Turophile is'nt a dirty word.......

 I know the photos are not exactly about Starter cultures and Bag cheeses......but it's in the same neighbor hood of tried and true tecniques and tools are some times your best ally in the world of food.
OK this cheese grater is from the oldest Italian restaurant in San Jose (Paolos)and this grater has been keeping pasta loving folks in Granna, Parm,Crotin,Pecorino etc etc for almost a century. If only this baby could talk.....so just enjoy the pictures of a working piece of historic food art while I wax on about the essentials of Mesophillic Starters and a cheese to make with it....(yes mom I knmow never end a sentance with a preposition blah blah blah)





MESOPHILIC STARTER CULTURE

There are a ton of variatals of cultures to make a ton of different types of cheeses, yet all are either from two catergories. 1. Mesophilic the low temp lover (below 102 degrees) 2. Thermophilic(heat lover hence the THERMO prefix) Soft cheeses in general are in need of the Meso Culture and today I'm whippin some GERVAISE today so Meso is the word......

Now ofcourse you can ring up New England Cheese Supply and they will gladly send you some freeze dried packes to keep in the freezer for your cheese making whims but that is not fun and to make your own will give a better depth of flavour depending on how far you let the culture set.


 2 cups of FRESH store bought Cultured Buttermilk.( different from the whey left over after a butter churnin party)

2. Let the 2 cups of buttermilk reach room temperature (70 degrees F/21 degrees C).I put mine on top of the ice box it's warm n cozy up there.

3. Then allow the buttermilk to ripen for about 6-8 hours. (Store bought buttermilk does not have a high enough concentration of bacteria to serve as a starter culture without ripening.)

4. The resulting buttermilk will be much thicker and sour then what you started with. It should have the consistency of fresh yogurt, if it doesn't let it sit a few more hours.

5. Pour this culture into a full sized CLEAN ice cube tray and put into your ice box. As with all steps of cheesemaking, cleanliness will save your ass to wash up.

6. Once frozen, remove the cubes and put into a CLEAN sealed container or plastic freezer bags. It is a good idea to label the container and date.

7. The resulting ice cubes are each 1 ounce of mesophilic starter.

8. Add these cubes (thawed) to your recipes as required. The cubes will keep for about one month.

To make more starter simply thaw one cube and add into 2 cups of fresh milk. Mix thoroughly with a fork or a whisk. Allow the milk/culture to stand at room temperature (70 degrees F/21 degrees C) for 16-24 hours or until the consistency of fresh yogurt. Then follow from step 5.

This is the easiest and greenest way to go about culture needs. Ordering and having it sent takes paper, electricity, petrol and the carbon footprint is so not worth the fun you can have doing it yourself especially since you have to power and control to set how much influence your culture can have on your finished product.

GERVAISE CHEESE (BAG CHEESE)

WTH? you ask is Gervaise..well I'll tell ya. This easy, minimal equiptment fresh cheese come from the Cote D'or region of France and what else hails from the GOLDEN DOOR? Wine baby lots n lots of world class wine. That being said where there is wine being produced there is certainly Goat and Sheeps milk cheeses to follow. Gervaise is similar to Neufchatel but Normandy has it's own twist with less fat content and Gervaise to me when you bag it for a bit longer has a lovelyness I can't resist almost Chevre esque but not. Gervaise has a longer history of a peasant cheese that didn't get much gormand respect until recently when us wacked out Turophiles found this to be easy, yet complex at the same time....Kinda like moi. Oh and I can get Boy Racer to do anything if I give him some on a hunk of crusy bread and my Spring Onion Jam...

DAY ONE ...YES DAY ONE

2 2/3C.  Whole goats Milk
1 drop liquid rennet & 2T. water (enzyme from stomach lining of Kid or Thistle; in mid Evil times in France, Italy they set cheeses with snail phlegm...really)
1 1/3C. Goat cream (sorry you gotta find a goat farm or get a cream seperater) If unavail you can use Cows cream. But try to find it. In Bay area you have a ton of resources.
2oz or 2 cubes of Meso starter defrosted in a sterile glass cup or bowl.

