Welcome to August, National Goat Cheese Month. I know what you’re thinking about. That chalky, dry, plain, and crumbly cheese, but this month’s cheese aren’t your mama’s goat cheeses! The cheeses for this month are savory, sweet, and artisanal in every sense of the word. They move beyond the simple chèvre that we are all used to. Let’s get cheesy!
Honey Bee Goat Gouda
You read that right! A goat gouda. The cheesemakers of the Netherlands have taken goat milk, added honey, and created a delicious and nutty gouda with a hint of sweetness. Unlike chèvre, this gouda can be sliced, cubed, or shredded for snacking. HoneyBee says it best when they guarantee that you will enjoy this cheese because quite simply, “It’s beelicious!”
Capricho de Cabra
Also known as, “the whim of the goat,” this sweet cheese is similar to the traditional chèvre style of goat cheese, but unlike the chalky and dry feel, this cheese is smooth and creamy. An added bonus is the fine herb coating that accompanies the Capricho de Cabra. The herbs add a lavish and savory flavor to the richness of the cheese. Just make sure to have a lot of crackers on hand because once you start spreading this cheese, you won’t want to stop!
Andante Tomme
Andante dairy’s Tomme Dolce is washed with local artisan brandy and plum jam. The style is similar to classic Pyrenees Tomme. Firm with and even, silky closed texture and a salty-sweet, earthy mix with notes of honey, cashews, and umami finish. The uniqueness of this cheese is that it is the Katharine Hepburn of cheeses. Tomme Dolce elegantly and confidently presents different personalities with different wines and is so convincing you can hardly believe your eating the same cheese. Pairs beautifully with chardonnay and Beaujolais Gamay.
Fun Cheese Facts!
Did you know that goats were domesticated before cattle? The domestication of goats began about 9000 B.C.E. with cattle domestication shortly thereafter. What that means is that it was likely that goat’s milk and cheeses were the first instances of milk and cheese developed. According to the Oxford Companion to Cheese, Egypt was the likeliest cheese center and historians know that King Tutankhamen was buried with goat cheese in his tomb in 3300 B.C.E. The next record of the production and use of goat’s milk in making cheese came from Greece in 500 B.C.E. Today, of the 46 countries that make cheese, 160 breeds of goat have been listed as primary sources of milk for production. That’s a lot of goat cheese!
Recipe Corner : Goat Cheese & Veggie Scramble
Little effort, easy cleanup, BIG flavor? On it my friends. Goat Cheese and Veggie Egg Scramble to the rescue! Experiment with all three goat cheeses and see how they add unique flavors to this yummy breakfast!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 eggs, beaten
¾ cup milk
4 ounces goat cheese
1 cup bell pepper, diced
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 avocado, diced
Parsley, fresh ground black pepper to
garnish
Instructions:
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
While peppers are cooking, whisk together eggs, milk, cherry tomatoes and ¾ of the goat cheese.
Reduce the heat to medium low and pour the egg mixture into the pan. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, until the eggs begin to set. Once they start, gently pull the eggs from the edges to the center of the pan and fold them in, repeating until the eggs are set (look a little shiny or wet on top but are no longer runny).
Top with avocado, the rest of the goat cheese crumbles, parsley and pepper.