Cheesemaking: Summer Cheese

Boucher Blue Cheese

We don't have electronically controlled curing rooms, so cheeses made during the summer have less moisture than cheeses made during the winter.  This is because running the compressors to maintain a cool temperature dries out the humidity in the rooms.

The lack of humidity also impedes the formation of the natural rind that forms around each wheel.

Seasonal Cheeses

Freshly made cheeses

It's begun (two months late, actually).  The first batch of Tomme Collins/Connor Abbey is in the curing room.  It's going to be a long time to wait for them to be ready - at least six months from now!

Next week we'll be doing a batch of Brother Laurent - then more Madison - and after that, I haven't decided, yet.

Monday Menu: Stuffed Artichoke Hearts

I was fortunate enough to score four artichoke hearts from Half Pint Farm at market, and since I still have "stuffing fever" decided to give them the full treatment.

I cut out the chokes and simmered them in acidulated water for 20 minutes.

Trim them up and there's not much left, and so delicious all by themselves.  I actually had second thoughts about dressing them up with other flavors - as though these would be the last I have this season - but they aren't, so onward!

It's a simple shrimp stuffing, just a handful of chopped cooked little ones with 1/2 TB Cream Cheese, 2 TB shredded Jack and Tomme Collins, 1/2 TB Sour Cream.

They'd probably taste just fine at this stage, too - but, let's keep going.

Topped with additional cheese, one whole shrimp, and a sprinkle of paprika and pepper. They baked in a 400f oven for 25 minutes.

I served these cheesy little apps alongside some radishes and freshly-made gazpacho.  A sophisticated treat for a lazy summer evening.

On the Side: Veggie Gratin, or Casserole - whatever! It was good.

I needed a side for a chicken dish, but didn't want anything complicated like macaroni cheese, scalloped potatoes, or any grated vegetable in a creamy bechamel.  Trying to cut back on the washing up, mainly.

I had some leftover boiled new potatoes, roasted fennel, sauteed shiitakes.  I found a container of sour cream with an expiration date of tomorrow, so that became an ingredient.  Also, there were blue cheese and tomme samples that we didn't use at farmer's market.  Frugal fare, if nothing else.

Wheatless breadcrumbs and butter for topping.  On to the egg at 300f for an hour or so, until they were hot and bubbly at the sides.

That's a very large "test piece" missing.  It tasted like really awesome homefries.

It needed a bit of salt, so I added some of the sauce to it.  Over the top!  Too much cook's privilege in seasoning to taste!  I'm already full.

The Cheeseplant Tour

I've added a new tab to the blog which I am still working on, called The Cheeseplant Tour.  Check on it now and then, to see what I have made of it.  I'll get around to a Farm Tour page one of these days.  

We are open to visitors and there is cheese available for sale in the cheeseplant, but it is a rare day when you can find us around.   We only make cheese one day a week during the morning milking.

To the left of the door as you enter, some old press clippings.  I broke the more recent installment when my knee collapsed and I crashed into it.

(To the right as you enter)

In the plant, you will find cheese for sale in the refrigerator.

Pieces are priced for sale, and payment is left in the cup on top. Old school Vermont, as long as it remains a viable option.

You can see our equipment from the observation room...

... and occasionally, freshly made cheese wrapped in plastic (to preserve humidity).

There is a small television with a VCR tape of cheesemaking on the farm.

You may see cheeses through the curing room window on the left, or not, depending on the time of the year.

We use that particular room for seasonal (mainly winter) cheeses only.

 Our newest cheese, Madison Blue, was aged there.

And that's what we have (the short version) - no tours, reception areas, or greeters - just 12th generation dairy farmers trying to make a living in the family business.

Wheatless: Gillian's Garlic Croutons

There's not a lot of hope for getting a decent crouton from bread (made from scratch) that is also gluten-free, so why not use one that's already made?  These are one of my favorites for topping macaroni cheese because of the savory flavor - just whiz them in the blender and you are ready to go.

This would be an extra-special macaroni cheese because I used only our own cheeses: Aged Boucher Blue and Tomme Collins (6 months old).  I usually mix TC with a cheddar or gouda, but I wanted to see what the Aged Blue would do when heat was applied.

 My favorite recipe for this dish is here.  Isn't that a fabulous-looking topping?

The Aged Boucher Blue doesn't fade in flavor like the younger version does during cooking.  I usually recommend Gore-Dawn-Zola for hot dishes, but this worked just fine.

Life on the Farm 070510: Swiss Miss

I like to walk around the Burlington Farmer’s Market each week to take photos for the next “Come To Market” blog post, and to meet new vendors.

While sifting through the crowds, I hear things, and I’ve amassed quite a collection of questions from tourists, some of which illustrate their perceptions of agriculture in Vermont:

“Is this goat cheese?”

It rarely is.

Why is this the default question?  How does that thought process go - if someone sells cheese out in the open, then it surely must be from goats! 

Because, everyone knows that cows’ milk cheeses come from the supermarket.

“So, what did you do before?”

Wow. 

I blame media focusing on “alternative farming,” “back-to-the-landers,” and “second-lifers” bringing what-all and sundry new foodstuffs to consumers.  All agri-businesses are now automatically lumped together in the collective conscious as ‘just trying it on’. 

