Peppadew A South African Pepper

The Peppadew or sweet piquanté pepper is grown in South Africa but it is thought to have originated in Central America. Its lineage can be traced back to the Habenero pepper but how it got transported to South Africa and how it morfed into to its present day form remains a bit of a mystery. None of that really matters now because the Peppadew has arrived in America and is getting easier to find.

Peppadews are picked and pitted and then subjected to pickleling brine that is made from sugar, vinegar, salt, and spices, as well as a lot of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C-30mg/ 1 oz. serving) and calcium chloride (an ingredient used to artificially make pickled products crisp) which is why they are so crisp.

The Peppadew looks like and is about the same size as a cherry tomato. They are available in both hot and mild forms. How the same fruit can exhibit the differences in heat also remains a mystery. The flavor of the mild version has mild heat and a sweet after taste. This unique taste is a bit incongruous at first but after several samplings the mild heat and the sweetness blend into a pleasant tasting crisp fruit. The flavor of the hot version has the same sweet after taste but exhibits much more heat and it is equally enjoyable as the mild version. This "fruit" is very versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes and salads. They are pitted so stuffing them with various items is very easy.

Try them stuffed with feta cheese, garil cloves, blue cheese or mozzarella.

Kunik An American Goat Cheese Masterpiece

Our latest poll alerted me that a greater exposure to domestic cheeses is needed. American farmers and dairy co-ops are producing exceptional cheeses that are winning awards and are able to challenge their European cousins. This is my first blog review of an American farmstead cheese and I hope that it will shed a bright light on the wonderful tastes and aromas that can be found with of our home grown domestic cheeses. On the next visit to your local cheese shop ask about the local cheeses that they carry and try one or two to see what you have been missing.

Kunik is a bloomy rind goat cheese produced by the Nettle Meadow Farm located in Thurman New York. This southern Adirondack farm has 100 lovingly cared for goats that provide the milk for cheese production and the motto there is "happy goats produce great milk". We are told that the name "Kunik" comes from an Eskimo word that translates into English as "snowball" and after you see this cheese for the first time the name will prove to be entirely appropriate.


Details:  Kunik is made by combining 75% goat milk and 25 % Jersey cow cream that is provided by other local dairies. The varied and wholesome diet of the goats along with the traditional farmstead production methods have yielded a unique and intoxicating cheese. It is a small lightly aged, triple cream, cylindrical, Camembert style cheese that has an edible bloomy white rind. The cow cream provides a rich buttery taste and texture that is wonderfully offset by the clean tangy goat milk.  

Tasting:The bloomy rind provides a layer of complexity to the flavor and an aroma of aged wood and mushrooms that is readily obvious . As Kunik ages its flavor profile becomes more assertive. Kunik is available as "buttons" weighing between 7oz and 9oz and mini wheels that are + or - 14oz.

The versatile Kunik can be served as an hors d’ouerve drizzled with Lavender Honey and plain crackers or on a dessert platter with fruits and nuts and also as a wonderful breakfast treat spread on a heated croissant. It is also provides a elegant flair when added to baked potatoes or brown rice dishes.

Wine Parings: When young the most elegant is Champagne, however it pairs equally well with crisp whites from New York State. An aged cheese should be paired with big Whites, from New York State

July Poll Results

Well the results of our last poll gave slam dunk victory to the imported European cheeses over our domestic US cheeses. The results: 58% of the respondents said the our domestic cheeses were inferior to most European cheeses, 33% felt that they were equal to the European cheeses and a disheartening 8% of you thought that our US cheeses were better that their European brethren. The reason for this may be that the majority of cheese lovers think that the only cheeses being produced in the United States are the banal, lifeless and tasteless factory made cheeses that are available at the local supermarket. It also seems apparent that the Farmstead cheese industry has a great deal more advertising to do to wake up the local population. Dairies in Vermont, New York, Oregon, California and Georgia, to name just a few, are producing wonderful and creative cheeses that truly deserve to be recognized and appreciated for their flavor and craftsmanship.

So, to expose our readers to theses great cheeses I will be profiling a number of great domestic cheeses that deserve your attention. Try them and if you do not find them in your local cheese shop ask the manager if he would order them for you, they should not be hard to find. Our local dairy farmers are struggling with low prices for their milk so they have begun to create farmstead cheeses to help supplement their incomes. I think it is a great idea to purchase locally or regionally made products especially when the quality and craftsmanship remain at a high level.

Tips On How To Cut Round Cheeses

When purchasing Stilton, Cashel Blue, Tete de Moine, or any other round cheese or cylinder shaped cheese ask the salesperson to cut it like a flat disk. Most cheese shops will normally cut it in this fashion, but it is always a good idea to express your desired cut..

The following steps will explain how to cut round or cylinder shaped cheeses. If you have purchased a 1 lb piece of cheese it is probably about 1 inch thick and can be cut by hand with a good cheese knife. If you have a wire cheese cutter this will work well also. If you are familiar with cutting pizza slices this is the same concept. It is easy and will provide a nice eye appeal to your setting or cheese plate.

If you like to eat different kinds of cheese you might consider investing is good set of cheese knives.

Step 1: Cut the round piece of cheese in half

Step 2: Cut each piece in half so that you now have 4 quarters.

Step 3: Cut each quarter in half.

Proceed with this method until you have the required amount of slices that you need for each guest. Should you need more than 16 small wedges, cut your initial disk of cheese to a ½ inch thickness. This will now provide 32 wedges. Do not try to cut too many wedges from soft or creamy cheeses because as the slices get smaller you will begin to squash the cheese.

For a 2 lb or larger piece of cheese, lay it on its side and cut disks that are ¾ or 1 inch thick, as stated above, if you need more wedges cut your disks thinner. Then follow the same method described above.

It is our opinion is that it always better to buy too much cheese for your party or dinner than not enough. Leftovers will most likely not go to waste. To calculate how much cheese to buy for any occasion please read our discussion on cheese plates and cheese boards at http://aroundtheworldcheese.blogspot.com/2009/03/creating-cheese-boards-and-cheese.html
and
http://aroundtheworldcheese.blogspot.com/2009/04/few-suggestions-for-cheese-plates.html