Food pg: Mmm...cheese.

Published in The Post-Star (D1)
8/2/06

The ears of visitors to Sweet Spring Farm in Argyle are immediately greeted by what sounds like a crowd of lost children with colds.

“Maaa! Maaa?” they call out, in loud, nasal voices.

A quick glance toward the red barn reveals the source of this commotion — there are 16 kids out there, all right, but they’re part of a herd of Nubian goats, raised by Jeffrey Bowers to make milk for his new artisan cheesemaking business.

Artisan cheese is the term for cheese made primarily by hand in small batches, “with particular attention paid to the tradition of the cheesemaker’s art,” according to the American Cheese Society.

It’s also an increasingly popular small-business venture in the Northeast.

In Vermont, which has more artisan cheesemakers per capita than any other state, the University of Vermont recently introduced an Artisan Cheesemaking Institute to offer classes in many types of cheese production.

In this area, local cheesemakers say they’ve simply learned from experience.

“I think most people have a similar story to me — I got a kit and tried it at home, and when I found out how much fun it was, I wanted to do it all the time,” said Liza Porter, who runs Homestead Artisans with her husband, David.

The Porters started out in Wilton about six years ago, using milk from local dairy farmers, but moved to Argyle last year so they could raise their own goats.

They currently make 10 varieties of aged and fresh cheese, from both cow and goat milk, which they sell at farmers markets.

One of the oldest and largest local farms to milk a profit from cheesemaking is Nettle Meadow Farm in Warrensburg, which has been making artisan cheese since 1992 and currently produces about 20,000 pounds year.

Sheila Flanagan and Lorraine Lambiase bought the business last year and are working 18-hour days, seven days a week, to keep up with demand from retailers and restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley and New York City for their signature Kunik cheese.

“We both worked in the law industry for over 20 years, and find this much more rewarding, despite the long hours,” Flanagan said. “Our theme is happy goats, great cheese.”

Bowers, too, is an office escapee, formerly a market researcher in Manhattan. He moved to Argyle in 2002 with his partner, Milton Ilario, settling into a lovely 18th-century homestead tucked away on a dirt road that seems rural even by Washington County standards. They launched their cheese business this spring, after getting licensed by the state.

Ilario still works full time as an information technology consultant, while Bowers has exchanged his suit and tie for farm clothes, adding a white lab coat when he’s working in the sparkling clean production area he calls “the cheese house.”

He currently makes four varieties of chevre, and hopes to add cave-aged cheeses
and blue cheese in the near future.

His day begins early and can last 12 hours between the morning and evening milkings,
with everything from paperwork to pasteurizing in between.

“It’s hard work, definitely,” he said. “But I like doing it.”

CHEESE IN THE AREA
-- Nettle Meadow Goat Cheeses and Farm, 484 South Johnsburg Road, Warrensburg, NY, 623-3372. Available at select local retailers and restaurants (see www.nettlemeadow.com). Farm is open to visitors seven days a week.

-- Homestead Artisans, 177 County Route 43, North Argyle, N.Y., 638-8530. Available at farmers markets in Glens Falls (Saturday) and Saratoga Springs (Wednesday and Saturday).

-- Sweet Spring Farm, 240 Saunders Road, South Argyle, 692-7445. Available at farmer's markets in Glens Falls (Tuesday), Greenwich (Saturday) and Clifton Park (Thursday), by mail order, or at select local retailers (see www.sweetspringfarm.com)

-- Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese, offering courses in cheesemaking: www.uvm.edu/~viac/

Recipes from Sweet Spring Farm:

Sweet Spring Farm Frittata
6 large eggs
4 ounces Sweet Spring Farm fresh Chevre
Chives (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon cream or milk
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat broiler. In a large non-stick, oven-proof skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cream, chives, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into skillet. With a heat-proof spatula, gently pull the eggs into the middle of the pan as they cook to allow the uncooked eggs to run underneath. When the eggs just begin to firm up, but are still wet on top, add dollops of cheese. Place skillet under broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the eggs are fully set and beginning to turn golden. Remove from broiler, run a spatula along the edge to loosen and slide onto a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve. Serves 4.

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Quesadilla
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
4 ounces Sweet Spring Farm fresh Chevre
4 10-inch flour tortillas
Salt to taste

In a frying pan over low heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add onions and salt, and cook slowly (about 30 minutes) until soft and slightly golden. Add sugar and vinegar and cook a few minutes more until the vinegar evaporates. Allow to cool slightly. Assemble the quesadillas by placing two tortillas on a work surface. Top each tortilla with half the onions mixture and 2 ounces of the cheese, spreading evenly and covering with remaining two tortillas. Grill in a large pan or griddle over medium heat, flipping once, just until they begin to turn golden. Remove to cutting board and slice into wedges. Serves 4.


Beet Salad with Chevre
1.5 lbs fresh beets (about two bunches)
4 ounces Sweet Spring Farm fresh Chevre
Toasted pecans
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.

Trim greens from beets. Add beets to a large saucepan full of salted water, and cook gently until tender throughout (30 to 45 minutes). Drain and allow to cool until they can be handled. Remove skins by scraping gently with a paring knife. Dice beets into half inch cubes.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until dissolved. Slowly whisk in olive oil until fully incorporated. Add the vinaigrette to the beets while they are still slightly warm. Toss well to coat all the beets. Marinate until ready to serve.
Prepare a serving dish by lining with a few lettuce leaves if desired. Spoon the marinated beets onto the platter. Evenly crumble chilled cheese over the beets. Add toasted pecans and serve. Serves 4 to 6.


Capri Salad
1 large ripe heirloom tomato
2 ounces Sweet Spring Farm fresh Chevre
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Slice tomato and arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle slices with salt and pepper. If desired, add a few drops of Balsamic vinegar to each slice. Top each slice with some of the cheese. Loosely tear basil leaves and allow them to fall evenly across the platter. Drizzle olive oil over salad and serve. Serves 2 to 4.


Recipes from Nettle Meadow Farm:

Chevre Filled Potato Pancakes
4 large potatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 ounces fresh Chevre

Grate potatoes. Toss with salt. Coat skillet liberally with olive oil and heat on medium. Drop a medium-sized handful of potato onto skillet and flatten slightly. Place a heaping teaspoon of Chevre in center. Top with another small handful of potato. Press firmly into 3 to 4-inch circle. Brown both sides. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining ingredients, adding more oil to pan as needed.

Baked Apples with Raisins and Chevre
6 apples
10 ounces fresh Chevre
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Core apples and spoon out circular cavity in center. Combine goat cheese and brown sugar with raisins. Spoon into hollowed apples and sprinkle with almonds. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 45 minutesh.