Winners at the American Cheese Society

We are just now catching our breath after an amazing time at the American Cheese Society's annual conference. This year it took place in our own backyard (Providence) which made it extra easy to take part... and take part we did! We attended Wednesday night's Pub Crawl. We volunteered for several days behind the scenes. We participated in Meet the Cheesemaker on Thursday. But the best part of all? We took home two awards from Friday night's award ceremony.

We are over the moon to have won a first place in the soft, unripened cow's milk category for our Crescendo (Crescenza-style) cheese. This cheese has a soft, creamy texture and a slightly tangy flavor.  Some say it is like a Brie without the rind.  We achieve this texture by carefully handling the cheese from start to finish.  It’s a texture one can’t get through machinery alone.  

Next, we took a silver for our whole milk Yogurt. If you live in Rhode Island, you've likely had the stuff or may enjoy it regularly as a breakfast treat. We are so excited by the purity and flavor of this product--and even more excited that a team of national judges feel the same. 

Thank you to all of those in our community who have supported us along the way to these successes. Thank you to the dairy farmers who provide us with amazing milk. And thank you to our team here at Narragansett Creamery for your dedication and unending commitment to quality. We are beaming with pride!

For more info about the American Cheese Society cheese contest, click here.

The Perfect Cheese Plate

Cheese plates or boards are a great theme to a cocktail party, a fun appetizer to a meal or a way to make an intimate dinner special. Many people think there's a science to creating them but we disagree. We've been making cheese plates for as long as we can remember and think they're pretty simple, given you follow our three quick rules for cheese plate assembly:

Five or Fewer: Too many tastes on a cheese plate will confuse your eater. He or she won't remember what they just tasted and if it was made with sheep, goat or gorilla milk! Keep things simple by limited the cheese selection.

Bold & Calming Accompaniments: Pairing a cheese bite with something bold such as cayenne toasted almonds can give you a fresh perspective on a familiar cheese. It can also tire out the tongue. Add accompaniments to your cheese plate that give your eat both adventurous and palette-cleansing opportunities. Try jalapeño jelly, dried figs and a pile of cucumbers. Or candied pecans, proscuitto and seasonal melon.

Just Cut & Room Temp: A freshly cut or freshly opened package of cheese is so much better than an abandoned wedge from the back of the fridge. Buy your cheese plate ingredients as close to the time when you'll be using them as possible. This ensures your guests will enjoy all the aromatic qualities your cheeses have to offer. Furthermore, make sure the cheeses have taken out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving (with the expection of ricotta and spreads). When served at room temperature, cheeses taste ten times more flavorful than when served cold. 

Introducing Grilling Cheese

We are delighted to announce a new cheese member of our cheese family! It's Grilling Cheese and it's one-of-a-kind. Why is it so special? The answer is it can be baked, fried or, of course, grilled, and instead of turning into an oozy puddle that drips and burns, it becomes crispy and delicious on the outside and gooey in the middle. You can use our Grilling Cheese as a hamburger substitute for vegetarian friends at your next BBQ, as an irresistible appetizer before dinner or as a snack that stands alone. Find it at most of marketplaces carrying Narragansett Creamery cheeses.

Food Philosophies

Mark Federico, co-owner along with his wife Pattie of Narragansett Creamery, was interviewed by the Brown Daily Herald this month regarding some of his feelings on food. Below is an excerpt from the interview. Click here to read the full article.

* * * 

Herald: What’s your earliest memory in the kitchen?

Federico: Well, it may not be exactly in the kitchen, but my earliest memories of food and food preparation would be of canning tomatoes, canning fresh fruits and wine-making. I also grew up with my parents and a close uncle of mine who enjoyed cooking as a hobby, and so with my dad’s store being two doors down, he would get the fresh vegetables and cook lunch every day. We would see what produce the farmer brought in and what looked good, and that’s what we would cook for the day.

What’s your favorite thing to cook and why?

My favorite thing to cook is an Amatriciana sauce made with pancetta, onions, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, all over pasta. I love to use Daniele Pancetta — Daniele is another local manufacturer right here.

