my days.

We would often tell each other “I love you, dahling” in vague European accents to make each other laugh, but also to express what was truly in our hearts.

 I will always love you my dahling Miguel, forever and ever.

• Mike's blog "The Life Raft"
• A tribute from MSL Group
• New York Times obituary

A Cheese Pumpkin

A cheese pumpkin has absolutely nothing at all to do with fromage.  It’s a pumpkin through and through, named a cheese pumpkin because of its beige exterior and slightly flat shape. A close relative of butternut squash, it also has a creamy texture and sweet taste, which makes it the perfect specimen to use for cooking and baking. The ubiquitous jack-o-lantern is just too stringy to use for cakes and pies and no where near as tasty.

However being Marie Fromage, I thought to myself, why not make a real CHEESE pumpkin! And I got right to work.  Be the hit of the Halloween party and bring one of these little babies to the table.

 Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese 

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Pinch of salt

Pinch of smoked paprika

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Flat leaf parsley

Twisted pretzel sticks 

Equipment:

Stand mixer: with bowl and paddle attachment

Rubber spatula

Plastic wrap

Medium-sized mixing bowl

Plastic spoon

A pair of spectacularly clean hands

1) Shred the cheddar cheese while cold.  Set aside and allow the cheese to come to room temperature.

 2) Combine cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combined. Beat the cheese mixture until smooth.

 3) Spread out a few sheets of plastic wrap.  Mound the cheese mixture onto the plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Cover with the plastic wrap and chill for about 2 hours.

 4) When the cheese ball is firm, remove from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap.  Using your spectacularly clean hands, shape the ball until it is as round as possible, then flatten the top slightly.

 5) Now the sculpting begins!  Using the handle of a plastic spoon, carve the “ribs” of the pumpkin into the cheese ball. Smooth the edges with the spoon.

 6) Place the chopped pecans in a bowl and place the cheese pumpkin on top. Press the pecans up along the sides of the cheese pumpkin, about half way. 

7) Place cheese pumpkin on a plate. Sprinkle the top of the cheese pumpkin with a pinch of smoked paprika. Add a twisted pretzel stick into the top to resemble the stem. Add flat leaf parsley to resemble the vines and leaves.

 8) Serve with your favorite cracker and enjoy!

 

Little Cheese Pub

Get Your Cheese On…

 Little Cheese Pub

In a town that’s lousy with wine bars (some excellent, many blah) it is with great joy that I welcome the Little Cheese Pub in Chelsea, where serious fromage is being served every which way imaginable.

Got a hankering for mac & cheese?  Over at the cozy Little Cheese Pub there are at least six varieties to choose from, with Dutch Kaas (aged gouda) mac & cheese with a beer pretzel topping being the one that made me swoon.

How about grilled cheese?  You won’t go wrong with the grilled cheese made with Vermont cheddar served with a crunchy house-made pickle.  

What if you just want straight-up CHEESE?  Here’s where the Alpine-leaning menu shines, with carefully selected artisanal cheese choices, many of the deliciously raw variety.  For example, among the 30+ cheeses listed is a hard-to-find Consider Bardwell raw goat’s milk cheese – clearly the folks at Little Cheese Pub know their stuff.

The inspired minds behind the operation are Chef Daniel Angerer and his wife Lori Mason of Klee Brasserie, who were recently in the news for “The Breast Milk Cheese Incident” (which was just an experiment, it was never served in their restaurant).

But it does point up the fact that there truly is a personal touch at work here and most everything at Little Cheese Pub is house-made: the pasta for the mac & cheese, the pickles and the delectable desserts - cheese cake with vodka-brined cranberries anyone?

At the moment they are waiting for their liquor license to be approved (expected by the end of this month).  In the meantime you are welcome to bring in your own bottle to enjoy, with no corkage fee!  And when that liquor license does kick-in it will unleash a wide selection of craft beers and reasonably priced quality wines.

But don’t wait for the beer to arrive – Little Cheese Pub is ready, willing and able to meet your cheese needs right now!

