Posted in Cheese, Portugal, tagged Amarelo da Beira Baixa DOP, Azeitão, Bica, Cabra da Beira Baixa, Cabra Raiano, Casa de Mendevil Velho, Castelinhos, Castelo Branco DOP, Cheese, food, Pastagens do Convento, Portugal, Portuguese cheeses, Sabores d'Avózinha, Serpa DOP, Serra da Estrela, Terrincho Velho DOP on October 11, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Azeitão Tasting
As a lover of all things Portuguese for many years, I have been working to build the selection of Portuguese cheeses here at our Cambridge location. In the past, we’ve had a few varieties at a time, but this is the first time we’ve had as large a selection as this, and I’m very excited about them all. Here’s the lowdown on the line-up! (more…)
Posted in About Us, Food Writing, tagged blogging, Cheese, food on October 9, 2012 | 2 Comments »
First off, a big thank you to all of our readers! Over the past three years, we’ve been working hard to make this blog fun and informative for both customers and staff members. Recent posts have included a two-part study of balsamic vinegars, some of our food book favorites and Tyler’s recipe for “Mil Fromages” mac and cheese. We’ve now posted over 180 articles on a range of topics from pine mouth, to our recent travels in the Basque region of France, to posts about cheese, beer and wine. (more…)
Posted in Cheese, Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes, tagged Cheese, food, mac and cheese, recipe on October 4, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Every Sunday in our Cambridge shop, the kitchen staff get the day off and a cheesemonger helps to make our “Sunday Sandwiches” – small Iggy’s rolls with a varying assortment of toppings. We always do a vegetarian option or two and then we regularly make some ham and Brie sarnies, sometimes dubbed the “Huron Classic” and at other times, “The Frenchman.” If time allows, that cheesemonger will also whip up an additional dish for the sandwich window. One such Sunday, I had enough time to make a casserole dish of mac ‘n’ cheese. Availing of our “cheese bits” bin, I think I used 35+ cheeses in the end. So, it was only a slight exaggeration when the dish was dubbed “Mil Fromages.” (more…)
Posted in Cheese, Pasta, tagged cheddar, Comté, cooking, food, Gruyere, mac and cheese, macaroni, Parmigiano Reggiano, pasta on September 27, 2012 | 7 Comments »
Chef Eduardo’s Mac and Cheese
It should come as no surprise that staff members here at Formaggio Kitchen are pretty passionate about mac and cheese. Everyone has a different take on their favorite – affected by how they had it growing up, pasta shapes and, of course, cheese preferences. As with the grilled cheese survey of a few months ago, I took a little stroll around the shop to see just how varied folks’ notion of this classic dish were. Here are the results! (more…)
Posted in About Us, Education, Food Writing, Good Reads, tagged books, cheese books, cookbooks, food, food memoirs, food reference, recommended food books on September 20, 2012 | 1 Comment »
When we’re not in the shop, we’re often cooking, eating or reading about food. Recently, we opened a Pinterest account and started pinning staff favorites – cookbooks, food memoirs and culinary references among them. Here are a few of our favorite reads – for the full list (an ongoing project), check out our Pinterest account!
Chez Panisse Café Cookbook – by Alice L. Waters – all of Chef Waters’ books are amazing. Don’t expect fancy pictures, just lots of fascinating information and delicious recipes that never fail. In this volume, don’t miss making the “Morel Mushroom Toasts.” (more…)
Posted in Buyer's Guides, Education, Italy, Vinegar, tagged aceto balsamico di modena, agro di mosto, balsamic vinegar, balsamico tradizionale, condimento, DOP, food, grape must, IGP, Modena, saba on September 7, 2012 | 4 Comments »
Vinegars from La Vecchia Dispensa
As I mentioned in my prior post, Balsamico Tradizionale offers the best chance to taste some of the purest expression of true balsamic vinegar. One of the reasons for this is the thoughtful regulations governing the production of Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena and Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia, which dictate a range of protections – from the grapes varieties that must be used, to the style of bottle.
Once you move beyond the world of Balsamico Tradizionale into the less controlled world of non-tradizionale balsamics, things get more complicated. Historically, the category of balsamic, balsamico or balsamic vinegar consisted of products with levels of quality all over the map. Some careful producers, employing traditional methods, produced balsamics with beautiful balance and depth of flavor. At the same time, large, industrial producers sold balsamics using inexpensive ingredients and time-saving technologies to maximize profits, capitalizing on the balsamic name. (more…)
Posted in Buyer's Guides, Education, Italy, Vinegar, tagged balsamic, balsamic vinegar, balsamico, balsamico tradizionale, food, tradizionale, vinegar on August 30, 2012 | 3 Comments »
There are many forms of balsamic vinegar on supermarket shelves these days. The most industrial forms can be made anywhere with a variety of ingredients that may or may not contain concentrated grape must, wine vinegar, sugar and caramel coloring. For this reason, it is often difficult to grasp the differences between a $10 bottle of balsamic vinegar and a $40 bottle of balsamic or even a $150 bottle. (more…)
Posted in Appetizers & Hors d'Oeuvres, Produce, Recipes, tagged avocado, dips, food, guacamole, hors d’oeuvres, recipe, Recipes, tomato, tomatoes on August 22, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
At this time of year, we’re enjoying a lot of fresh, local produce – from corn, to peaches, to tomatoes. And, speaking of the latter, what better time than the dog days of summer to whip up some fresh guacamole? It pairs well with beer, doesn’t involve any slaving away over the stove and is a great pre-BBQ snack! (more…)
Posted in Appetizers & Hors d'Oeuvres, Cheese, Recipes, Salads & Sides, tagged Cheese, figs, food, Honey, recipe, Recipes, ricotta, ricotta toasts on August 8, 2012 | 4 Comments »
Ricotta Toast with Dried Figs and Carlisle Spring Blossom Honey
Ever since making B&G Oyster’s inspired arugula, blood orange and ricotta salad, I have been on a bit of a ricotta kick – incorporating it into salads, dolloping it on strawberries and, more recently, experimenting with it on bruschetta-like toasts. Quick and easy to put together, they are effectively a kind of open-faced sandwich. Ideal as appetizers, I find that in this heat they can also be ample for a light dinner. (more…)
Posted in Produce, Recipes, Salads & Sides, tagged arugula, blood oranges, food, oranges, recipe, ricotta on July 19, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Recently, I shared a recipe for Toasted Orzo Mac & Cheese, cobbled together after inspiration struck in the form of a couple of visits to B&G Oysters, a restaurant in Boston’s South End. For that side dish, the B&G team used Parmigiano Reggiano. At the opposite end of the cheese aging scale, however, they offered another delicious dish on their menu: arugula salad paired with citrus and their house-made ricotta – a fresh, young, milky cheese. (more…)
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