Goat Cheese

I have this new obsession with goat cheese. I'm not sure where it came from. In fact it's almost surprising.

When I was younger my parents raised me to try anything and everything. As far as foods they forced me to eat as a child I'm a trooper. I may not like pork-chops but dammit if I am a guest and someone serves them to me I can eat them like a champ. However, as I got older I grew out of that wonderful ability. My eating habits became more particular and defined just as I was becoming my own person. I began turning my nose up at things that I had never tried.

In high school during a family trip to Hawaii my dad asked me if I wanted to try sushi. Of course not! That's raw fish! I rejected ham. Who rejects ANY pork product? Apparently this girl. When my mom began making a strawberry and goat cheese salad I proclaimed, "Yuck! GOAT cheese?!" and never wanted anything to do with it.

Fast forward to Christmas eve 2011. I had just graduated from college and my parents brought a case of champaign to the family party. After a couple of glasses of the wonderful, bubbly, gold stuff mixed with some yummy sangria the appetizers were passed around. I stuffed a little caramelized onion tart in my mouth and through hazy thoughts and a warmed esophagus had the epiphany that this was hands down the best thing I had ever eaten in my life. I would never again eat something so delectable. I hunted my cousin down to find out what on earth she put in these crack filled pastry shells. Turns out it was goat cheese. Mind... Blown...

Shortly after I was served a salad with goat cheese on it for dinner one night at home. Instead of turning up my nose and picking the little crumbles off I tried one. I popped just the little tiny bit of cheese with nothing else on or touching it (that is the way I prefer my food, after all) into my skeptical mouth. It was tangy, refreshing, creamy, and everything I love about my two favorite foods: Sour cream and cream cheese. It had this wonderful bite and melt in your mouth texture that I had never experienced before.

Mother knows best I guess. So there I had it. I now have a new favorite food. I've always had big dreams about moving to a farm where I can have horses, cows, chickens and dogs. However, now I really want one of those animals in my life. I would love to have a goat so I can make this incredible concoction from scratch!

http://www.theage.com.au/news/pets/seattle-to-allow-pygmy-goats-as-pets/2007/09/26/1190486386781.html

Badger Badger Badger Badger...

I promise to add a post with photos soon. I've been too busy to take any decent pictures at my new job, but I'm really enjoying it!

For those of you who don't know I now volunteer/intern with Shady Oaks Organics in MA growing organic oyster and shiitake mushrooms. They're grown in a greenhouse that's in a warehouse in the industrial park and are out of this world. The whole process has a lot of intricacies that I am slowly beginning to learn but I definitely know the basics now. All of our mushrooms are grown on pasteurized straw in big plastic bags. We add some spawn that comes bagged in organic rye berries and 3 weeks later there are mushrooms!

I helped out with my first farmer's market last weekend and am participating in 2 this weekend. It's great to see people's reaction to these unique and yummy mushrooms. I took my first batch home recently and made a yummy vegetable soup as well as added them to some Philly cheesesteaks.

Everyone is really nice and I love the opportunity to learn something new while I'm waiting to move to Martha's Vineyard. In a couple of weeks I'll be headed to Indianapolis for a 5 day stay involving anniversary and valentines day celebrations. I can't believe how fast the past year has flown by!