written by: MARY BROWN MALOUF Â Â photos by: ADAM FINKLE
Spring has sprung and for many of us that means a heightened desire for fresher, more flavor-forward foods. Enter goat cheese. Its farmyard aroma, creamy texture and tangy taste complements many foods from meat to fruit to vegetables, making it a go-to ingredient for chefs this season and throughout the year.
FLAVOR FACTS
Look for local fresh goat cheeses like those from Shepherd’s Cheese and Drake’s Family Farms if you want a milder flavor.
The “goatyness” of goat cheese has several causes. Goat’s milk is naturally homogenized, so it ages faster than cow’s milk—as it ages it gets “goatier.” Some say the milk’s flavor is naturally stronger if the bucks live with the bucks and does year round.
Goat’s milk is closer to human milk than cow’s milk, so it’s better tolerated by those with a dairy sensitivity.
DEEP FREEZE
Fresh goat cheese is great to have on hand. Fortunately, you can freeze it. Double-wrap it in plastic, then place it in a freezer bag. Date it. It will keep up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator.