P.S. – kids are welcome (high chairs are available).

Little Cheese Pub: 362 1/2 West 23rd St. between 8^th & 9^th Aves (Chelsea); 646-863-7291; www.littlecheesepub.com
Open for dinner every day & brunch on weekends until 3:30pm. 

Sears Chef Challenge

This week I threw my video hat into the ring to be considered for the Sears Chef Challenge!

Star-blogger Nichelle Stephens (Cupcakes Take the Cake; Keeping Nickels; Pepsi We Inspire) organized a group of fellow food bloggers to help us each produce a quick and sparkling video presentation of  a recipe for the Sears Chef Challenge, all done up in a cool photo shoot loft located in Tribeca.

 On hand to make their video bid were fabu bloggers Mouth of the Border, Fabulous Foodie, Not Eating Out in New York, The Wandering Foodie, A Gluten-Free Guide and Versailles Delivery, among others.

And what did Marie Fromage prepare for her on-camera demo? Something cheesy, of course!

I presented a recipe for “Easy Breezy Cheesy Cocktail Quesadillas”. Check it out (click here if you can't view the video below) and see the recipe details below.  Wish me luck.  Let there be cheese! 

Recipe: Easy Breezy Cheesy Cocktail Quesadillas

Yield: 4 wedges per quesadilla

This recipe is great for company because it’s quick on prep time and goes great with wine.  There aren’t a lot of ingredients* to this dish, but each ingredient is a flavor powerhouse on it’s own and a little goes a long way.  Put it all together and it’s a tasty flavor explosion!

Ingredients:

5 ½ inch corn tortillas; you will need 2 per quesadilla.

Oil-cured wrinkly black Moroccan olives, to taste; chopped fine.

Mild Peppadew peppers, to taste; sliced into strips. 

Freshly-grated full-fat cheese**, to taste.  Use a semi-soft cheese, such as fontina or a gouda.  

Optional garnish:

Sour cream, low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt.

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro.

1. Heat a skillet or griddle over a high flame.  When pan is hot reduce flame to medium and spray with cooking spray.

2.  Add a tortilla. Sprinkle with some chopped olives, sliced peppers and grated cheese.

3.  Top with another tortilla and press down gently. Allow to cook until the bottom tortilla is lightly browned, then flip over and cook the other side.  Cook for about 2 ½ - 3 minutes per side.

4.  When both sides are toasty brown remove from heat and cut into wedges. 

5.  Arrange on a plate, add a dollop of sour cream and serve it up!

* Most of these ingredients can be found in the “gourmet” section of your supermarket or at a gourmet food/cheese shop.

** I am currently obsessed with Marieke Gouda, an aged cow’s milk cheese that’s about as close to authentic Dutch Gouda as you can get in the States, made in Wisconsin!

A Cheesy Kick-Off to 2010

Happy New Year! Cheese is busting out all over – have you noticed?  It seems like cheese is on the tip of everyone’s tongue lately.

Here’s a round up of all of the action to get your new year off to a properly cheesy start!

Something Stinky This Way Come: Drunken Goat 

No, it’s not the smelly old bar fly sitting next to you at the pub.    This is a Spanish, semi-firm goat’s milk cheese that is soaked in a vat of red wine for a couple of days before its aged. The end result is sweet, creamy and mildly gamey with faint grape notes and a purple rind. Simply delicious.

Cheese Master Martin

Martin Johnson’s Joy of Cheese has announced the new dates for his tastings around town.   January’s cheese has the blues (in a good way), February will be all about the Brits and will feature a fresh new venue - The Clerkenwell on the Lower East Side!

Get the latest on upcoming tastings at the Joy of Cheese web site:  thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com

Get a cheese recommendation of the day - friend the Joy of Cheese fan page on Facebook.

Martha Stewart Cheese Show

Cheese is such a hot topic that Martha Stewart recently had a great show that covered American artisanal cheese makers,   how to put together a cheese plate, how to make your own goat cheese, fondue, everything you ever wanted to know about cheese and more!

