The Allure of Raw Milk Cheese

By Todd Giesler, Deli Correspondent and Confessed Cheesehead

Raw Milk Cheeses- Who knew?


Well, we knew! (But that's not fair, because we sell cheese for a living, and make a point of knowing these things...).

Since 1949, the FDA has controlled and supervised the sale of raw milk and raw milk cheese. They have determined that, in order to protect consumers from "harmful pathogens," such cheeses should be stored and aged away from consumption for a minimum of 60 days at 35 degrees Fahrenheit which allows the natural acids and salts to preside and prevents the "critters" from growing. That sounds okay to me.

Many cheese lovers do feel that there are health benefits of raw milk and raw milk cheeses and believe that they just taste better, too! When doing some research for this article, I came upon the "Choice of Cheese Coalition." Now, that's a group I can heartily support, and now! Back in 1999, there were rumblings about the "G-Men" getting further involved in the restriction of raw milk cheeses, and those who differ (and there appears to be many) formed the Choice of Cheese Coalition. Right on! These fine folks have been able to pursuade "decision makers" that the way raw milk cheese is being made and marketed is just fine. (You can join the Choice of Cheese Coalition on Facebook, as I have now done.)

When doing a little "digging" (meaning; ask Jane, knower of all things fromage), I learned that we actually have quite a few raw milk cheeses! Some are obvious, as we package them ourselves and designate "RAW" right on the label. These include smoked cheddar, sharp cheddar, medium cheddar, goat's milk cheddar, and Monterey jack. Look for these raw milk cheeses on the bottom shelf of the self-serve cheese case, past the Espresso Bar. They're generally cut in half-pound pieces.

As for the raw offerings in "Cheese Island," (where we can offer you a sample, and then slice off what you would like), here's the lowdown:

Woodstock Farm (also organic!) - Jack-Style, Sharp Cheddar, and Mild Cheddar

Fiscalini (Sounds Italian, but from California, just like Robert Mondavi and Carly Fiorina) - San Joaquin Gold and Aged Cheddar

Life in Provence (yes, France) - Roquefort

Societe (also from Roquefort, France) - In my humble, but well fed opinion, this is the authentic, be-all, end-all, best bleu cheese out there.

Organic Valley - From the domestic dairy Mecca of Wisconsin (Yay- Packers!) hails the admirable operation known as Organic Valley. Since 1988, these folks have been supplying us with so many wonderful cheeses, including raw milk goodies! They send to us the Raw Jack, Raw Mild Cheddar, and Raw Sharp Cheddar. Everything Organic Valley puts their mind to, they do quite well, including the kid-popular cheese sticks! (Look for the skateboarding worm on the package- that's hard to miss).

Zamorano - From the scruffy little "Churras" - sheep that the Spaniards warn you to "never mix your Churras with your Merrinos" (which are prized for their handsome wool production) comes the milk for this harder textured, nutty, and just a bit sweet delicacy. From the region of Zamora, traditionally rubbed in olive oil to give it just a little bit of a hue. Small, about one-third pound chunks located next to our Manchego selection.

Unrelated, but Very Good Cheese News!

I have always been happy and proud to exclaim the virtues and merits of Idaho products, including such personal favorites as Ballard's Dairy from Gooding, south of Ada County. (No, I do not receive any complimentary cheese, nor any other gratuitous favors, they just are so easy to write about). Now comes this fabulous news:

Ballard's Dairy has received the 2010 Governor's Award for Marketing and Innovation! How impressive is that!? Quite, I would say, especially when you consider that their "competition" includes businesses like HP, Micron, Simplot and Guido's Pizza! They are just way too humble to say anything themselves about this type of award, so let us be the "trumpeter" of such achievement. Way to go, Ballard Family!

Soup Essentials: Broth and Stocks

By Sylvie Ryan, our Culinary Educator
I love soups, so I decided over the past holiday to start reusing as many food leftovers (such as leftover turkey) as possible to create homemade broth and stock. I quickly discovered that all those scraps of meats and vegetable skins and trims were just perfect for easy and delicious soup bases!

I keep a couple of large, heavy-duty bags in my freezer, one for meat scraps and the other for veggies, and in them I store all my leftovers, saving until I have enough to make a large amount of broth.

The best vegetables trims and skins to use for this purpose are onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, squash, mushrooms and leeks (just to name a few). I do not use cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus because they tend to overpower the broth. I also rarely use tomatoes, unless I know I am making Minestrone soup. As for meats, when using poultry I make sure to de-bone the turkey or chicken, but save the bones because they will add a lot of depth to the bouillon.

I’m often asked what the difference is between stock and broth. They are very similar, both made with simmered water with meat and/or bones, and usually some vegetables and aromatic herbs, then strained. They are both utilized as a base for soups, sauces, and gravies. Stock is predominantly made of bones and some trim, while broth is made with pieces of actual meat, making it richer and more akin to a finished product that can be served on its own. However, both these rich liquids can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

A great way to store broth and stocks is to freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer the cubes to a plastic freezer bag. This helps you have measured, smaller amounts for cooking sauces. I also like to keep a larger container for my soup base. I noticed this winter in particular, I have been making soup weekly, as broth making is easy and very inexpensive.

