October 2024 - Embracing Autumn: Cheese, Please!

​Oleander Days
 
Autumn calls from a distance
As the oleanders still bloom
That deep pink that makes us think
That summer’s vestige might linger just a little longer.
The oak leaves still sway in the warm air,
Making shadow patterns on the pavement,
And only the jay, shrill in every season,
Invades October’s soft noon.
Now when time seems so generous,
Let me listen:
In the warmth and in the stillness
The Spirit has her voice.
 

 
As October arrives, I find myself musing like Hamlet, though my thoughts are not on life and death but on the big culinary question of the season: “To cheese or not to cheese.” My late mother-in-law, Misae Higashi, an excellent home cook who grew up in Japan, once told me in complete seriousness, “Cheese is not food.” It’s true that cheese has only recently started to appear on restaurant menus in Japan, in very limited portions. Dairy products in general are used sparingly in Asian cuisine, where lactose intolerance is wide-spread and soy-based products such as tofu and miso are the preferred protein sources along with fish. India is the notable exception, as yogurt, ghee and paneer, a soft Indian cheese, are all dairy products used extensively in Indian cuisine. Cheese is also produced and eaten throughout the African continent.

 
From the warm kitchen,
The spicy scent of sambar
Floats out to the beach.

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My oldest first cousin, Jane Murdock Snaidas, a devoted home cook with vegan tendencies, also shared Misa’s disdain for cheese. When Jane came to visit us in California for one of our family reunions, she was horrified by the amount of cheese that appears on restaurant menus in the Golden State. When I pointed out to her that California is one of America’s primary cheese-producing states, second only to Wisconsin, she was even more upset, as though cheese should be outlawed as a dangerous substance. It is true that cheese is high in calories, salt and saturated fat, but cheese is also packed with protein, calcium, phosphorous, zinc and probiotics.
 
Every country in Europe has included copious amounts of cheese in the daily diet for centuries, yet Europe, especially the Mediterranean region, is known for one of the healthiest diets on earth. In fact, Sardinia is one of the Blue Zones of the world. For those of you who are not up to speed on the Blue Zone concept, the term refers to a geographic area where diet, environmental factors and a supportive social structure have harmonized to create a setting where a disproportionate number of citizens live beyond the age of one hundred. Okinawa is a Blue Zone with an extensive elderly population as I discussed in my July blog earlier this year. (You might even want to check out the super-healthy recipe for Okinawan Bitter melon with Tofu and Eggs.)
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At the Halloween 
Party, Grandma wears her crown
From the Junior Prom.
 

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However, we are discussing cheese and its significance in the human diet. UNESCO has designated the Mediterranean Diet, (which includes Sardinia, a Blue Zone,) as an “intangible cultural heritage.” The healthy Sardinian diet includes whole-grain bread, beans, seeds, garden vegetables, foraged greens and mushrooms, soups, pasta and pizza and like the rest of the traditional Italian diet—cheese! Pecorino, a sheep’s milk cheese produced in Sardinia, is the regional favorite, delicious with spaghetti and pizza. I’m afraid that I will have to disagree with my beloved mother-in-law and my precious cousin Jane. Cheese is here to stay, and it is even healthy!
 

 
October’s massive
Moon rises from the sea. Gold
Gleams across the waves.

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Mozzarella is one of America’s favorite cheeses. It is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese which originated in southern Italy. Americans love it grated and melted on pizza, lasagna and sandwiches. Mozzarella is lower in fat and salt than most other cheeses and is viewed as a nutritious health food. Caprese Salad, a simple combination of sliced mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves flavored with olive oil and salt, is an easy and enticing combination that can be served with lunch or dinner or as an Afternoon Tea Savory atop little baguette rounds. This is the same classic partnership that comprises a Margherita Pizza, very popular in Italy, as the white of the mozzarella, the red of the tomato and the green of the basil are the colors of the Italian flag. This light and healthy meatless pizza originated in Naples in 1889, created by Chef Raffaele Esposito in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy when she visited the birthplace of pizza. The popularity of this divine taste, color and texture combination has never waned.
 

 
In the autumn breeze,
Sweethearts eat Margherita 
Pizza holding hands.

 

 
Cheese is an important staple in world cuisine, although as I mentioned earlier, cheese is far more significant in Europe and the Americas than it is in Asia. There are approximately 1,800 different types of cheese, and categorizing these various kinds of cheese can be complex. Sometimes cheeses are referred to by the type of milk used to create them: cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, goat’s milk or buffalo’s milk. Texture and flavor are also factors in classifying cheese.  Fresh cheese, recently produced, can be eaten immediately, but aged cheese can be kept for several months as the flavors ripen. Cheeses are referred to as soft or hard, with semi-soft and semi-firm in between. In general, the harder cheeses have been aged longer and have lost some moisture in the process, intensifying the flavor. Place of origin is also used to classify and name cheeses. Cheddar, one of America’s, and indeed the world’s favorite cheeses, is named for the village in England where it was first produced. Here’s a partial and unofficial list of some of the world’s most popular cheeses and their places of origin.