Cheese News
 * A Vermont cheesemaker crafts quirky curds with political leanings. (New York Times)

* Everyone’s go-to food scientist, Harold McGee, talks about how a truly delicious and unorthodox pasteurized Camembert is made. (New York Times)

Audio Cheese

* Cutting The Curd :  New York’s cheese queen, Anne Saxelby, can be heard every other Sunday at 2:30pm via the Heritage Radio Network , broadcasting live from Roberta’s in Brooklyn. www.heritageradionetwork.com

* Cheese balls get some respect on NPR’s “Kitchen Window” (with recipes!). www.npr.org

Cheesy WTF

 * Cheezghetti.  “It looks like spagetti but is really provolone cheese!” Pairs well with beer or apple juice, in case you were wondering.

* Because what you really want is a frosty mug of cheese. “We want consumers to be more familiar with cheese, so we’ve made a liquid version that makes it more accessible. It’s also good as a salad dressing.”

* In England, folks roll perfectly good cheese down a hill for sport.

We Make Sexy Cheese, Yes? Who knew that mozzarella making can be so seductive?

And Finally, Make Your Own Cheese Eats, courtesy of Saveur. 

Cheese: Shushan Snow, Gottino, Cheesy News, Cheesy Reader, The Battle of the Fromage

"Life is nothing, if you’re not obsessed."

- John Waters

-

Something Stinky This Way Comes:  Shushan Snow from 3-Corner Field Farm

It’s like a Brie or Camembert but with a twist!  Think slightly tangy buttery richness.  This is a sheep’s milk cheese that gets better the longer you let it sit on the counter.   I mean just look at this thing, oozing goodness all over the place. It’s made in small batches with lots of care from the folks up at 3-Corner Field Farm in the Hudson Valley.  How can you get your hands on some?  Stop by their stand at the Union Square Market or order it directly from their web site.  3-Corner Field Farm:  www.dairysheepfarm.com

A Glass of Wine, A Piece of Cheese and Thou: Gottino

 It’s raining, it’s cold.  You just want a glass of wine and a little something to take the edge off of the dreary day, sans attitude and scene. Gottino fits the bill with that and more - a wine bar with a dead-serious chef at the helm so the small plates pack a creative favor punch.   Think cozy Italian farmhouse that stops short of being too precious and instead settles into a warm and sophisticated tasty zone. 

 And oh boy, the cheese.  If it’s on the menu when you’re there, try Quadrello di Bufala (a washed-rind cheese made with buffalo milk) paired with a little taste of wild honey or funky but amazing Nettle Meadow Kunik (a bloomy rind mix of goat and Jersey cow milk) paired with black cherries.

You can take your mother there, you can take your lover there.  You can even spend an afternoon there on your own and be perfectly content. I recommend all three, with a side of formaggio.

52 Greenwich Avenue between Perry St. & Charles St. (Greenwich Village); 212.633.2590; www.ilovegottino.com  

Cheese News: Murray’s Cheese Moves to the Mainland

The New York Times reported last week that Murray’s Cheese, the New York City cheese institution, will be opening 50 mini-shops within Kroger Supermarkets around the country.  Why this is good: if it’s going to be set up like I think it will be set up, taste buds around the nation are about to be treated to fromage of all stripes, fresh as can be and sliced to order.  Why this is bad: word in cheese circles has it that Murray’s is getting a little too big, trying to have exclusivity over some of the smaller cheese producers which makes it hard for the little cheese shop in your neighborhood to get in on the action.  Which sort-of makes Murray’s the Walmart of cheese.  Good cheese, but still.  I love you Murray’s, but there really isn’t enough cheese to go around, so save some room for the little guy. 

