As promised, I’ll share my Valentines Day cooking adventure. Instead of cooking for one special someone, I helped run around for about twenty hungry companions. A friend, chef/ owner of Nudel Restaurant, and I collaborated on a cheese inspired Valentine’s Day tasting. Besides chopping and slinging sauté pans, I took the honor of picking out 4 contrasting and unique domestic cheeses from Rubiner’s...

The warning: “Chef Bjorn Somlo will subject my beloved cheeses to his deviant culinary behavior..” Who would’ve thought that Cato Corner Farm’s Bridgid’s Abbey would star so well in a clam and potato pierogi? The slight pungent aroma cut through the briny clams and a creamy potato layer. 3- Corner Field Farm’s Frere Fumont accented a hazelnut and carrot mousse quite elegantly. The Amazing Real Live Food Company’s Moonlight Chaource slightly warmed and draped over a mid- rare steak, a rich bordelaise sauce and coarsely ground tellicherry peppercorns was certainly another ‘match- maker’.

We had some fun as well: Rogue Creamery’s Caveman Blue was shaved over rock shrimp tossed in a shisito pepper sauce with a side of celery root cream sauce. Buffalo shrimp, anyone? Or maybe a Blue cheese doughnut is more appropriate? An alternative course was the Bridgid's Abbey in a mini grilled cheese sandwich made with none other then grocery store- bought Freihofer’s white bread on top of a proper egg salad smear. One woman nearly cried claiming the grilled cheese took her back to the ones her mother made for her when she was young.

I look forward to future collaboration events and sharing them with culture!

Here’s the menu, below are the pictures in corresponding order as listed (sorry, i missed the desserts!) :

*what would you have ordered?

-Austin

Valentine’s Day 2011

Small Tasting of Tonight's Cheeses in their Natural State
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Rogue Creamery
Caveman Blue
Central Point, OR
(cow)

Savory Donut, balsamic raisin jam, roasted onions, walnuts and endive
OR
Crumbled, chilled rock shrimp, shisito hot sauce, celeriac variations
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3- Corner Field Farm
Frere Fumont
Shushan, NY
(sheep)

Shaved, roasted carrot mousse, hazelnut, horseradish and apple salad
OR
Alfredo, watercress, cream poached garlic, linguini
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Cato Corner Farm
Bridgid’s Abbey
Colchester, CT
(cow)

Grilled, butternut squash, store bought white bread, egg salad, frisee, picatta and with or without bacon
OR
Potato Pierogi with clam, kohlrabi and cabbage, braised chicken
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The Amazing Real Live Food Co.
Moonlight Chaource
Pine Plains, NY
(cow)

Warm, seared beef, crumbled fries, “ truffled poivre”, bordelaise
OR
Fried, beets, polenta, grapefruit marmalade vinaigrette, pistachio
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Desssert

Cocoa Nib Blini, blood orange syrup, dried cherries and sour cream
OR
Soft Pretzel Sticks, hot chocolate and fried green bananas