Photoset
May 21, 2012
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12 California Cheeses that Everyone Should Know

One may think of Europe when one thinks of great cheese, but over the past few years California dairy farmers have been stepping up their game, and the Golden State is now home to a wide range of truly excellent cheeses, from cows, sheep and goats. Some of the best are listed below — what are you favorite California cheeses?


Foggy Morning, Nicasio Valley
Tangy and sharp, this spreadable cream cheese-like cow cheese is especially nice on toast with a drizzle of honey or your favorite jam. Its texture is slightly crumbly, but melts on the tongue.

Bandage Cheddar, Fiscalini Farms
For those who like a distinct cheddar, this is a gem. Its geode-like interior has all of the flavor you would expect in a small production farmhouse cheddar. The best part? Finding an occasional pocket of blue mold among the craggles and crannies.

Mezzo Seco Jack, Vella Cheese Co.
This is the godfather of California cheese. A staple among cheese stores up and down California, Vella’s Mezzo Seco is coated in cocoa powder before being sealed in wax. Its firm body is similar in density to a young parmesan and makes for an excellent grating cheese over soup, salad or pasta.

See more here!

Tags: food cheese california cheese california goat cheese blue cheese gouda burrata ricotta

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March 14, 2012
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Tom Bergin’s Fried Cooleeney Cheese While St. Patrick’s Day may stereotypically mean taking your meals in liquid form, Fairfax mainstay Tom Bergin’s has always given customers a reason to ditch the stein for a few moments and pick up a knife and fork. Unfortunately, if you’re planning on heading there for this year’s Irish holiday, you’re going to be terribly disappointed — it will be closed. But it’s not all bad news. The closure is in service of giving the oldest Irish establishment in L.A. a much-needed facelift. New owners Brandon Boudet and Warren Ebbick (of Dominick’s, Little Dom’s and The 101 Coffee Shop) are trying to bring back the classic idea of what Bergin’s was in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. “A straight-forward steakhouse and local watering hole,” says Boudet. New menu items will include cottage pie croquettes, fried cooleeney cheese, housemade corned beef with brown butter cabbage, and a traditional Irish breakfast that will be served all day.  Fried Cooleeney Cheese w/ Curried Currants & Toasted Almonds Curried currants and toasted almonds: 2 cups dried currants1/2 cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped1 shallot, finely chopped 1/4 cup brown sugar1/2 cup water1 tablespoon garam masalaZest and juice of 1 lemonZest and juice of 1 orange1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepperSalt to taste Combine currants, shallots, sugar, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a pan. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the currants are plump. Add almonds, lemon and orange zests, garam masala, ginger, pepper and salt to taste. Serve cooled. See the rest of the recipe here!

Tom Bergin’s Fried Cooleeney Cheese

While St. Patrick’s Day may stereotypically mean taking your meals in liquid form, Fairfax mainstay Tom Bergin’s has always given customers a reason to ditch the stein for a few moments and pick up a knife and fork. Unfortunately, if you’re planning on heading there for this year’s Irish holiday, you’re going to be terribly disappointed — it will be closed.

But it’s not all bad news. The closure is in service of giving the oldest Irish establishment in L.A. a much-needed facelift. New owners Brandon Boudet and Warren Ebbick (of Dominick’s, Little Dom’s and The 101 Coffee Shop) are trying to bring back the classic idea of what Bergin’s was in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. “A straight-forward steakhouse and local watering hole,” says Boudet. New menu items will include cottage pie croquettes, fried cooleeney cheese, housemade corned beef with brown butter cabbage, and a traditional Irish breakfast that will be served all day. 

Fried Cooleeney Cheese w/ Curried Currants & Toasted Almonds

Curried currants and toasted almonds:
 
2 cups dried currants
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped 
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon garam masala
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt to taste

Combine currants, shallots, sugar, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a pan. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the currants are plump. Add almonds, lemon and orange zests, garam masala, ginger, pepper and salt to taste. Serve cooled.

See the rest of the recipe here!

Tags: st patrick's day st patty's day holidays recipes recipe cheese ireland irish food whiskey beer

Photoset
January 20, 2012
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The Best California Cheese

Though one doesn’t need a reason to celebrate the western world’s favorite dairy product, today is in fact National Cheese Day. A day to eat all the cheese!

Cheese is something of an unusual product: the fermented milk of cows (and buffalo, goats and sheep) that’s curdled and just brimming with bacteria. Delicious, nutritious bacteria!

Weird though it may technically be, cheese is an absolute delight, in all its many forms. Dairies are something of a mini-growth industry at the moment, and California has become home to some excellent varieties and brands of local cheese. Here are some of our favorites. Let us know about yours in the comments!

See more here!

Tags: california food los angeles cheese burrata