{ Janet Fletcher / Food Writer }
Photo | Sara Remington Photography
If you’re looking for some fresh ideas for the Fourth of July—whether you’re the host or a guest—I hope you’ll find some inspiration in this recipe roundup. It’s heavy on ice cream because…ice cream. But you’ll also find a yummy dip, a famous potato salad, my favorite burger, grilled corn salad Mexican style and more. These tested recipes should have you ready to party all summer.
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I’ve been to Greece enough times to know that a Greek salad never contains lettuce. Or almost never. Doug and I ate a lot of Greek salads on our recent vacation and only one—a deviant—had leafy greens. As familiar as I am with this iconic summer dish, I did learn a few more do’s and don’ts on this trip. In fact, when I asked one of my hosts about an ingredient that most Americans include, her eyebrows shot up in alarm. She all but shuddered. So, in the service of authenticity and international relations, here are a few observations about how to make an unimpeachable horiatiki that won’t dismay any Greeks.
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It’s not the first time I’ve heard that buying a pet goat was the prelude to owning a cheese business. Goats are adorable; we know that. But if you take home a pregnant goat, which is what India Loevner did on impulse (actually, she bought two), there is goat milk in your future. And probably more goats. A decade after Loevner introduced the prize-winning pair to her small Pennsylvania family farm, the herd numbers about 140 and the family’s cheese is racking up awards. The cheese pictured here is the breakout star, for good reason. Shave it with a plane and you’ll think you’ve never tasted a creamier cheese.
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The strawberry farmstand near my house is in full swing right now, with berries so fragrant you can smell them from the parking lot. Fortunately, I know a dessert worthy of them. In French it’s a vacherin but I call it a macaroon torte: layers of crunchy almond meringues, whipped ricotta cream and juicy strawberries (or peaches in season). In just a few hours, the meringues soak up the juices and soften enough that you can cut neat slices. It’s one of the first desserts my husband ever made for me. (That list is short.) Doug brought a small collection of cookbooks to our marriage, and this recipe was in one of them. If he made it for other women before me, I don’t want to know.
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Being a big fan of Good Culture Cottage Cheese, I had to try the company’s sour cream when I spotted it recently for the first time. I rarely use sour cream, but I plowed through this tub. What a smooth, luscious texture and mellow flavor. I reheated some leftover roasted Yukon Golds with a big spoonful of the sour cream, mashing everything together in the skillet and adding cracked black pepper and chives. Not the healthiest lunch but….wow. When I went back to the store for more, I discovered yet another new sour cream that, like Good Culture, has a lot of feel-good features. Both are made with organic milk from grass-fed cows, contain live probiotic bacteria and no stabilizers and had me licking the spoon.
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I recently watched a cheesemonger cut open a new wheel of this cheese, and I didn’t need a sample to know I wanted some. For starters, the wheel was gorgeous—hefty and symmetrical, with a handsome caramel-colored rind. Then I saw the inside. Just look at that golden hue. Milk from grass-fed cows, for sure. Guests in my classes often ask me whether diet really makes a difference, and the image above is your answer. This exceptional American mountain cheese occupies a niche that seems to shrink every year: farmstead, raw milk, produced only when the cows are on pasture. Taking a piece home felt like a rare privilege.
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Photo: Douglas Fletcher/Planet Cheese
The driving force behind the San Francisco Cheese School, who grew it from its modest beginnings in a North Beach flat to an internationally recognized enterprise in Ghirardelli Square, Kiri Fisher passed away from cancer on April 26. She was 45.
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Doug and I celebrated a recent wedding anniversary with a brief getaway to California’s Anderson Valley and the delightful Boonville Hotel. The hotel’s chef, Perry Hoffman, is the grandson of Sally Schmitt, the founding chef of The French Laundry. Hoffman grew up in that legendary Napa Valley kitchen, but he now has his own place and his own style and it’s right up my alley. I savored every bite of our height-of-spring dinner, but of course the two cheesiest dishes made the biggest impression. If you’re the chef on Mother’s Day, consider adding one or both to the menu.
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Needless to say, it’s never not American Cheese Month at my house. But in May it’s official. This is the month when cheese merchants give American cheeses extra love—with tastings, cheesemaker appearances, special pricing and other incentives to get you in the store and buying domestic. Keep your eyes out for any festivities or promotions where you shop.
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Typically, at the end of a cheese class, I’ll ask guests to vote for their favorite. It helps me understand where people’s palates are. By now, I know that creamy usually wins, but I’ve rarely had such a lopsided result as I did in a class last week. Among a field of strong contenders, the creamiest cheese prevailed in a landslide. The victorious French beauty pictured above was new to me—I had never tasted it until I served it—and you can bet I’ll be bringing it back for an encore. My own vote went to the aged sheep cheese (L’Estaing), but the people have spoken.
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