Mix the dairy together in a sterile bowl and whisk. (sterilize all equipt before hand with hot water and 1T of bleach to gallon of water)
Warm to 65F add the defrosted culture.. Mix Mix Mix
Add the drop of rennent to the water before introducing to the dairy rave goin on .
Add to dairy and stir gently for five minutes. STOP Stirring if milk begins to coagulate.
Let her set for twenty four hours in a draft free warm area covered in cheese cloth to avoid bugs,pets or dust from contaminating the curds o love.
DAY TWO

Now the cheese should be pulled from the sides of pan and the solids should be a mass with watery whey on the edges. jiggle this puppy and a Jell-o jingle will play in your head. Basta the curd has set. waka waka waka pass the Bourbon please...

You can either make one large mass and ladel into a Chinoise(cone shaped collander or China cap us cheffys call it) with a layer of sterile cheeses cloth lining the Chinoise. between ladels sprinkle sea salt or herbs or nothing but atleast salt it will raise the flavour bar. DO NOT toss the drained whey please. You can feed your garden, a kitty, boil potatoes, pasta or make a batch of Ricotta (twice cooked) waste makes hjaste and I have not time for that. Back to curds while draining you might need to get your sterile spatula and scrape down sides of Chiniose. Drain for up to six hours depending on how "tight"you want your cheese.

Me on the other hand as you see in the above photo I use cheese baskets 10oz size for easier to store,serve and handle plus I love the basket weave shape after. so I do same as above but in the small baskets.

When you are done wrap in wax paper or cheese paper(wax on one side) and store in a drawer in fridge. Never ever would you put your prized cheese in the door or with the rest of food to adopt a bevvy of not nice smells and flavours. Ofcourse you would'nt. Now chop chop get to eatting this is only to last a week if you can resist that long. So there you have it, a lovely little ditty bout culture and curds...

go on get cooking.......

FONDUE :FLAME,FUN AND SAUCERY

Once apon a time, a very lonely Swiss shepard, tending his flocks on a precipitous and isolated Alpine slope, sat down to eat his customary meal of bread,cheese and wine. "my GOD!" (well perhaps Mein Gott! if he was in a German speaking canton,which is more likely. )"I simply CAN NOT face this stuff AGAIN! There must be ein anderer Weg !"And so,in sheer desperation,he lit a fire under his iron pot(standard shepherd equiptment)and did something that was to shake the food world to its very foundation :he melted the cheeses and wine together in the heated pot,and then dunked his sturdy peasant bread into the hot dreamy mixture.

This,so ledgend has it,was the first fondue. Im not of a mind to dispute this tale. The Swiss,after all ,in addition to making first class cuckoo clocks,growing edelweiss and yodeling are ardent dunkers,starting with thier morning hot cocoa and dipping steadily through after dinner coffee.

FONDUE SANTA CRUZ STYLE

The extra kick ass ingredient in this cheese fondue is Porcini mushrooms, which is found all over the Santa Cruz mountains during the rainy season(which will NEVER end this year...3.2 inches June 4,2011). They will simmer in the cheese imparting a rich earthy nose and the terroir driven effect is so worth the addition to this amazing fondue. If you prefer a simple cheese fondue you are on the wrong page. Ofcourse a classic simple kirsch laden fondue has its place but why oh why be average when here in California we have right in our back yard such amazing gifts from Mother Nature.

4T.  Of a good local Alambic brandy such as OSOCALIS , pure heaven made right in Soquel at Soquel Vineyards Home base, by the former distiller from Germain-Roban waka waka waka
3T arrow root ( binder and thickener so proteins wont jack up your Swiss adventure)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for serving
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 Big  garlic clove, minced
1t. gresh grated nutmeg or for cool factor grate the nutmeg righ before searving to get garlic smell off your digets and the perfume of the spice will be heaven. Last the little red freckles of nutmeg on top is visual candy.
as much fresh black pepper as your heart desires my muffin.
1 pound high quality alpine cheese such as Gruyère, Emmental, Comté. grated
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms,wizz em in the spice grinder to a coarse grind.
1 loaf peasant bread, cut in 3/4 inch cubes. or more....boiled fingerling potatoes, hari coverts, beets,apples, fingers.......

