Oregonzola Shrimp Bake

Truth be told, when I started as a Dairymaid 3 years ago, I didn't really like blue cheese. Sure, I could dunk veggies and greasy chicken wings in something that resembled blue cheese, but I had qualms with a real blue. I actually had a nightmare about Bosque Blue. Now I love them. We carry several "life changing" cheeses, for the blue novice. This dish was inspired by my new found love and it's drowning in butter, so that's cool. Serve over baked spaghetti squash, pasta or toasted baguette.

1 lb shrimp (about 15), peeled
2 tablespoons Lucky Layla Golden Butter 
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 tablespoon mined garlic
1 generous dash crushed red pepper 

1 generous dash Pollen Ranch Dill Pollen
2 lemons, juice and zest from 1, plus 1 for garnish 

1/4 lb Oregonzola 

Heat oven to 450. Toss shrimp in seasonings, garlic and lemon. In an oven-proof baking dish, slightly melt butter for just a minute or two. Add shrimp and slices of lemon to dish and bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with crumbles of Oregonzola. 

*generous servings for 2 

Green Eggs & Ham

My dad raised me right, I grew up on Dr. Seuss and Rock n' Roll. Sam I Am and Cat in the Hat were usually sung to the tune of the Rolling Stones or AC/DC. Perhaps my dad's parenting style was unconventional, but I think I turned out alright. This breakfast dish is the culinary version of my childhood Dr. Seuss remixes. Comfort food meets nostalgia. It's a great way to start the day. 

6 farm fresh eggs

2 tablespoons Terra Verde Estate Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped 

SarVecchio, grated for garnish 

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 loaf Slow Dough Cranberry Walnut Bread, sliced 

1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thin

1/3 lb Holey Cow, sliced thin

1 package La Quercia Prosciutto Americano

For green eggs: heat evoo over medium heat and cook kale until just wilted and bright green. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper and scramble with sautéed kale. Garnish with grated SarVecchio. For ham: layer apple slices and Holey Cow on each slice of bread. Toast until cheese is melted and bread is golden. Top with a few slices of prosciutto. 

*Serves 4

New On the Tasting Plate: Baetje Farms' Bloomsdale

photo courtesy of Baetje Farms

   

We are happy to welcome a new state to our line-up: Missouri! Baetje Farms is a farmstead goat dairy in the town of Bloomsdale in southeast Missouri. Cheesemakers Veronica and Steve Baetje (pronounced BAY-gee) strive to raise their goats in the best possible environment with the healthiest diet, even spoiling them with warm herbal tea in winter.

Their happy goats provide them with great milk for cheesemaking. Bloomsdale, named for their town, is their signature cheese. Patterned after a French Valencay, Bloomsdale is in the shape of a pyramid with a flattened top. Dusted with ash as per tradition, it ripens from the outside in, getting gooey and more piquant as time goes by. An elegant cheese, Bloomsdale was won multiple ACS and World Cheese Awards.

We'll be tasting it this week until it runs out. Come on by!

Every week at Dairymaids we select six cheeses to include in our free cheese tasting. Whenever we are open, we are tasting cheese. On Wednesdays, we sample a wine, cider or beer as well and all wine and beer is 10% off. Our hours are Tuesday thru Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 4, and Sunday 11 to 4. 

Colby Beet Burger

As a cook and a cheese monger, I live by one simple rule: every ingredient matters. Sand Creek Farm is one of our beloved Texas cheese makers that shares this principle. They take special care with ingredients and it shows in this batch of Colby. It's super savory and reminiscent of a sharp cheddar. Ingredients are pretty important when it comes to alternative burgers too. I know you're thinking, why don't you just eat a beef burger? Are you a rabbit? Well, the Dairymaids appreciate a good challenge. This vegetarian burger will surprise you. Even Ron Swanson might enjoy it, but probably not.

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked lentils
1 cup shredded beets
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

3/4 cup Sand Creek Colby, grated (1/3 lb)
3 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 farm fresh egg
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 generous pinch of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Terra Verde Estate Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 burger buns of your liking
Seasonal sprouts and greens, for topping

Pure Luck Chevre, for spreading on bun

Directions:
Put brown rice, lentils, and shredded beets in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse until the mixture comes together, but still has texture. It should look like ground meat. Transfer to a large bowl and add the bread crumbs, onion, garlic, egg, cheese and seasonings. Use your hands to mix well. Form 6 patties and chill for 30 minutes. Drizzle evoo into a pan over medium-high heat and cook the patties for about 12 minutes, flipping once. The burgers should be charred at the edges and heated through. Serve on toasted buns with a generous spread of Pure Luck Chevre. 