Cheesy Reader:  Culture Magazine

There’s a fantastic new glossy to be found on newsstands and in cheese shops around town, “Culture Magazine”, which is devoted exclusively to cheese eaters.  Get the word on what’s hot in the world of fromage, tips on the cheese plate, cheesy movers & shakers, as well as a centerfold to hang over your bed and drool over. www.culturecheesemag.com

And Finally, Some Cheesy Fun:  Iron Chef America Battle of the Fromage

Cheese: Frère Fumant; Let's Call Her Brin; Cheese In Space

Something Stinky This Way Comes: 3-Corner Field Farm’s Frère Fumant

Frère Fumant hails from upstate New York and is a fantastic firm, raw sheep’s milk cheese inspired by the famous smoky, nutty Spanish cheese Idiazabal.   And if Idiazabal revs your engine, this will also take you there.  Try it grated over pasta for a wee smoky accent.

3-Corner Field Farm’s Frère Fumant; available in NYC at the Union Square Farmer’s market, at Saxelby Cheesemongers or via their web site, www.dairysheepfarm.com

 Suggested Names for Children of Cheese Lovers*

Brin (short for Brin D’Amour; for girls)

Jarls (short for Jarlsberg; for boys)

Emme (short for Emmentaler; for girls)

Hoch (short for Hoch Ybrig; for boys)

Val (short for Valdeon and, like “Pat”, it can go either way)

*Yes, I’m losing my mind!

Cheese in Space – Running Down A Dream: http://tinyurl.com/lfht2h

Bites: Hudson Valley Camembert; The Magna Carta & You; New Languages Jazz Festival; Bolt Bus

Cheese 

Something Stinky This Way Comes:  Hudson Valley Camembert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A wonderful combo of sheep and cow’s milk, this little baby is bursting with buttery, creamy deliciousness.  Let it sit on the counter for a few hours to allow for peak ooziness and then dig in, especially tasty with crisp apples and an even crispier white wine or champagne.  Look for the tidy little white package sporting a label with a black sheep on a green background.  And if you find yourself in Old Chatham, NY any time soon, drive right in and get it straight from the source!

Old Chatham Sheepherding Co:  www.blacksheepcheese.com

Eats 

Summer may be over, but it’s not the end of enjoying good times in the great outdoors.  So, after a lovely autumn day on Governor’s Island, hop off the ferry and stroll over to some noteworthy edible hot spots.

Fraunces Tavern, The Magna Carta & You

 

Established in 1762 and still going strong, Fraunces Tavern will take you back to the days when George Washington roamed the streets of lower Manhattan. Grab a pint or two in the tavern then head to the Fraunces  

Tavern Museum, which is currently hosting a very special guest.  The one and only Magna Carta, the document that got this whole constitutional law stuff started way back in 1215, will be on display in the flesh for all to see until December 15. Head on down and let your freedom flag fly.

Fraunces Tavern (Financial District) 54 Pearl Street at Broad Street; 212-968-1776; www.frauncestavern.com 

Stone Street

After the Magna Carta viewing, keep the history theme going with a stroll – and a meal – on Stone Street, a winding, cobble-stoned lane created in the 1600s (it’s the city’s first paved street) that is thankfully under the tourist radar.  Long forgotten for most of the twentieth century it earned landmark status in 1996, got a good scrub down, and is now a thriving, 

lively and lovely spot to drink and dine al fresco at one of the many food establishments and pubs that line the way. Best time to go is on the weekends, where it is free of the financial  

district worker bees and full of laid-back lower Manhattan residents.    Stone Street is located in the lower Manhattan Financial District, between South William and Pearl Streets.

Music – New Languages Festival

Jazz is alive and well and currently stirring things up at McCarren Hall in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The New Languages Festival celebrates free jazz in all of its lively forms, kicking off its fifth year last Thursday with a stellar night, featuring the righteous and rollicking Respect Sextet,  

 

 

 

 

the atmospheric House of Mirrors and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, an 18-piece “steam punk big band” that will stretch your brain and get your toes tapping at the same time. And there’s more to come, so head on over to McCarren Hall and expand your musical horizons. 

 The New Languages Festival at McCarren Hall (until September 26):  98 Bayard Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. www.newlanguages.org; Only $10 for a night of sweet crazy music!

