NEW-AGED CHEESE

fontina, gruyere, San Joaquin

by Dudlicek, James

As I'm sure you've noticed, Dairy Field's coverage takes me all over the country. And while I try to coordinate my travel so I wind up in warmer climes when it's chillier here in the Chicago area, that's not always possible.

But I finally managed to luck out, and as I write this, it's the day after getting back from a visit to California's San Joaquin Valley for our May cover story.

DF tends to focus on the medium to large players in this industry. But there are plenty of folks out there who are working much closer to the soil, and a brief side trip gave me a chance to meet some of them.

On the outskirts of Modesto, among the almond groves and irrigation canals, sits Fiscalini Farms, a family dairy farm in operation since 1914. But for the last four years or so, the Fiscalinis have been shaking things up in one of the industry's strongest growth areas: specialty cheese.

At their 530-acre spread, I met John and Heather Fiscalini in their office that overlooks the milking parlor where their 1,500 Holsteins are milked thrice daily. I was already somewhat familiar with their products; some of them have appeared in DF over the past few years, like their flavored and wine-soaked cheddars.

John and I walked through the barn and out to the cheese factory, which uses a fraction of the dairy's daily output. A simple facility as befits a maker of farmstead cheese, the structure houses a small two-vat cheesemaking area and a generous cold room for aging several varieties of raw-milk cheeses. The wooden shelves hold wheels in varying degrees of age, some bandage-wrapped, all tagged with date of manufacture, some exceeding two years.

John took particular pride in showing off his San Joaquin Gold, a multiple international award-winner for the Fiscalinis. "It started out to be a fontina," John explained. "It turned out to be the greatest mistake we ever made."

On the way back to the office, he shared more details about the farm and its cheesemaker, a master from Paraguay by way of Vermont. Turns out the Fiscalinis' dairy heritage dates back three centuries to John's Swiss ancestors.

Then we sampled cheese. The Gold offers hints of fontina, gruyere and parmesan. The Bandage-Wrapped California Cheddar is equally excellent. "We recently added 'California' to the name," Heather told me, noting that before just a few years ago, few would have thought much about cheese from the Golden State.

But supported by booming milk production and the "Real California Cheese" campaign, the state stands poised to surpass Wisconsin in cheese production next year. That puts cheesemakers big and small, including Fiscalini, in a great position, as foodies continue to turn their discerning palates to homegrown specialty cheeses.

Operations like Fiscalini Farms are a reflection of the industry's roots, and it should be rewarding to folks like John and Heather that more people are starting to pay attention to dairy's time-honored traditions. Readmore »»

Meyenberg Goat Milk Products

goat milk, goat cheese, jalapeno

Dairy Foods

A leading marketer of goat milk, Meyenberg Goat Milk Products, Turlock, Calif., enters the gourmet cheese market with specialty Cheddar and Jack cheeses, which the company believes will change the way Americans think of goat cheese. Four goat milk Jack cheese varieties, an aged goat milk Cheddar and a Special Reserve Cheddar are now available in select markets around the country.

The aged goat milk Cheddar is reminiscent of an Asiago cheese, which is full of robust flavor, and has a firm, drier texture than traditional Cheddar cheese. The Special Reserve Cheddar possesses a delectable sharp flavor as a result of its minimum one-year age. The Jacks come in four varieties--plain, smoked, jalapeno and garlic & chive--and have an unusually light, creamy texture.

The Cheddars are available in 5-1b blocks, or in a 5-1b case of 10 8-oz bars. The Jacks come in 4-1b uncut wheels and in 4-1b cases of 10 8-oz bars. The cheeses retail for $15 to $19 per pound, with the exception being the Special Reserve Cheddar, which commands a higher per pound price: $17 to $22. Readmore »»

Marinated feta cheese

feta cheese, canola oil, oregano

Mild feta cheese (stronger cheese may
be used)
Jars with lids
Olive, canola or soybean oil
Your choice of herbs (use aromatic
herbs for best flavor)


Cut or break the cheese into smaller pieces, about 1 to 1-1/2 inches. Use a clean jar that has a tight-fitting lid. Layer the herbs first, then the cheese. Repeat until the jar is full. Leave abut 1/2 inch of space at the top. Pour oil over the cheese and herbs, filling the jar until the mixture is completely covered with oil.

Place the marinated feta on a cupboard or shelf. Refrigeration is not necessary as long as the cheese is completely covered with oil. Air won't be able to get in, and the cheese won't mold. Enjoy it straight out of the jar or crumble into your favorite salad. The cheese gets better with age.

Some herbs to consider are rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, marjoram, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic cloves, dried hot peppers, peppercorns, basil, oregano or onions. My personal favorite combination is rosemary, basil and garlic. Readmore »»

Homemade Mac & Cheese Recipe

Velveeta Cheese, cook pasta, Pasta shells

by Kara Kelso

There's nothing more special than a home cooked meal. Instead of reaching for the box dinner of this classic the next time you are at the store, try buying the ingredients so you can make your own!

While there is a little bit more prep work involved in making your own Mac & Cheese rather than just making it out of the box, it's not much. You'll first need to make sure you have all the ingredients, including optional ingredients.

What you'll need:

- Pasta shells or macaroni pasta (will depend on preference) - Velveeta Cheese - Milk - Butter - Hamburger (optional)

If you do plan to include hamburger, you'll want to cook this first before you even start your mac & cheese, because it will be the last step and you don't want to be waiting for it.

Directions:

Cook hamburger, set aside. Boil water and cook pasta as directed. While pasta is cooking, cut cheese into bite sized pieces (the smaller they are, the easier they melt). Make sure your milk and butter is out as well, so you aren't racing to find it.

Once pasta is finished, drain and return to pot. Slowly add in milk, cheese, and a small amount of butter. Amounts will depend on your own preferences, and do be careful with the amount of milk you add to start. Too much milk and you'll have Mac & Cheese soup! Hamburger is added last and again will depend on preference.

Enjoy this tasty homemade treat! Readmore »»