I swallowed a fly, perhaps I’ll die……

Approximately 175 farmers markets, 800 milk bottles, 35,000 sample spoons, thousands of miles and lots of gas! One refrigerated truck, 33 boxes of packaging, two bulging biceps, 1500 labels, 9 dairy babes and eighteen all nighters later…..

We are at the five month mark!

Which leaves everyone around me starting to make plans for winter, or more likely the break that winter brings. So many options! Ireland with mum and dad (I’m thinking I may need a fill up on my Irish luck) Hawaii with the twins (they need lots of cheese!)? Or intensive cross country skiing at home??
I love having options but this year instead of trotting off to my favorite hot and spicy Asian location my mind is drifting to cheddar…. and feta…… and maybe climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. I think I am in the best shape ever and figure that with all the obstacles I have overcome this year climbing a big mountain should be added to the list, along with making some aged cheeses-of course! Anyone want to join me? Climbing the mountain, not making cheese.
As tempting as globe trotting is I have to admit that the idea of being able to make cheese and stick it in an aging room tops the list. Oh what a cheesy enthusiast I am!
Last week I was fortunate enough to have dinner with Marc Bates aka the Cheese Guy! After some heavy cheese talk throughout the evening and several glasses of wine I started thinking, and then BAM! It came to me!! My new cheese, or rather a new procedure for a potential new cheese.I must admit that I was sooooo exited about this that I actually could not sleep. I was so exited! I wanted to go running back into the cheese room immediately, I really was quite wound up. Yet, I forgot that Garry had a hot date with Henry that day so at last the production was postponed.

Have you heard about The Wedge Cheese Festival that will be occurring on Oct 3rd? Well now you have. Seeing as I have to compete with very cool cheese makers that have sheep milk I thought that I would do something exiting and debut my new cheese at the event! How cool would that be?? Garry promised to look into a few things for me (no concrete promise but hope) so I will keep you posted.

Its so corny! I know I just love it! Well… it rather cheesey too. Its corny and cheesy and its here!! Hehehe
Corn and pepporcini cream cheese that is. For being as corny as it is, it’s quite charming and flavorful. Stop by our booth (the list of our markets is now up on our shiny new website) for a taste. We will be sampling galore!
Sooo many of you have gone hog wild (just without the hog) for the idea of the new flavored butter that I hurriedly started shoveling it in my tasters mouths for feedback – thankfully it was all positive and has created, as my dad would say, quite a stir! We will be sampling our new Sassy Saffron (saffron beads with smoked paprika) along with our other products this week.

This week the cheese room was rather uneventful, or it was until the walls started shaking. Petrified that we were getting attacked by a mad cow I grabbed each of the twins and sauntered out of the cheese room, long enough to holler “Garrryyyyy” and run back in. It appeared that one of the moo cows (wasn’t mad at all) but very much liked our singing to the Little Mermaid soundtrack and wanted in, in a big way. I actually surprised myself by knowing all the songs, I suppose I am not as old as I feel sometimes!

Have you ever stared off into space with your mouth open? Has a fly ever flown in? Have you ever swallowed that fly??
Well its traumatic let me tell you, and the twins will tell you too. Its very traumatic to swallow a fly and think your going to die! We started a support group. If you would like to join you can stand in the milking parlour with you mouth open until one goes in. We will be meeting every Monday.

Fun quotes
“I think if we opened you up we would find a bunch of wires and a
brain inside” (talking about me???)

“Yum yum nice pie yum yum nice pie”
From the West’s who (now that Greg/DOC has moved to greener pastures) is JC’s top dairy consumer! Go West’s!

Although I try my best to get my cheesy newsie out on Thursday evenings some of you never get it, or sometimes skip a week.
I know there are programs that do this better but I have yet to find one that works, so my sincere apologies if you thought that I didn’t like you anymore, it is merely my inability to manage my growing newsletter.
You can however, if I accidentally leave you out and you are having JC newsie withdrawls you can go to the Hillsdale Farmers market web site and click on vendor newsletters, or you could visit the ubber cool Good Stuff NW (which is a great read anyway) and coming soon (once she climbs out from under the table) there will be a new very cool foodie website that will be carrying the tales of the Cheese Czarina!
You can always of course send me an email if you would like someone added :)

If anyone was wondering what one of my favorite fruits are its figs!!! I love figs! I love eating them, looking at them and eating more of them!
So since our special this week is our ricotta the recipe includes figs and ricotta and my other favorite bread! It looks a ton more complicated that it actually is :) yummmmm

Figs:

* 8 fresh figs, stemmed, halved
* 3/4 cup dry red wine
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 small bay leaf
* 1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Onion:

* 4 tsp butter!! yum my fave!
* 1 medium red onion, halved through core, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* Coarse kosher salt

Ricotta:

* 1 cup Jacobs Creamery ricotta cheese
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
* 1 teaspoon heavy whipping cream- or creamline whole Jersey milk!
* Coarse kosher salt
* 8 1-inch-thick slices ciabatta bread (about 4 1/2 x 2 inches)
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
* For figs:

Place figs in a small saucepan. Add wine and next 3 ingredients; bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer until figs are tender and liquid is syrupy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add vinegar; cook 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat; cool.

For onion:

Melt butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to soften and brown, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add vinegar and sugar, then sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Stir until vinegar has almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Cool. DO AHEAD: Figs and onion mixture can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For ricotta:

Whisk ricotta, 1 tablespoon oil, and cream in medium bowl until fluffy. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Preheat broiler. Drizzle ciabatta with some olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Broil bread on both sides until toasted. Transfer to serving plate. Spread 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture on each bread slice. Spoon glazed figs with some of syrup over; top with onion mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan and oregano. Drizzle with oil and serve immediately.

Yours always-
Cheese Czarina!