I can think of no cheese I crave more during spring time than fresh goat cheese. The soft creamy texture and lemony tart flavor of chèvre begs to be paired with fresh herbs and crisp salad greens. Pastas with bright green peas and asparagus benefit from a sprinkling of crumbly goat cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. The creamy texture of chèvre lends itself to an easy but addictive dip for the vegetable crudites platter. Goat cheese is simple and fresh, just like a crisp spring morning in the garden.
Chèvre is only the beginning. Goat cheese can also be made into a pasteurized blue cheese; a firm, pungent washed rind cheese; or an elegant, soft and oozy bloomy rind cheese. Aged goat cheese becomes dry and firm with a more developed, complex flavor than fresh chèvre.
Join me this week at LaDomestique, as I explore Colorado goat cheese in its many forms. The craggy mountains and dry foothills of Colorado are well suited to raising low maintenance goats. According to The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan, “The French call a goat a poor man’s cow because it needs no more than roadside herbage to survive”. Despite their reputation as a walking garbage disposal, goats produce milk that can be made into cheeses with an exceptional bright and clean flavor. Goat cheese can be grassy, herbaceous, and earthy. Trying different goat cheeses reveals a world of tastes and textures.
Tomorrow, in Ten Ways Tuesday, I share ideas for spring cooking with goat cheese. Throughout the week there will be recipes and cheese plate tips. Learn about Colorado artisanal cheese producers and cheese retailers with a passion for their product. If all you know is fresh goat cheese, it’s time to try something new.
Yes! I adore goat cheese, especially on a burger. Excited for the insights of the week! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for commenting Abigail! Colorado has some really interesting producers- can’t wait to share them with you over the week.
Hi Jess,
You are just sooo good with food ideas!
I have a French girl working here with me and she always says “Leave out the soft cheese for as long as possible until it becomes nearly runny ‘cos that’s the way the French love it!
I do a cheese board for breakfast and it’s popular especially with the French and Germans.
Keep up the good tips and ideas…
Hope you and Len are well. Didn’t get a chance to ring over the weekend but hopefully next weekend.
Sandra.
Thanks, Sandra! It’s true- cheese is nice at room temperature. Your cheese board is a nice touch for the B&B. Take care.
I’m glad that I treated myself to a little bit of Spanish goat cheese (my favorite!) on my way home this evening, or else this post would have left me with a terrible hankering.
And wasn’t Penny the best? I totally agree with you that we don’t have to tell the story quite the way Penny does. And I hope that I don’t! But – she’s inspired me to step out of my comfort zone where photography is concerned. Or, step back and take in the larger view.
Thanks for commenting, Kimberley! I guess the goal is for us to strive for an artistic style that is more and more true to ourselves. It sure seems to take a lot of growing to get there, but it feels so good to be stretched like we were this weekend with Penny.