Fresh Cheeses for Summertime

What does fresh mean? It generally means that a cheese hasn't aged past 90 days. This means they have a moisture range of 40-80% — think of a crumbly log of chevre versus an oozy burrata.  From a cheesemaker's point of view, they are easy to produce. Fresh pasteurized milk is curdled with an acid like lemon juice and then left to rest. This allows the milk to transform into a solid. That is basically it, you can make it yourself! In fact, Serious Eats has an easy foolproof recipe for making Queso Fresco and Paneer. Give it a try! Or, find fresh cheeses like ricotta and kefir in our two fridges near the milk, yogurt, and butter. 

In the front of our cheese case, you’ll find fresh bright, citrusy chevre from Goat Rodeo and Firefly Farms. Amazing for spreading on sourdough and pairing with grilled peaches. However, if you are new to fresh cheeses, you absolutely must start with Meredith's Marinated Chevre. The chevre is cubed and marinated in olive oil and herbs. It's got the brightness of a feta but the spreadability of softened butter. It is so good you should probably buy two at a time. Seriously. It’s delicious.

Other treasures include Chapel's Paneer. They are a local cheesemaker and they make the most beautiful paneer. Cut into chunks and add to any salad or eat on its own. You can also make Saag Paneer. Saveur has an easy recipe to follow. As for fresh mozzarella, I am thrilled to announce we'll have both burrata and buffalo mozzarella from Ponte Reale. Ponte Reale is in Italy and they produce the most amazing organic cheeses. Burrata and Buffalo mozzarella are the perfect foil for all the heirloom tomatoes you'll find at our produce table. Dress up your tomato and mozzarella with Maldon salt and Agrillia Greek Olive Oil and you'll be in heaven!