Because, of course, none of us could possibly have been born into an agricultural succession.

I admit, there’s certainly been growth in this sector, and plenty of entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the forward momentum that favors pick-your-own and sell-it-direct.  Welcome! 

However, for people who have put in half (or all) their born years into growing the marketplace that newsworthy newbies enjoy (and some accept credit for), that’s an insult.   

It certainly was not a welcomed question where I was standing.  My thoughts wandered to the bad place where tourists go missing.

On to Dawn’s Life, since I can always turn a subject around to being all about me – I was asked:

“Are you Swiss?”

Of course! 

It logically follows that because I make cheese, I must hail from a country that knows REAL cheesemaking skills.

“No,” I responded, wondering what destination this bus would stop at, “We are French.”  Truly, we are, but that’s not relevant…and me with the green eyes and red hair, so very clearly of Nordic descent. 

“Is this cheese from Jasper Hill (Greensboro)?”

Only in their press releases.

Few cheesemakers sent/send their immature cheeses to age at that facility.  We never did.

What do these tourists want from me? 

Not raw meat and stinky cheese; neither travel well.

They do like to chat.  Though, one brought rude to a new level – why bust me over where Normandy is located in France?  (Our beef breed originated there.)  We are talking about semen, people.  Not critical if I can’t pin the tail on it.

Are they on a quest to discover some intangible Vermont ideal?  

Do they desire to forge some connection to nature?

Are they drinking too deeply of the grass-green Kool-Aid, and believe that doing what I do - is as simple as quitting their job, relocating, and buying a fallow patch?

“Go West Young Man” – or is it, “Go to Vermont”? 

That’s it!

Vermont is the place where people can re-invent themselves.  All they need do is swap out Uggs for Muckboots.

Then, they can deal with the tourists, too.

“Is that cheddar?” 

Yah, because I live in Verde Mont, and all cheese is cheddar, eh?  (Sigh)

Aged Gore-Dawn-Zola

The aged version of Gore-Dawn-Zola tastes great, but doesn't have as much bluing as I expected. Oh, well.  Looks aren't everything!

In order to not use the regular 3.4 lb. wheels of blue cheese that are sold out weeks in advance, we made these larger cheeses over the course of the winter to age out and sell as cuts at farmer's market.  A few of the larger wheels are being sold wholesale - Tomme Collins are all big wheels this year, just to cut down the labor of caring for them.

On the same page as Willow

I love shopping on Amazon because of the feature that gives you recommendations.  This cheese book is one of those purchases, and it contained a pleasant surprise.

They didn't mention that our business name is "Green Mountain Blue Cheese" - but it's nice to see the farm name in print!

Here's the photo - that's Willow Hill Farm Summertomme next to our blue cheese, and Shelburne Farms cheddar in the background.  Lots of other Vermont companies made it into this weighty tome.

Ready for sale: Tomme Collins

This cheese is just beautiful at five months old - but hard to cut. It's very complex, with nutty, woodsy flavors that build as you chew it, and it has an aftertaste of pecans. I'm probably the only one that thinks so, but there you go.

Cut the cheese

It's always a tense moment to cut into a cheese that is made just for farmer's market.  Did the batch come out well? Will it be ready for opening day?  Connor Abbey: yes!

This is our new blue cheese, Madison.  Some of you may remember the name, we had a washed-rind cheese called "Madison" for several years.

It's beautiful, and ready for sale as well.   The Brother Laurent cheese needs another 30 days before it is ready.

Something a cheese eater doesn't see everyday

I've had cheese made from two different kinds of milk, but here's something rarely seen domestically, a cheese made from three milks: cow, goat, sheep.

Nettle Meadow

I purchased this cheese at Healthy Living in South Burlington. The rind was slightly ammoniated, a common problem for white-rined cheeses held in storage a tad too long - but easily remedied by stripping off the outer rind.

The flavor was a slightly goaty and herbal, but I must confess that I'd rather have purchased a wheel of La Fleurie.

Cheesemaking: Connor Abbey, test piece

This batch of cheese is officially legal for sale, but not quite ready to eat - it needs to develop more flavor (think cheddar), though the texture is spot-on. Another 60 days should be just about right.

New Cheesemakers: Mt. Mansfield Creamery

Vermont is surely the Napa Valley of cheese.


This is a new Vermont cheesemaker that we had seen on WCAX News, and when I spotted the label in the cheese case at Healthy Living I had to try it. They call this cheese a Havarti; it has a creamy flavor and springy texture.

If you are scared of venturing beyond Vermont cheddar, this is a good "gateway" cheese into the fascinating and delicious world that Vermont cheesemaking has become.

Aged Gore-Dawn-Zola

We didn't make much of this for 2009, and this is the last wheel. Like all our aged cheeses, it will be sold through farmer's market; there simply isn't enough to offer wholesale. GDZ aged is even more flavorful and complex, a real treat.

New cheese: Connor Abbey

I made up only 60 small wheels of this hard table cheese, which was are calling Connor Abbey.  It is a cheddary-tasting raw-milk tomme that is washed in cider beer over a 4 month aging period.  It's been selling well, so I'll add it to the list of cheeses we make over the winter.