Each month, your Neighboring Food Co-ops feature our region’s artisan cheesemakers by offering a specially selected cheese at great price. Look for the “Cave to Co-op” sign in the cheese section at your local food co-op. To find one near you, visit www.nfca.coop/members.
This month’s special cheese is VERMONT ARTISAN GOUDA from Shadagee Farm, Craftsbury Common, Vermont.
Marjorie Urie and family live and work on their Shadagee Farmstead in Craftsbury Common. Brett and Marjorie took over the family farm in 2001 after 12 years farming with Brett’s parents. In 2009 they built a state of the art dairy facility and the way was paved for Marjorie to realize her dreams of turning their beautiful milk into beautiful cheese. And beautiful cheese it is!
The Uries love their farm and family, and make the most of both. Their milking herd intensively grazes the pastures and the whole family is involved in the day to day tasks and chores required to run the farm and support the cheese business.
Vermont Artisan Gouda is made from the raw farmstead cow milk of their herd. The rind is natural with a light paracoat and the flavor is creamy, smooth and mild – a real labor of love.
The cheese is wonderful as a table cheese, in sandwiches, and with fruit. Here are some fall recipes that use Vermont Artisan Gouda in ways that highlight its mild sweet qualities.
RECIPES:
Grilled Plum Salad w/Vermont Artisan Gouda and Pecans
Serves 4
- 2 T Sherry vinegar
- 1 t honey
- ¾ t salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ripe plums, pitted and quartered
- 1 t extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups torn escarole, arugula or spinach
- 1 bunch watercress, washed, dried and de-stemmed
- 4 oz. Vermont Artisan Gouda, thinly sliced
- 1 ¼ cup toasted pecan halves
Whisk the vinegar, honey, ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in oil, starting with a few drops and adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick vinaigrette. Set aside. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the plums with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the plums until slightly soft, about 1 minute per side. To get distinct grill marks, resist the temptation to move the fruit around on the pan as it cooks. Cut the plum wedges in half crosswise and toss with the dressing. Set the plums aside to marinate in the dressing for 15 minutes. (The salad can be prepared up to this point 1 hour before serving.) Right before serving, toss the greens with the plums and dressing. Divide the salad among 4 serving plates and scatter the cheese and pecans over the tops.
Mushroom, Sweet Potato and Gouda Chowder
Serves 4- 6
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.), peeled and cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- pinch dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 cup half and half
- 4 oz. Vermont Artisan Gouda, coarsely grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cook the bacon in a large soup pot until crisp. Set aside. Add the diced onions and the mushrooms to the pot and cook until the moisture released from the mushrooms evaporates and the vegetables start to brown, about 10-15 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and garlic, stirring to combine. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Return most of the bacon to the pot, leaving a little extra to garnish the soup. Remove the bay leaf. Purée as much or as little of the mixture as you want in a food processor, and return the pureed soup to the pot (alternatively, use an immersion blender). Add the half and half and the Gouda. Simmer until the soup has heated through and the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve, garnished with the extra bacon.
Potato and Celery Root Gratin w/Vermont Artisan Gouda
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 small onion, halved
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- butter for casserole dish
- 1 lb. celery root
- 1 ½ lb. Yukon gold potatoes
- sat and pepper
- 4 oz. Vermont Artisan Gouda, grated
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring heavy cream, milk, onion halves, and garlic to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, peel, halve, and thinly slice celery root; cut slices in half. Peel and thinly slice potatoes. In a buttered 8-inch casserole dish, arrange a layer of celery root slices followed by a layer of potato slices. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat. Remove onion and garlic from cream mixture and discard. Pour mixture over casserole. Cover dish with a piece of buttered aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle casserole with Gouda. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer casserole to a wire rack and allow to rest 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4-6.
Apple Skillet Cake w/Vermont Artisan Gouda
Serves 8
- 4 apples, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 T apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ t cinnamon
- 1/8 t ginger
- 1/8 t nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 t baking powder
- ½ t salt
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1 egg
- 4 T butter, melted
- 2 cups (8 ounces) Vermont Artisan Gouda, shredded and divided
Heat oven to 375°F. Butter 10-inch cast iron skillet and set aside. In medium bowl, combine apple slices with vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Mix well. Set aside. In separate bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, egg and melted butter. Mix gently until just combined. Fold in apples and 1 1/2 cups shredded Gouda. Pour batter into skillet. Sprinkle with remaining Gouda. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool before serving.
Cave to Co-op is a partnership between Provisions International and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) to support local, artisanal cheese producers in our region and make their products more easily available to co-op shoppers. The NFCA is a network of more than 30 food co-ops in New England, locally owned by more than 90,000 people like you. For more information, please visit www.nfca.coop.