Travel – Bolt Bus

$17.50 and three and a half hours of my time - that’s all it cost to get from Midtown Manhattan to Boston on a recent weekend.  Nice and clean and with comfy seats.  And there’s wifi!  Well, some of the time. Super good deal here people. www.boltbus.com

(photo credits: all photos by Mary Connolly, except for The Respect Sextet by Ryan Gould)

 

Bites: Clear the Room with Red Hawk; A Cheesy Read; Edible Tweets; Lamb Face Sandwich; Cape Escape

Cheese

Something Stinky This Way Comes:  Cowgirl Creamery’s dense triple-cream, cow’s milk washed rind Red Hawk.  Whoa, this one stinks to high heaven!  You may be asked to please take that thing outside or to open a window.  Not recommended for eating in cars.  But boy oh boy, this is a lusty one. Creamy and tangy, it hits all the right cheesy notes.  Look for it at your favorite fine cheese counter or buy it online at www.cowgirlcreamery.com.

A Cheesy Read:  The Cheese Chronicles

Liz Thorpe sure knows her way around a cheese cave.  As the Vice President at Murray’s Cheese in NYC she’s seen a curd or two in her day and has a deep knowledge and respect for American cheese making.   "The Cheese Chronicles” is part history book, part reference and part personal odyssey, all told in a breezy down-to-earth style.  This is my kind of beach reading! 

Cheesy Fun:  In case you were wondering, here's how to write “cheese” in Chinese. 

Eats

“If You Don’t Tweet, You Don’t Eat” -- Hildegard

Midtown worker bees – and eaters all over the city for that matter – are dancing with delight over a new wave of food trucks offering edibles that are actually good.   Trucks offering grass-fed beef burgers, schnitzel, cupcakes, waffles, dumplings and other treats can be found roaming the streets at any hour of the day and night.  But due to turf wars with the long-standing street food old guard these trucks are always on the move.  So the key to gaining access to their goodies is a little know-how provided courtesy of Twitter.   “Follow” your favorite truck via Twitter and you will get word – straight from the source – of exactly what time and where they will be parked for the day (or the hour).  This way you can plan precisely how long it will take to get from your desk to the truck to beat the usually crazy long line. Lunch hour is precious and in most cases following these tweets is worth the effort and a welcome break from Midtown munchie monotony.

Foodie Tawk – Heritage Radio Network

Heritage Radio Network is an internet radio site that features culinary taste makers from around the country, with regular shows from cheese queen Anne Saxelby to programs about wine, how-to tips and the intersection of music and food, among others.

The show “Urban Foragers”, hosted by Fatty Crab chef Zak Pelaccio recently featured my pal Joe Distefano, the culinary go-to guy for all you need to know about NYC’s varied ethnic delicacies. If you want to learn more about notable Asian restaurants and where to get a good lamb face sandwich, tune in!  And p.s. – Joe recently did a Queens food tour with star chefs Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert that will be featured in an article called “Feasting on Flushing” in the debut issue of Edible Queens, due to hit the streets in September. 

A Worthy Read:  “The Real Cost of Cheap Food” featured in the August 31 issue of Time Magazine. 

The abundant cheap food available to Americans is actually slowly killing the land, the ocean, the animals and us; not really cheap at all.  How can you help? Vote with your shopping cart: whenever possible buy organic, free-range, locally produced. For starters.

Travel Eats:  Cape Escape

Gastro Chic & I spent a recent long weekend eating our way though Chatham, Massachusetts, my favorite summer escape spot located on the elbow of Cape Cod. Bluefish, clams, clams, clams plus the quest for a good lobster roll were the order of the day, with lots of other delicious treats in between.

 Click here for my Cape favorites posting from way back when.  And here are Gastro Chic’s picks: The Chatham Squire, plus other notable nosh spots.

(Photo credits: all photos by Mary Connolly, except  for Chatham Squire Monomoy steamer by Gastro Chic)