Lake's Edge Blue Goat's Milk Cheese Review

While walking around Brooklyn I passed one of my favorite shops "BKLYN LARDER."  They had a sign that read "VERMONT CHEESE SALE."  I could not resits.  I mean any sign that says Cheese + Sale is going to get my attention.  

I stumbled inside and decided to take a look at the selection of cheese from Vermont.   I ended up selecting a cheese called Lake's Edge Blue Goat's Milk Cheese.    I was in the mood for something creamy and light and this cheese looked like it fit the bill!

I brought the cheese home and decided to dive right in.    The cheese was amazing!  It was tangy, creamy, and had the essence of ash in it.   This was a truly delicious cheese!   If ANYONE runs into this cheese out in the market do yourself a favor and pick it up.    I am defintly going back to BKLYN Larder to go get myself some more!

Roquefort Gabriel Cheese Review - A Blue Cheese Ripened by BKLYN Larder

I picked up some Roquefort Gabriel at BKLYN Larder based on the cheese monger's recommendation.   This cheese was AMAZINGLY big.   This is probally one of my favorite blue cheeses of all time.   A creamy texture and salty finish makes this a wonderful cheese for anyone to try.   The cheese monger recommended that I pair it with the most delicious of italian honey which I will write about later but my word what a wonderful party in my face!  

YUM YUM Roquefort Gabriel.

Stanser Rotelli Cheese Review - A big cheese ripened by BKLYN larder

After a trip to BKLYN Larder I came back home with some Stanser Rotelli cheese.    This cheese was hand selected by the cheese monger at BKLYN larder.   I asked her to find me a "big" cheese.    She served me up Stanser Rotelli.

So what did I think about it?   Well Stanser Rotelli is a must buy if you like big cheeses.    It is a sweet, creamy, milky cheese that has a big finish that is nutty and piney.   I love it!   It is definitely a stinkier cheese but anyone who knows cheese knows that stinky usually means excitingly good. 

The folks at BKLYN larder ripened this cheese PERFECTLY.    I tried an unripened version a day or two after trying the BKLYN larder ripened version and BKLYN larder got it.   So get off you chair and stop reading this site so you can run down to BKLYN larder and go fetch yourself a chunk of Stanser Rotelli

The Redhead Bacon Peanut Brittle - A Review

While shopping around at the BKLYN Larder I picked up the redhead Bacon Peanut Brittle.  I mean come on!   Bacon + Caramel Peanuts!  Yes! Yes! Yes!  

I brought my groceries home and you never would guess what was one of the first things I tore open.  BACON PEANUT BRITTLE!  Mwahahahhahahaha 

I wanted to taste these little buggers.   Cooking with bacon in interesting ways has become a hobby of mine.  I especially love using it in deserts.  

So what did I think when I dived into the bag?  Honestly?  Let down!  I mean let me take a step back its a delicious treat.   Spicy peanuts with a hint of bacon and i didn't really get the brittle thing at all.  Honestly they need to repackage it.  It's good but if you are buying based on the label you will be let down.

Next time redhead if you put BACON in giant font followed by peanut and brittle I want to taste BACON first then the peanut brittle.   I got spicy peanut with a hint of bacon and i missed the brittle completely.   Still good though!

Sage Lamb Merguez Pasta Mancini

Great ingredients are the key to a great meal.   I am a firm believer in that and I think any good chef/cook is as well.  Luckily I live a few blocks away from a GREAT ingredient spot...BKLYN Larder.  The Brooklyn Larder has an amazing selection of meat, cheeses, honeys, chocolate, olive oil and other such goodies.   My favorite part of shopping there is the staff but I will follow up with a formal review of them once I cycle through the posts I write with some of their ingredients I picked up yesterday.

So one of the ingredients that I began to design a meal around was their Lamb Merguez.   Now a merguez sausage is quite the little flavorful treat.   I call it my middle eastern chorizo hehe :)  Now the lamb merguez has a very dominant flavor so I didnt need much else but what I chose had to bring additional flavor to the dish and soak up all the delicious juice from the cooked merguez meat.    

I decided to make a pasta with the lamb merguez.   I got some shallots and fresh sage to sautee with the uncased lamb merguez.   The pasta I used I also got at BKLYN larder, Pasta Mancini.  I Boiled up the pasta to just shy of al dente.  I then toss some freshly cut vine ripened tomatos, and italian parley.  I mixed that with the sauteed lamb merguez and then tossed in the pasta to finish them cooking and get the starch to soak up all the lamby goodness.   

I finished it with some parmesan reggiano and served it up.    How did it turn out?   One word.  YUM.  This was an amazing and simple dish.   100% recommend you trying this one at home.   You dont need a lot when you have good quality ingredients.

I took a shot of the uncased Lamb Merguez:

To be clear when I say uncase I mean I cut the sausage down the middle and remove the outer casing so I can just use the spiced and ground up meat.  YUM

Here is the pic of the final dish:

YUM YUM LAMB MERGUEZ!