Note: Have all of your ingredients ready before you begin  I.E. Mise en Place baby . Once you start, the fondue will come together quickly, and during this time it must be constantly stirred. The fondue must not come to a boil during this time.

Combine brandy, arrow root, salt, 1/2t. black pepper or more or less nobody will judge, and nutmeg in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the arrowroot. Set aside.  Slurrry it tis.
Add wine and garlic(when fondue pot is empty rub the whole clove of garlic all over the inside of pot to purfume the party) into a large heavy saucepan or fondue pot. Heat over medium heat until tiny bubbles form, giving the wine a fizzy appearance without bringing to a boil. Add cheese one handful at a time, whisking constantly until each handful is melted before adding the next – do not let the fondue boil.
Once cheese is added, continue stirring one minute – do not let the fondue boil, broken record....
Stir in slurry. Continue stirring until mixture thickens to fondue consistency. ( If your fondue remains thin, add 1 more tablespoon arrow root diluted with 2 tablespoons white wine.) If using Porcini, stir the mushrooms into the cheese at this point. Remove from heat. Pour cheese into a warm fondue pot if necessary. Serve immediately hopefully with big glasses of Kabinet a hot tub a bubblin and some Rev. Al Green a croonin. Clothing optional or even have a key party.....

Eat up let the cheese drip down your chin have some levity and just be in the moment of a party food of the Seventies and a survival meal for Shepards.


Mamma loves you

Marmalade..it is only skin deep....

"Pass the Maaa ma lade dahling" as Grandma would say...As I cringed at the thought of getting down that lumpy sour, bitter ,weird stuff on toast during tea time. Blech.
Then I grew up.....
Thanks to a bright housewife in Scotland. An18th century either Spanish or Portuguese (depending on who you ask) ship carrying a cargo of "forbidden fruit"sheltered from a nasty squall off the coast of Scotland at Dundee. The ship off loaded the citrus to a shop keeper , a Mr.Keiller. Well after selling the citrus the housewives were not pleased(don't fuck with a Scottish womans food, just ask Boy Racer)for they were bitter,unsweet and nasty. Rather waste, in true thrifty Scottish fashion Mrs. Keiller attempted a batch of preserves and POOF the birth of orange marmalade.
                                               There are a kazillion marmalade recipes out there so go for it..yet not much on technique and there is a bit needed for a good marmalade run so here you go ......

1.  Citrus; never discard pith or pips,flavour bombs and essential in the process of setting your preserve.
2. Simmer down darling time is on your side, cook your peels very slow and steady. Tender is the word of the day and after you introduce sugar tenderizing will cease.
3. In fact, if you don't slow your simmer role after adding sugar the peels will become even tougher. bleck.
4. To test your simmered peels for doneness let the peel become blood temp (don't want trip to burn ward) take a piece between thumb n forfinger-you should be able to rub the peel to almost nothing.
5. Blood temp is 98.6 body temp your fingers can handle it unless you are like me and have asbestos fingers from a career in the kitchen.
6. BUT.....having said all that about a properly cooked peel , there is no good virtue in over cooking , for that will murder the color and flavour of your marmalade.
7. Hey sugar sugar be my sweet cheeks of low heat. Uhh I mean stir in your sugar over a low temp.to ensure good dissolve of the sugar crystals, then raise heat for a rapid boil til your needed temp has hit. (220F jelly temp)
8. Marmalade is a fickle lady and you only have one chance to get it right and set up properly. If you go past your set point you are done with a pot full of hell. Pay close attention to your thermometer and do not ever go over set point. Or Lady Marmalade will beat your ass with her Cat o' Nine tails....Trust me she is mean.
9. Allow set marmalade to cool a bit before canning. Before you spoon your love lumps in the jars give Lady M a brisk whisking to ensure all her bits n bops are evenly distributed.
10. Scrub your citrus alot of citrus has a wax coating forn the processing before they hit the market.
11. Use a veggie peeler to get your rind removed from the fruit. Time saver and you have better control over how much pith comes with. (pith:white stuff between rind and pulp) after tenderized I get my stick blender and whiz the peels to a nice consistancy yet not baby food.
12. Cut fruit in half between the belly button and arse hole so the sections are displayed and use your hands to dig out the juice and pulp. Save on cleaning equiptment. That time you save you can sip a bourbon with a friend. Pips removed and put in cheese cloth to tea bag in the juice n rinds while simmering.
13. Booze dahling pass the hooch, Brandy and Whiskey are classic additions but there still are rules to follow. 2T. of booze per 2 cups of sugar will ensure a good set and nip.
14. Have fun and play with all the beautiful citrus at your Farmers Market. From Seville orange to Buddahs Hand they all bring a unique profile that is sure to tickle the senses......
15. From toast to Charcuterie this is a classic must that will for certain raise the flavour bar.....

