Bonnie: I’m not sure when I first tried goat cheese, but I remember clearly when I met Allison Hooper, co-owner of Vermont Butter & Cheese company. We connected at the media-relations seminar I conducted for a group of Vermont businessmen and women at the Inn at Essex in the late ’90s. The session’s goal was to teach each of them how to get the media to hear their messages in our oh, so noisy world.
When we went around the room, with each participant revealing an I-can’t-believe-I-did-that media interaction story, Allison hesitantly began to share her “exploding cheese” story.
At the suggestion of her husband, Don, they had decided to try to get some publicity. So they packed some of their cheeses and sent them off to Marian Burros at the New York Times.
“We were so Podunk,” laughed Allison. “At that time our cheese containers had no heat seals. We thought we had packed the cheese with enough ice packs… that is until we followed up with a phone call.”
In no uncertain terms Marian told us to get our act together. The cheese containers had opened, sending bits of warm cheese to every part of the box. She was not at all pleased with the mess.
Allison completed her horror story by describing the illustration that Don—an amateur cartoonist—drew of Marian receiving exploding cheese. At least the couple had a good laugh.
“Send the cartoon to her,” I prodded, suggesting Allison turn that situation around and begin a relationship with Marian.
“Send it with some well-packed cheeses and a note telling her how far you’ve progressed.” Vermont Butter & Cheese’s creamy goat cheese had just won the world champion cheese contest.
Allison was skeptical.
The following year I noticed a piece in the Times by Marian Burros on Vermont Butter & Cheese’s products. Allison emailed me that she had sent Don’s cartoon, a letter and their cheeses—this time packaged perfectly.
“Marian called back promptly, said that her deadline was yesterday but could we immediately send her some information.
“A story showed up the following Wednesday,” Allison explained in her email.
Vermont Butter & Cheese has been getting great press and introducing new products ever since, including this delicious Bijou (French for jewel) fresh-ripened artisanal French-style goat cheese. It has the sweetness of fresh goat cheese with a hint of yeast on the rind.
I enjoy their Bijou partially melted on a toasted baguette atop salad greens for a light entree as their package suggests. Specifically, to make Toasted Bijou on Greens cut the crottin horizontally in half, placing each half rind-side-up on a baguette slice (I prefer that slice toasted) and broiling until the cheese is melted and golden. Serve on a bed of greens dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.
I decided to try to cook Bijou as I sometimes do a slice from a soft log of chèvre—I dip the goat cheese into a lightly beaten egg white, then into Panko breadcrumbs (pressing so they adhere), and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes. I then cook the rounds in hot olive oil in a skillet—for about a minute—until golden, turning only once. Then I top a green salad with these rounds. The Bijou rounds were tasty, but I prefer this technique using softer chèvre.
While I’m thinking of soft chèvre, here are some other ways that I enjoy it:
Goat Cheese (Chèvre) Pizza: I brush a cooked pizza dough with extra-virgin olive oil and top with overlapping slices of juicy summer tomatoes, fresh basil, crumbled goat cheese and lots of freshly ground black pepper. I grill that until the cheese melts.
Beet Salad with Chèvre: I top sliced beets (Melissa’s Peeled Baby Red Beets work great) with crumbled goat cheese and a light vinaigrette. Or I first marinate the crumbled cheese in olive oil and fresh herbs before topping the beets.
Chèvre Salad Dressing: I blend some chèvre with lemon juice and/or a light vinegar (rice, white balsamic, champagne) until creamy, mixing in a smidgen of mustard, lots of salt and pepper, and then whisking in extra virgin olive oil. I find this especially good on peppery arugula, but also on other greens salad.
BTW — I tried to get a hold of that cartoon that Don drew. Allison is still looking for it. Check back — as if we find it — we’ll add it to this Bite.
Bryan: Cheese is more than an acquired taste—it is one of the few foods that can stop you in your tracks all on its own. Add a bit of crusty bread and red wine and you’ve got the perfect meal! I have had a love affair with cheese ever since abandoning hamburgers at a young age for their sexier cousin the cheeseburger. Vermont cheddar was my first sophisticated extension beyond the boundaries of processed American and, tasting it, I was rewarded with intense new flavors. A move to Belgium opened new doors to cheeses all but ignored in the US: Edam, Chaumes, Chèvre and more. Sandwiches became excuses for bread and cheese, with a bit of meat on the side. The Vermont Butter & Cheese Bijou elicits all the taste and sensations of a fine aged European cheese without the locale. Grab a crusty bread, split the Bijou in half, toast the whole thing… serve on its own with a Pinot or with a mixed green salad and Sauvignon Blanc—eating at its finest!
Eric: Cheese, quite easily said, is an acquired taste. (I never quite appreciated a good, stinky, gooey cheese until I moved to Europe a few years ago.) During my childhood I was never a big cheese eater. If I ever made use of cheese, it was either a few slices of Cabot cheddar on my tuna melt or a good slab of goat cheese used for making a delicious grilled pizza. (My mother may have inspired its creation, but my brother and I were able to perfect it–by mixing in a little honey with some fresh tomato and basil.) I can also thank my uncle for getting me hooked on, as I call them, “the strong stinky cheeses.” I’ve often spent time with my aunt and uncle sitting around their kitchen table in Brussels, with a plate over-stacked with Brie, Camembert, Muenster, Chaumes and Chèvre in front of us, having enlightening discussions with friends about life, politics and work. For me, there is nothing better than good company, good crusty bread, good wine and a variety of good cheeses, most always, including a warm goat cheese (chèvre chaud en Francais). Since I’m living out of the country I haven’t tried Bijou, but knowing other products of this company and their quality I can imagine that this cheese could rank up there with some of the best tasting ones.
Win Bijou plus two additional retails items of their choosing from Vermont Butter & Cheese’s website.
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