*Yields 6 burgers

Tasting Plate Close Up: Rogue Smokey Blue

Oregon grows 99% of America's hazelnut crop. The first commercial hazelnut trees were planted there a little over 100 years ago. Blue cheese is also an Oregon staple thanks to the Rogue Creamery, which first started producing blue in 1954.

The innovative cheesemakers at Rouge have combined these two Oregon points of pride by cold-smoking their blue over hazelnut shells.

Rogue's Smokey Blue is sharp, but not overly strong, with rich, nutty undertones from the smoking. Savory and sweet, it tastes like candied bacon.

Not surprisingly, Smokey Blue pairs beautifully with hazelnuts (we have delicious ones). Creamy and crumbly, it also makes a great addition to a salad or topping to a grilled steak.

It's on the tasting plate this week. Stop by the shop to try it!

Every week at Dairymaids we select six cheeses to include in our free cheese tasting. Whenever we are open, we are tasting cheese. On Wednesdays, we sample a wine, cider or beer as well and all wine and beer is 10% off. Our hours are Tuesday thru Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 4, and Sunday 11 to 4. 

Pure Luck Chevre Blueberry Marmalade Muffins

Pure Luck Chevre is back! Is it just me or did the kidding season seem to last extra long this year? At any rate, I'm happy to be faced with a different predicament: how to enjoy this wonderful cheese. It's such a versatile and delicious product it's seriously good on anything and is loved by all. Even the hippest of hipsters can't deny Pure Luck Chevre. Make a batch of these chevre filled muffins this weekend for the perfect brunch. But beware, brunch brings out a melting pot of morning people that say things like "Sunday Funday" or "Selfie" or "Brunch is the most important meal of the day" or "hashtag". #thingsthathipsterssay 

5 oz Lucky Layla Golden Butter, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 farm fresh eggs
1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract
1 and 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Mill King whole milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup marmalade
Pure Luck Chevre
1 lemon, zested
Native Nectar Wild Texas Guajillo honey

Directions:
Line muffins tins with cupcake liners. Heat oven to 350.
 Combine chevre, a drizzle of honey and lemon zest in a small bowl. Set aside. Cream butter, and sugars until light and fluffy.
 Mix dry ingredients together and whisk to combine. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to creamed sugar mix.
 Dust blueberries with a little flour to lightly coat (to prevent them from sinking to the bottom). Gently fold in blueberries and marmalade. Spoon half the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Add 1 generous teaspoon of the reserved cheese filling to the center of each muffin, and cover with the remaining batter. Bake for 22 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Watch them disappear.

Tasting Plate Close Up: Pure Luck Chevre

photo by Kerrisa Treanor

Dairymaid life during kidding season can be a little sad. Not only are we deprived of Pure Luck, but we have to give the same disappointing report to customers all day long: "not yet." Cute pictures of newborn goats give us some solace, but not enough.

Well, we're putting those chevre-free days behind us: Pure Luck is back! We picked up the first batch from the farm last week. So far only the chevre is available. Feta should be ready soon, followed by Ste. Maure and Hopelessly Bleu. We can't wait!

Chevre tends to disappear quickly, but if yours makes it all the way home to your kitchen, Kerrisa has put together some great recipes. Check out her Mint and Chevre Couscous, Chevre Crostini with Bacon Relish, and Lemon Zest Pasta with Pesto and Chevre.

If you haven't tried it yet, now is a great time. Stop by the shop where we'll be tasting it out all week!

Every week at Dairymaids we select six cheeses to include in our free cheese tasting. Whenever we are open, we are tasting cheese. On Wednesdays, we sample a wine, cider or beer as well and all wine and beer is 10% off. Our hours are Tuesday thru Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 4, and Sunday 11 to 4. 

Tasting Plate Close Up: Little Boy Blue

Sheep's milk and blue belong together. The bright fruity flavors that tend to come forward in sheep's blues are unique and wonderful. No surprise that the first blue, Roquefort, was a sheep's milk cheese. How else could they sell those initial brave souls on moldy cheese?

Little Boy Blue is a rindless Wisconsin blue with two identities. At Hook's Cheese Company, where it is made, they call it Little Boy Blue. At Hidden Springs Creamery, where the milk comes from, it is known as Bohemian Blue. The Hooks and the Jensens (owners of Hidden Springs) formed this arrangement to make the most of the Hooks' blue-making skills and the Jensens' great milk. Located in southwestern Wisconsin, the Jensens' farm has ample lush pasture for their herd of 250 East Friesan and Lacaune crosses.

Little Boy has a drier, crumblier texture than a typical Roquefort. Whereas Roquefort can often taste too salty to me, Little Boy is well-balanced with pronounced sweetness.

Every week, we do a free tasting of six different cheeses at our shop. We taste every day we are open, which is every day except Monday. This week, Little Boy is our featured blue. Come by the shop to taste it!