As you know if you read the post on ‘Blobbing in Burgundy’ (4/26), my mother Mickey, the 83 year old anti-geek, is single-handedly and inadvertently reinventing computer lingo (but do I detect a twinkle in her innocent eyes?) .
Mom called this week. “How’s that blob of yours?” she asked. “ Have you gotten many twits and snips?” (translation—I think—tweets and hits) . “I don’t like Twitter,” she continued. “You’ve got to be a nitwit to twit.”
Her next question: “ And Ron, is he a twatter?” ‘Twatter’, that one sort of left me speechless. Or should I say, twitless.
In keeping with this new terminology, in the Comments section someone called my blog/blob a ‘blop’ (a typo, I think, but it fits right in) and another reader cleverly suggested I call it a ‘dollop’.
I may be the only person on the internet who is simultaneously blogging, blobbing, blopping, and dolloping (can you say that fast, 3 times?). What a mouthful! (Photo: Mickey, the computer linguist).
And on the subject of mouthfuls, I’ve been thinking of goat cheese this week, ‘tis the season. I love it that we can buy it fresh and local. On her last visit to France, my mom was fascinated when we went to buy some from a woman who makes her own delicious cheese, in the village of La Vineuse. The goats in the field by her house were lined up on a long, fallen tree trunk, as if posing for their portrait. So of course we obliged and took their picture. Subsequent visits revealed that these goats never seem to budge from this spot. When I later visited my mother at her house in Georgia, I was surprised to find a framed photo on her wall of the perched goats, which she had titled “The Intelligent Goats of La Vineuse.”
The Intelligent Goats of La Vineuse line up for their portrait.
Smart or not, these goats make some mighty fine goat cheese. Goat cheese, I find, inspires strong opinions. There are those who insist on the aged variety, which is strong and musky and firm; the other camp prefers their goat cheese young, mild and soft. Then there are those among you who don’t like it at all, but you might even come around with un petit goût of freshly made French goat cheese. You really must try a dollop, or at least a blop.
Goat cheese comes in handy for entertaining in the French Manner. Rolled in fresh chopped herbs, nuts, raisins, or crushed peppercorns, les crottins are a pretty addition to a cheese platter. Sliced and browned on top of crostini until it’s warm and gooey, then paired with lettuce, it makes the classic French Salade de Chèvre Chaud.
But my favorite way to serve it is alone as the star of the cheese course, an alternative to the plateau de fromage. This dead-easy dish is one I discovered in a favorite bistro in Lyon.
RECIPE: Goat Cheese with Pistache
Slice fresh goat cheese and arrange the slices on small individual plates.
Mix together some good olive oil with some nut oil, such as walnut, in 1:1 proportions. Drizzle over cheese. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of finely chopped pistachio nuts over each serving, plus snipped fresh chives. Serve with good French bread.
RECIPE: Peg-o’s Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Asian Pears and Beets
We’re keeping it in the family today. My sister offers up her favorite variation of Salade de Chèvre Chaud.
Mixed lettuces
A red onion, sliced very thin
Asian pears, sliced
Cooked Beets, (fresh, or canned and drained), coarsely chopped
A baguette, sliced thin
Fresh goat cheese, sliced
Lemon juice
honey
Olive oil
Make toasts: Heat broiler. brush bread slices with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and place on a cookie sheet. Toast bread until golden on one side only and remove from oven. Turn slices over and set aside.
Meanwhile, make salad. Arrange lettuce on plate, top with pears, beets, and onions.
Whisk some lemon juice with olive oil and a touch of honey, then drizzle over all, with some salt and pepper.
Top untoasted side of bread with goat cheese slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and broil until lightly browned. Arrange around edge of plate and serve.
I’m guessing y’all have your some tricks of your own with goat cheese. Do tell!
In the Comments section, from last week’s post: Linda offers up a decadent southern pea salad, and a couple of folks have tweaked the Summer Squash Gratin. In the Recipe section, Martin sought out a recipe for authentic French Joues de Porc (pig’s cheeks), and found a chef willing to share. And yes, Maureen, gourmand does indeed mean a glutton, a category I freely put myself in!
12 thoughts on “Goats on a Log”
When I was young and daft and wanted to give Nigella a run for her money I made my own goat cheese – and it was easy, and delicious!
I haven’t got much further than that. Hard to go wrong with a good cheese, really. I don’t like tarting them up with too much sweetness, but apart from that, anything goes.
(PS I think your mother is my new Best Virtual Friend)
Blop around the clock!
I love your website! However, I couldn’t figure out how to submit a recipe. Have you ever tried goat cheese on a pizza? Yummo, as Rachel Ray would say.
Try this recipe, which had this spring in France.
Take small toast rounds, Put a bit of goat cheese on each toast. Sprinkle with Tandoori spice. It’s easy and delicious!
Our city seems to have a French name, Des Moines (“some monks”) but the language disputed, by amateur historians, mainly. What’s certain is that we now have a Michelin one star restaurant, sort of, or at least a one start chef. He’s David Baruthio from Strasbourg and the restaurant is “Baru.” There is local goat cheese in salads and cheese plates. Here’s a menu. http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/BARU66OPENINGMENU3.pdf
As it happens, I just made some delicious little tea sandwiches of goat cheese & chopped chives. After cutting them into girlie tea party size, I rolled the edges in toasted chopped pecans. Mmmmmmm….love those goats.
I like to put a roll of goat cheese in a small baking dish, cover with salsa and bake until sause is slightly bubbly–then use your favortie method of toasted bread and dip—awesome!
A note from Lynn: Here, from Herm in Phoenix, an ode to the Intelligent Goats of La Vineuse! Salut Lynn, Thought you might enjoy the poem I wrote to go with your “Goats on a log” picture: Goats on a log in a field of lush green What kind of story is behind this scene? A herd of nannies on a make-believe crest Several are standing, a few are at rest One might wonder, is this part of a mini caper? Or a live photo-shoot by the local newspaper There must be an intriguing story for us to read Maybe with a prince riding a pure white stead Alas! There’s no sensational story to behold It’s just a game to see who’s next to fold The last one standing fits the bill To be known by all as “Queen of the Hill”
Thanks to all for the great recipes. Can’t wait to try them. Herm’s poem is very entertaining. Thank you both for sharing it.
Lovely to find Miss Mickey on your ‘blob.’ Hope you’re all having fun together and the weather’s cooperating. Still hot on SSI but rain has come at last. Our best to all!
Aw, that’s too funny. I don’t understand twitter either.
Salut Lynn,
A friend advised me that my poem (prior post) ignored the goat in the log so I wrote another poem for the “Nanny in the Log”. . . .
Mary had a little nanny, her coat was white as snow
And everywhere that Mary went, Nanny was sure to go
But Nanny had a favorite spot where sometimes she’d rather be
Like resting in the hollow remains of a long-dead old oak tree
That is her secret little hide-away, a very special place to her
When escaping to her “wooden cave”, like a kitten she would purr
She often was joined by her lady friends who loved to spend their days
Climbing on that old oak log and soaking up the sun’s warming rays
Then came the dreadful day when a major catastrophe struck
And Nanny’s world was shaken with a horrible stroke of luck
Sadly, she’ll never return to that beloved old tree trunk
For it’s now the proud family home of an old and smelly skunk
Your mom is a Hoot…thank you for the belly laugh.
I needed it. You translated her computer savy very well.
Lee