• Italy: Parmigiano Reggiano (one of the world’s highest rated cheeses,) Mozzarella, Taleggio
• France: Roquefort, Camembert, Brie, Comte, Gruyere
• England: Cheddar, Stilton, Cheshire, Shropshire Blue
• Switzerland: Emmental (also known as Swiss Cheese,) Raclette
• The Netherlands: Gouda (named for the town where it originated,) Edam, Leyden
• Spain: Manchego
• Norway: Jarlsberg
• Greece: Feta
• Mexico: Cotija
• Wisconsin, USA: Colby, Limburger
• California USA: Monterey Jack, Point Reyes Original Blue
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After the predawn
Downpour, egrets arrive to
Feast in the wet ferns.

​ 
After six months of drought in the American West, October usually brings the first autumn rain, the evenings grow cooler, and everyone in every corner of the Western World starts to think about all the holidays and festivities lying ahead in the next few months—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the New Year and Valentine’s Day. All of these times of joyful celebration will be on us before we know it, and soon we will all be snacking like egrets at Afternoon Tea parties, family dinners and seasonal gatherings of all kinds. Cheese can be our best friend as we plan our menus for these special occasions. Let’s keep in mind that we do not have to make our own cheese. Individual families and towns have been making these precious gifts for us for generations, and all we have to do is purchase an interesting selection of cheeses, place them on a decorative cheese board, surround them with some good bread, crackers, a few nuts and fruits and the star of your party is born!
 

 
The old man makes his
Own raisin bread and eats it with
Spanish Manchego.
 

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What to choose? I have my own favorites developed over the years, and you will find yours.
I wrote the haiku above to honor one of my favorite cheese combinations, Spanish Manchego, a hard, aged sheep’s milk cheese from La Mancha served with Spanish quince paste, called Membrillo, fortunately available at Whole Foods and many other specialty markets throughout the United States. Another personal favorite of mine is the Dutch cheese, Leyden, with cumin seeds added during the processing. This mild, semi-soft cow’s milk cheese originated centuries ago when the Dutch trading ships traveled to Asia for the spice trade. Fortunately, Leyden with Cumin is also available today at Whole Foods.

 
Other easy yet elegant cheese-inspired menu items for Afternoon Tea or as hors d’oeuvres at a dinner party include Kathleen’s famous grated cheddar and chutney tea sandwiches on brown bread, and Caprese sandwiches on soft Italian bread. And as you assemble your autumn cheese board, feel free to include dried or fresh fruits such as apples, pears, apricots, grapes, and toasted nuts, especially almonds, which are wonderful with cheese. I also like to serve an assortment of pickles and olives along with several kinds of bread. And don’t forget, in France they serve Camembert and butter with freshly baked baguettes.
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At the wedding, the
Toddler dances to disco,
Holding two glow sticks.
 

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To help you plan the menus and Cheese Trays for your autumn festivities, whatever they many be, I have turned to two classics for inspiration, the “Autumn High Tea” menu in Patricia Gentry’s seminal work, Teatime Celebrations, and The Beatrix Potter Country Cooking Book by Sara Paston-Williams. The recipes I have chosen to adapt and share with you are: Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic and Borrowdale Teabread. 
 

 
Sunset’s first pink light
Settles on the ancient fish
Pond on Halloween

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Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic
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Patricia Gentry’s “Autumn High Tea Menu” includes:

•             Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic
•             Acorn Squash Bisque
•             Calico Cornmeal Scones
•             Roast Beef Sandwiches with Corn Relish, and
•             Southern Bourbon Cake.

Doesn’t this sound divine? Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic has been popular in California, Gentry’s home state, for decades. After all, California is the garlic capital of the world! Let’s not forget the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival featuring garlic in every imaginable form and preparation, including Garlic Ice Cream. The aroma emanating from Gilroy during festival time spreads throughout the central valley and all the way to the coast! In deference to those who find the scent of garlic just a bit too much, however, Gentry suggests that you could serve your Baked Brie with another California favorite, Jalapeno Pepper Jelly. Baked Brie can be paired with pieces of sliced French baguette, Italian bread or even sliced Challah, but I recommend freshly sliced Sourdough, also of California origin. Baked Brie with Garlic is a finger-food, so provide your guests with small serving plates and plenty of napkins.

• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1 wheel of Brie, approximately ½-1 pound
• 1 loaf of fresh sourdough, sliced and warmed in the oven
•          Extra sprigs of rosemary for serving
•          Pickles, olives, dried fruits and nuts as accompaniments
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Special Equipment: 2 foil-lined baking sheets, kitchen knife, decorative oven-safe serving dish, cutting board, serrated knife, decorative serving board or tray, small spoons, knives, plates and napkins for serving.
 
Serves: 6-8

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F. Cut the garlic bulb in half horizontally and brush the cut sides with olive oil. Sprinkle both halves with chopped rosemary. Wrap both pieces of garlic side by side in aluminum foil and place the packet on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
2. Unwrap the brie and place it in a decorative oven safe serving dish. Place the dish in the oven during the final 8 minutes while the garlic is roasting. The Brie should only be slightly melted. 
3. While the Brie and garlic are baking, slice the sourdough bread with a serrated knife into finger-food sized pieces and spread them on another foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Turn off the oven and remove the garlic and the dish with the Brie. Place the bread slices in the oven to warm them slightly.
5. On a large, attractive tray or cheese board, place the garlic and the Brie side by side and surround them with additional sprigs of rosemary, pickles, olives and other accompaniments. Place the warmed bread around the garlic, Brie and other items in the middle of the board.
6. Provide small spoons and knives so the guests can serve themselves. For self-service, guests can use a spoon to dig a garlic clove out and spread the garlic on a piece of bread, then scoop up some Brie and spread it on top of the garlic.

 

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A spider web spans
The lemon tree, filled with fruit
In the dry fall dusk.

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Borrowdale Teabread

 
Borrowdale Teabread, spelled in the old-fashioned English manner, is intended to be served with cheese for Afternoon Tea. To create a cheese board with several types of cheese, look at the list above and choose three or four different cheeses, offering a variety in texture and intensity of taste. Two harder and strongly flavored cheeses like Cheddar and Manchego would be nice, with two softer and milder cheeses such as Camembert and Gouda. Traditional French restaurants that offer multi-course menus often serve a Cheese Course in which several varieties are brought to the diner’s table on a cheese cart, and the guest can select small portions of two or these cheeses. These cheeses are usually served with small slices of a traditional quick bread made with dried fruits and nuts. You can create the same charming effect by preparing a cheese board for your Afternoon Tea or family gathering, and as with the Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic recipe above, guests can help themselves. For a slightly larger group, you could serve both the Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic on one tray and another Cheese Board with several selections offered with Borrowdale Teabread and other accompaniments such as Quince Paste (Membrillo,) butter and sliced apples and pears. 
 
Beatrix Potter’s Borrowdale Teabread was served traditionally as part of a farmhouse tea in the rural Lake Country in England where Beatrix lived. This rustic bread is made with currants and raisins soaked in strong tea, creating a perfect partner for cheese, especially English Cheddar. Note that making this very simple quick bead is a two-day process, as the raisins need to be soaked overnight.

• 3 cups of dried fruit, such as currents, raisins or finely chopped apricots
• 1 ¼ cups brewed strong black tea, such as English Breakfast or Earl Grey
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon
• ¾ cup soft brown sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons melted butter plus extra for greasing the pan
• 1 ¾ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

 
Special Equipment: 1-quart measuring cup, citrus grater, large mixing bowl, rubber spatula, flour sifter, 9”x 5” loaf pan, parchment paper, bamboo skewer, wire rack, aluminum foil, serrated knife
 
Makes: a 2-pound loaf, which can be thinly sliced
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F beginning at step 2

1. Brew a pot of strong black tea, such as English Breakfast. Steep for several minutes. Place three cups of mixed currants and raisins into a 1-quart measuring cup and pour 1 ¼ cups of the brewed tea over the dried fruit. Stir to combine, cover and soak the fruit overnight at room temperature.
2. The next day, preheat the oven and grease a loaf pan with butter and line it with 2 layers of parchment paper. Pour the soaked raisins into a large mixing bowl and stir with a spatula. Place two tablespoons of butter into the measuring cup and microwave for a few seconds until the butter is melted. Set aside.
3. Grate the zest of half a lemon over the raisins in the bowl and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, beaten egg and melted butter and stir again. Place the flour and baking soda into a sieve or flour sifter and sift over the raisin mixture in the bowl. Stir gently with the spatula until no flour is visible.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until a bamboo skewer inserted into the middle comes out with no moist crumbs attached. Cool the raisin bread on a wire rack for ten minutes then turn out of the loaf pan and continue to cool on the rack. When completely cooled, slice thinly with a serrated knife and serve with cheese or wrap tightly in aluminum foil and store at room temperature to slice and serve the following day.