Cheese me

Cheese. Any kind, any age, any color, I'll try it. Just about any origin too.

Last weekend I bought an aged goat cheese from Blue Mood Blend at an Upstate NY farmers market in Brighton. It looked like a mossy stump on the outside, complete with bark. Inside it's a hard cheese, similar to parmesan or reggiano in texture and color, and in taste similar to parmesan and swiss. And the strange thing is, no goaty aftertaste. My family didn't care for it, but I'd love to try it over pasta.

Tuesday I bought a fresh goat cheese at the Harvard Square market, made only 12 hours before. Light and lovely, it just sort of melts in your mouth. And again, no goaty funk. Some cheeses are so strong it's like a goat hook in your mouth. Yuck! I do like a bit of goaty cheese too, but some of them are a bit overpowering.

I sampled the cheese at the booth before buying and got some instruction on the proper way to enjoy it - a bit of bread, fresh basil, slice of tomato, and a drizzle of good olive oil. It's light and lovely

I think the cheese was at the booth of Olio di Melli, an olive oil vendor that I would never normally stop at but the blackboard had cheese listed and pulled me in. I also bought a canteloupe, 2 tomatoes, and a red pepper. There was no basil to be found.

Wednesday I stopped at the Davis Square market on Wednesday I was on a mission for basil. Again, all sold out, but I did get a big bunch of baby bok choy for $3.50. Maybe I need to find a basil plant and buy a grow light so I can have fresh herbs...

Parmesan-Cauliflower Fritters

***I found this post sitting in my draft posts, but it's all done as far as I can tell, and I've made this recipe a lot. I think it will be a good staple for fall.***

Sitting at work this afternoon I started thinking about what the heck I was going to make for dinner. It's dreadfully hot, I am sort of out of anything fresh (veg, fruit, meat, dairy, yep, all of it) and I'm NOT going to grocery store and walking my purchases home when it's 90 degrees out and sunny. Perish the thought, or perish myself, right?

I was going to walk through the harvard Square farmer's market on the way home, so I picked up some tomatoes, Narragansett Creamery cheese, local handmade chocolate, etc, but I had already decided to make a recipe that I made for the first time last week, which uses the oven. How crazy is that?

I found myself mentioning this recipe to my sister, to friends, it was that good!

Parmesan-Cauliflower Fritters

I've been trying to get more produce at the farmer's market and I keep meaning to keep a tally on here of what I purchase, but as you probably have noticed I haven't been posting much.

Last week at the Harvard Square Farmers Market I bought 4 zucchini, fava beans (yum!), and Narragansett Creamery Angelito Herb & Garlic Spread.

This week I went looking for more fava beans, but there were none to be found. Maybe I got them at the Davis Square market? That happens tonight. Yesterday at the Harvard Square Farmers Market I picked up Tomatoes, Broccoli,  and of course, Narragansett Creamery Angelito Herb & Garlic Spread.

It's been very stormy here, with sudden thunderstorms in the afternoon accompanied by small flash floods. I haven't looked at my garden since Sunday because I don't want to see what's been flattened until the rain is done. maybe I'll take a look tonight, just to see if I should stake anything up.

Lunch

2 carrots chopped up and cooked for a bit in the microwave
1/2 can kidney beans
1/2 zucchini, steamed, leftover from last night (from farmers market)
chunk of sharp cheddar leftover in fridge
1 thick slice corn bread from weird loaf purchased at farmers market
maybe some goat cheese and another slice of bread (from farmers market)

Sounds pretty healthy actually, but will I be full? I think I might have to supplement this with Oreos. Lots of Oreos.

Eating Fresh

The farmers market in my neighborhood started at the beginning of June, and my goal is to buy some or all of my produce each week at the farmers market instead of buying it at the grocery store. I know selection will depend on what is ripe that week, but that's how everyone used to do it, certainly I can try it out.

June 10 - 4 kale plants, 6 basil plants, 1 head of bibb lettuce

June 17 - Garlic and Basil goat cheese from Crystal Brook Farm, 'Flute' bread from Hi-Rise Bakey, and kale from the first stand on the corner (I have their name somewhere). The bread is long like French bread, but holier and sort of like sourdough.


June 24 - kale, zucchini, carrots, and corn bread. No, not like regular corn bread, but yes, corn bread.


My new issue of the Cross Stitcher came today, and for once I thought I would stitch the kit that came with the magazine. It's vry cute and I think I could use it for a welcome baby card, if I actually stitch the thing. It says the the magazine that it takes 10 hours. Here is my progress after 1 hour. Can you tell what it is yet?