Kunik…it’s all the craze. Cheesemaker of the Week: Nettle Meadow Farm

If you have been reading The Novice Foodie or my Twitter posts then you may have some idea about Kunik. Kunik is a triple cream cheese made in Thurman, NY by Nettle Meadow Farm. Owned by Lorraine Lambiase and Sheila Flanagan, Nettle Meadow Farm is nestled on a cozy 50 acres just below Crane Mountain in the Adirondacks.

Kunik is a white-mold ripened cheese made from goat milk  and jersey cow cream. It has a delicate bloomy rind that smells sweet and grassy…but the inside yields a unctuous and buttery cheese with gracious tang.  Perfect on a slice of baguette topped with fruit chutney….or just slathered graciously on a toasted bagel.

Best at room temperature (like ALL CHEESE), Kunik has a permanent space on our kitchen counter.  Delicate and powerful…Kunik is by far becoming the favorite cheese of us here in St. Louis.  It is by far, my current obsession….delivered in small dreamy little rounds it doesn’t last long once cut into.  To be honest…I don’t think we have ever failed at finishing off the round once we got started.

The current batch at cheese counter at The Wine Merchant is by far the best we’ve had in Missouri……and that is saying a lot because ever subsequent batch and been perfect.

The Shaved Duck to open for lunch

The Shaved Duck to open for lunch

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From Ally Nisbet:

The Shaved Duck in the Tower Grove East neighborhood located at 2900 Virginia Street is opening for lunch starting Monday January 4th.
The Shaved Duck specializes in traditionally smoked meats using oak and hickory, and  will now be smoking earlier in the day to ensure that everything is fresh off the pitt for their guests.
Please stop by for some great smoked meats, flatbreads, homestyle sides and expanded lunch menu, or contact Matt Fournier, Catering  Manager for any catering functions coming up.

You only have scraps of cheese???

No fear…you can now have what the French call Fromage Fort. It is the EASIEST recipe you will ever read.  It goes alittle something like this:

1. Gather up about a 1/2 pound of cheese scraps

2. Chuck ’em in the food processor

3. In goes a couple cloves of garlic

4. Slosh of white wine

Salt and pepper to taste….

Whiz it all up til kinda smooth…depending on how you like it. I like a little texture.

Put in ramekins…serve at room temp with crackers, toasted baguette…BILLY GOAT POTATO CHIPS

It keeps forever in the fridge if wrapped airtight. I love this stuff….and it’s different everytime…depending on what kinda cheese you have. I’ve never had it NOT turn out delicious.

Enjoy!!

Find us on Twitter!!

Both The Cheesemonger and I have Twitter accounts. My tweets are merely jovial…but The Cheesemonger keeps everyone up to date on what is coming into the shop…what he wants to see in the shop and special cheese events in St. Louis!  Look us up!

@MerchChzmonger

@Chzmongerswife

Happy Tweeting!

Pimento cheese recipe, comfort served

Pimento cheese recipe, comfort served

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Culture Magazine

Cheese has always been something MOST Americans have taken for granted. Cheese played an insignificant role in most American families….limiting their exposure to what they found in their neighborhood megamart.  Not anymore….American are not only eating more cheese than ever these days…they are choosing artisan cheeses made my American dairies and creameries.

A new quarterly periodical, Culture Magazine is taking amazing strides to educate us on all things cheese!  Focusing on American cheesemakers, mongers and lovers….a subscription to Culture is the PERFECT gift for the food enthusiast you put up with!

Christmas came early to the CWE

Seriously!  How lucky are the residents of the Central West End (CWE)!?!  Gerard Craft opened Brasserie by Niche in the former Chez Leon space.  With Perry Hendrix at the helm of the stove, the CWE folks have just gotten themselves one heck of a neighborhood hotspot! Focusing on classic French bistro fare, you’ll never eat onion soup anywhere else.  Cassoulet, moules frites, French cheeses, country pate….and an amazing croque monsieur…coq au vin…you’ll feel like you are sitting in a Parisian bistro! With a nice beer and wine selection…Brasserie By Niche is one of my new favorite places to go. Lucky for me it’s a stone’s throw from the hospital…and after a long day caring for the masses…Brasserie is a welcome respite!

Next up: Pi!! Pi is close to opening its doors in their new CWE locale! That makes the third space opened by Chris Sommers! With the crazy success of his spot in the Delmar Loop..and the cult-like obsession cultivated at the Kirkwood spot he is about to dish out some of that crazy good cornmeal crust deep dish on the corner of Euclid and McPherson! And to make it even better Mathew Rice is going to be doing his ingenious desserts at the new CWE locale! His milkshake bar at the Kirkwood locale is a favorite already.  I suggest a Purple Cow or a chocolate malted milkshake if you make it out Kirkwood! The CWE spot is geared toward adults with a gorgeous reclaimed eco-friendly bar manned by Chad George!

So…no more complaining about the CWE not having anything new….get over to Brasserie (open NOW!) and Pi (slated to open to the public on Tuesday 12/ 15/09!)

A break in the action…

Well, I have one more final next week and then I will be on holiday from University until mid January!!!  I am looking forward to doing some serious blogging over my break!  Lots of new cheeses have arrived in St. Louis…new farms are on the horizon (possibly including OURS!!) and great new cheesemakers are popping up all over the States!

Over this Holiday season…make an effort to seek out a local cheese maker/cheesemonger in your area.  Select a locally produced cheese or dairy product!  You are not only supporting a local, sustainable business…but you are ensuring a long heritage of artisanal foods in our country!