Here are two recipes I frequently use, both of which can be adapted to your own taste. A good rule of thumb is to have about half solid ingredients to half water.

Vegetable Stock
This is a versatile stock for all vegetarian soups. Makes about 3 quarts

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 gallon-size bag Trims and Skins of various vegetables (saved in the freezer)
3 Tbsp Tamari Sauce (I use the low sodium version)
2 Bay Leaves
2 tsp Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
4 quarts Water

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, and sauté the chopped onion until soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable scraps, the tamari sauce, bay leaves, salt and freshly ground pepper.. Stir well and add the water. Lower the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour at. Keep in mind that the longer you simmer the stock the richer it will become. Leave to cool, then strain and discard the vegetables and bay leafe. The stock is ready to use. Alternatively, chill or freeze the stock.


Chicken Stock
A good homemade poultry stock is very tasty and can be used in sauces and soups. Once made, it can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or frozen for up to 6 months. Makes about 3 quarts

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Onions, chopped
1 Gallon-size Chicken leftover meats and bones
4 quarts Water
A few sprigs Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp Dried Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
5 Black Peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 tsp Salt

Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot, heat over medium heat and sauté the until soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken leftovers, the water, thyme, bay leaves, crushed peppercorns and salt. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and slowly cook for 2-3 hours (a slow cooker works great). Strain the stock through a strainer into a large bowl and leave to cool. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. When cold, carefully remove the layer of fat that will have set on the surface. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.

Smart and Clean Choices from our Deli

By Todd Giesler, our Man in the the Deli

 

This just in...

 

We have Smart Chickens and New Boar's Head Products!

 

While we in the Deli have been pleased to bring you the best delicatessen meats and cheeses we can find, as well as top-notch chicken to use for entrees in our salad case- it's always a good idea to look for ways to be "upping the ante" whenever possible. The Co op is a member-owned store, and we want to keep our members as happy as possible, and... we shop here, too!

 

So... two good "things" have come our way, lately. First, as you may know by now from previous newsletter postings and from shopping in the Co-op Meat Department, Smart Chicken is the way to go for those who want to find the best chicken available. No doubt about it. This is it.

 

We are now using Smart Chicken, which costs a bit more than the others, but you'll see no increase reflected in our pricing. We're using it in entrees such as Apricot BBQ, Dijon Parmesan, Apricot Olive, and Chicken Marbella. Why do they call themselves "Smart Chicken"? Well,several good reasons why:

 

The Air Chilled Difference—This is a big one. Smart Chicken pioneered a unique chilling method allowing chickens to be cooled individually with purified, cold air. This process preserves the quality of the meat, while also eliminating wasteful water use. This greatly keeps the flavor intact, and has less environmental impact.

 

Smart Living— These birds are sustainably raised by family farmers in state-of-the-art, environmentally controlled houses, giving each of them plenty of room to roam and feed.

 

A Smart Diet— These birds are kept on a strict vegetable and grain-fed diet, with a mix of vitamins and nutrients. All natural, with zero artificial ingredients or growth stimulants, so these birds get a natural growth cycle. You can be assured that they are entirely free of antibiotics and animal by-products.

 

Easy Being Green— All of the Midwestern farms that are Smart Farms are surrounded by corn and soybean farms, which are the feed grains for chickens. How convenient is that!? This provides a lower carbon footprint, rather than hauling the feed to the chickens, at a greater environmental cost. No added water, plus ultra-local food, means a pretty darn environmentally sound idea, to me!

 

I am very impressed with their attention to environmental stewardship, and the commitment to producing the "Higher Degree" of chicken that is just delicious. Our ever popular chicken entrees just got better.

 

 

 The first thing you may think of when considering these new items is "What's different? I thought all Boar's Head products were all natural?" Good question. The big difference is that the seven new items we now offer are completely vegetarian grain fed. (Just like the Smart Chickens).  They also have a shorter shelf life, so they are ultra-fresh, and are meant to be consumed within 2-3 days of purchase.

 

We are now offering the following All Natural Boar's Head items, priced just a little bit more than the rest of the field:

 

Uncured Ham

Smoked Uncured Ham

Roasted Turkey Breast

Smoked Turkey Breast

Tuscan Brand Turkey Breast (with Rosemary)

French Country Turkey Breast (with Lavender) This is my absolute favorite. Very savory, and complex.

Cap-Off Top Round Oven Roasted Beef- A smaller cut of beef than the usual offerings, and just delicious.

 

As with all Boar's Head provisions, here's what else they have "going for them" ;

 

No artificial ingredients, minimally processed

Raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones

No nitrates or nitrites added

Gluten Free

No MSG added

No preservatives

0 grams of trans fat per serving

 

All of the All Natural selections are also American Heart Association certified, meaning they meet the criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol guidelines. Very nice to know!

 

Want more? They also qualify for inclusion in the Feingold Association of the United States, a non-profit volunteer organization whose purpose is to "support their members in the implementation of general public awareness of synthetic additives in behavior, learning and health problems".

 

Boar's Head meats and cheeses are simply the best, and now we carry the "best of the best". Come ask us for a taste of any of these, and we will happily comply.