Or Email me and I will send you a jar you lazy lima bean....

Pigs get fat Hogs go to slaughter

Not until recently has the mighty pig become such a prized piece of culinary love. Or has it? Our early settlers relied on this beast for more than just bacon, chops, roast, spare ribs, and sausage. Head cheeses, kidneys, salt pork, smoked jowl, tail, livers and the celebrated feet smoked boiled or braised. Nose to ass hole they say....then the added supreme conponent to baking....rendering the fat into lard, a pure fat only second to butter in delicacy and flake was used in pasteries, breads and cakes. Today on the farm and kitchens in the know are using this perfect white lump of piggy perfection, even the Gastro Turds are slow to recognize there is far more to this animal than bacon. ( I say cooking with bacon is like fishing with dynomite) Either way pork continues to be the most consumed meat in the US.

Smoking meats was to preserve them has meant more to the humans through the ages than any other method of preserving. This discovery is just as important as the discovery of how to make wine, cheeses and bread. It is said the GAULS discovered the HAM process, but way way before the Gauls the Chinese were preparing hams just like you would find in Virginia today? Hmmm. Once agian claims of doing it first with out doing the research. Then again smoking took on a fever pitch in Smithfield Virgina like the pork of York  England,the Parma procuitto, the Bayonne ham from the Basque and the Ardennes ham from Belgium. Pig gone wild.

I lost my train of thought I will return. Scapple anyone?

PORK BELLY
 "Get in maaa BELLY"
4lb pork belly from your local butcher such as EL SALICHERO(Santa Cruz Ca)
sea salt, keep salt pig handy
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
4 bulbs of fennel, cut into sixths, herby tops removed and reserved
1/2 C brown sugar.
a small bunch of thyme, leaves removed
5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
olive oil
1 750 ml bottle of wine a good white Burgundy would be lovely for pig and cook. Wink
Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature.
Using an extremely sharp knife, score the skin of the pork belly in deep vertical lines. Try to get them as close together as possible and as parallel as possible.
Crush the fennel seeds and 1 tablespoon of sea salt and b sugar with your mortar n pestal until you have a fine powder. Massage this powder into the skin.
In a roasting pan toss the fresh fennel, thyme, garlic, olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Place the pork belly (skin side up) on top.



Put the pan in the preheated oven. After 10 minutes turn the heat down to 325 degrees and roast the pork for a further hour.
After 1 hour at 325 degrees, remove the pan from the oven and drain off the fat and save for fryin up some taters.... Add the white wine and stir.
Put the pan back in the oven for another hour.
Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the fennel from the pan using a slotted spoon. Keep it warm.
Put the pork back into the oven for a further hour until the skin is golden and crisp. If the wine starts to evaporate during this time, add a splash more wine, or a splash of stock.(I like mushroom for this dish)
Allow the pork to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.Go have a Bourbon while you wait, makes time go by quicker.
You know you've done good if the skin is crispy,carmalized and practically winking at you, the belly itself should be spreadable not meat jello. Save those pan drippings reduce by a third add a pat of (my raw milk sweet cream cultured) butter for a heavenly sauce to drizzle over this piggy delight. Fry up some fingerlings in the pork fat reserve . Pop open a bottle of Kabinett(needs the acid to balance) and break into some crusty bread and a dollup of Stone fruit Chutney....ohhh Sweet Cheesus we have a party in our mouth.
That my friends and countrymen is how you do Pork Belly ........mama loves you