Mood of food

With Mecox Bay Dairy, Lucys Whey, and Cavaniolas Gourmet Cheese Shop, there is no shortage of great cheese on the East End.

americanartisans
east end gourmands anxiously await the rich variety of fresh, locally made cheeses coming to market this summer. bymatthewwexler
photographybymartinpoole/gettyimages.com

aking cheeseand selling it for that matteris not for the faint of heart. While the Jersey cows at Mecox Bay Dairy lazily graze in the lush green fields near Swan Creek, cheesemaker Art Ludlow and his family cycle through an endless 365-day-per-year job of milking, ripening, and aging their six signature varieties for sale at farmers markets and select retail outlets throughout the Northeast. Shops such as Lucys Whey and Cavaniolas Gourmet Cheese Shop are busy as well as they cater to the increasingly knowledgeable palettes of customers who have come to expect a carefully curated selection of American and international products. Over the past 15 years American cheeses have really become on par with their European counterparts, and we have seen a flourishing of artisanal and farmstead cheeses hit the market, says Christine Hyatt, Board President of the American Cheese Society. Last years ACS Conference & Competition

drew more than 1,600 entries from the US, Canada, and Mexico; New York cheesemakers alone won 20 awards. Regardless of who takes top honors, Hyatt is quick to point out: People have strong opinions about the types of cheeses they prefer. When you eat a really fine cheese, you will always discover an interesting texture and aroma. Its an attention grabber. Since launching Mecox Bay Dairy 10 years ago, Ludlow has caught the attention of aficionados by producing a variety of cheeses to satisfy his customer base, but he says his Sigit, a nutty, Alpine-style cheese (think Gruyere or Swiss) is the front-runner. He also notes a variance in his cheeses depending on the time of year: What we sell in June is different than the cheese well sell in August. There is carotene in grass, giving the milk a yellowish color. Small format cheeses like Ludlows are the passion behind Lucy Kazickas of continued on page 78

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Mood of food

Selecting A SuMMer cheeSe BoArd

buildingtherightcombinationisabouta balanceofflavors.
Farmhouse Cheddar ($14 for 8 ounces): Aged for six months, Mecox Bay Dairys mild, English-style cheddar pairs well with dark bread and dried fruits. The Green Thumb, 829 Montauk Hwy., Water Mill, 726-1900; mecoxbaydairy.com Flora Nelle blue ($25 per pound): Take off the edge by serving this beautifully veined and pungent cheese from Rogue Creamery in Central Point, Oregon, with fresh figs and Wlffer Estate Late Harvest Chardonnay. Lucys Whey, 80 N. Main St., East Hampton, 324-4428; lucyswhey.com Forsterkase ($34 per pound): Washed in white wine, wrapped in tree bark, and cave-aged, this gooey Swiss import lingers with smoke and spice. Cavaniolas Gourmet Cheese Shop, 89B Division St., Sag Harbor, 725-0095; cavaniola.com Truffle Tremor ($29.99 per pound): Ripened goat cheese gets a gourmet makeover with the addition of earthy truffles. Pair with the 2010 Tocai Friulano from Channing Daughters Winery. Cavaniolas Gourmet Cheese Shop, 89B Division St., Sag Harbor, 725-0095; cavaniola.com

Cavaniolas stocked cheeses are 80 percent European varieties.

We have seen a flourishing of artisanal and farmstead cheeses hit the market.

continued from page 76 Lucys Whey in East Hampton. Since 2008 Kazickas has scoured the country to offer her customers the best of the domestic market. American cheese is like the California wine industry was 25 years ago, and they are now winning international awards, she says. Its also helping our farmers remain sustainablea lot of them are turning to make cheese as a value-added product. Kazickas has noticed more experimentation with washed rind cheeses where beer, wine, and other spirits or herbs are used in the aging process. One of her favorites is a semisoft washed rind made by up-andcoming cheesemaker Keeley McGarr. After taking a course at the University of Vermonts Institute for Artisan Cheese and doing a subsequent internship in West Cork, Ireland, McGarr set up shop in an old farmhouse in the Finger Lakes to recreate the centuries-old traditions she learned across the pondthe namesake for her signature cheese. Kazickas was impressed by McGarrs tireless dedication but says that it is typical. These cheesemakers are not getting rich on this. They are doing it out of love while also creating a sharing and collaborative community. Michael and Tracey Cavaniolas Sag Harbor cheese shop leans toward European varieties, which comprise 80 percent of their inventory. American cheeses are coming along, says Michael, but Europeans have been doing this for so long and can properly age rawmilk cheeses. Theres also a lesser need to move the product so quickly. By law, Cavaniolas can import raw-milk cheeses aged longer than 60 days. Our clientele is well-traveled, he says. Theyve been to Italy, France, and Spain and want to relive those culinary experiences here. With vastly different backgrounds and methods of expression, local cheesemakers and cheesemongers have one thing in common: a dedication to beautifully made products that tell a story. All three acknowledge a growing local interest in understanding where food comes from. Whether you are sampling Ludlows latest creation (Blue Cheddar), hearing a firsthand account from one of Kazickass cheese road trips, or waiting with bated breath for Cavaniolas latest arrival, one thing is for certainthat A cheese box, the perfect picnic fare, perfect tangy flavor you taste has come a long way from the from Lucys Whey cow (or sheep, or goat) to the counter. H

the Perfect PeAr

Gabriele Corcos, cohost of Cooking Channels Extra Virgin, is bringing his Italian flair to the Montauk Yacht Club this summer. My favorite pairing of the season is wild pears and young soft pecorino, reflects Corcos. My brother and I would bring cheese from home and ride our bicycle through the fields to the Pero Selvatico tree and have our snack. Here are a few of the cheese-inspired dishes you can expect to see on Corcoss summer menu: Burrata (fresh cheese made from mozzarella and cream) and Heirloom Tomato Caprese White Pizza with Taleggio (washed rind soft cheese) and Fresh Radicchio di Treviso Dry Toscano (hard sheeps milk cheese) with Wild Carrot Honey and Crushed Red Pepper Montauk Yacht Club, 32 Star Island Road, Montauk, 668-3100; montaukyachtclub.com
Corcoss Burrata and Heirloom Tomato Caprese

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