What’s your spirit food?

This is right off the cuff, but it’s a hearty soup that I like — an escarole and bean soup. I just feel good eating the greens and the vegetables.

What makes Providence a good food city?

 I think it is an educated consumer, too, that realizes that what we eat is important. And people are realizing what preservatives do to your body. People are looking for purer food. There is an appreciation for it, and that is matched with the creative talent that’s here, and it works.

How would you describe your food philosophy?

Simple, real food. We were fortunate, both Pattie’s family and mine — we grew up with that philosophy. Our parents and grandparents made everything from pasta to cake from scratch. If we wanted to have pasta that night, it was, “Here is the dough, the flour and the egg in the middle, make some pasta.” No boxed foods. We are happy to see that there is an appreciation for that today. It isn’t about the expediency. I can take a fresh vegetable and cook it faster than you can take something out of a can or defrost.

How does food fit into a larger conversation about culture?

From our backgrounds, food was always the centerpiece of the day — it was an opportunity to sit down. A meal wasn’t just about food, it was about communication. We had the daily dinner in our home with our five children. It was just a part of the day — it was not only a time to eat, but also a time to communicate

Make Cheese. Drink Wine. Be Merry! →

Have you always wondered about how milk turns into cheese? Want to get up close to the vat and see the process first hand? If so, join us on Sunday, November 9th for a unique cheesemaking,wine pairing, lunch and vineyard event at Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington.  Narragansett Creamery will be teaming up with The Savory Grape as well as Jonathan Edwards Winery for a fall day full of epicurean delights.

Click here for an e-brochure and more booking details.

Reservation deadline is November 1 (and tickets are going fast!).

Tomatoes are Here

We don't need to say the obvious but we're going to anyway: DA TA-MA-TAS AH HE-AH! Yes, mozzarella's best friend is back in town (just barely) and we can't let the season pass by without at least a brief post honoring this outstanding vegetable (though it actually is a fruit in botanical terms). We adore our tomatoes as sun-ripened and just-picked as possible. Often times, after a farmers' market, we work out a quick trade with one of our fellow vendors and head home with enough tomatoes to feed an army. They last about as long as the mozzarella we serve them with. 

Shown here in the picture is an heirloom variety of tomato known as Ox Hearts. They have mild  aromatic flesh and a dark velvety coloring. 

Congressman Langevin Visits

We were quite honored to have a visit recently from Congressman Jim Langevin, representative from Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District. The Congressman's visit was part of a week-long tour of food businesses across the state. The tour was spurred by Davide Dukcevich, of Daniele, Inc., who pitched the idea of branding Rhode Island as the 'Silicon Valley of Food.' Read more about the Congressman's tasty and informative week here.

Food Forward

(We grabbed this picture and text from the website for Rally RI's recent festival "Food Forward". To see the rest of the pictures, visit http://rallyri.co/foodforward. Photo credit: Tsung Hung).

At last Saturday's FoodForward, Narragansett Creamery was definitely a crowd favorite, running out of their delicious cheeses well before the event's end! Luckily, they brought some of their old-school yogurt as backup. We were thrilled to have Narragansett Creamery, and we wanted to share a little about the company as well as some pictures...

Photo credit: Tsung Hung for Rally RI

Kids Love Cheese

Want a bite? This kid sure does. 

We may be biased but we've noticed lots of happy kids at our farmers' market tables lately. And we know why. Kids love cheese! We see the young and bold going for Pirate Spread, hesitant hands stretching towards a taste of mozzarella, turbo-powered grade schoolers begging for Atwells Gold and all ages and palates asking for that delicious Tuscan-style yogurt. 

Since we have many pint-sized taste testers of our own, we're not surprised by such eagerness. But it does make us happy to know kids are eating nutritious, naturally-made, hormone-free foods instead drinking soda and eating candy. 

Do you have a story or photo to share of your 

cheese-eating kid?

We're gathering stories and photos for a farmers' market "My Kid Loves Cheese" scrap book. If your story or photo gets included in the book, we'll give you a free piece of cheese. Share with us on Facebook or through the Contact link above. Entries must be received by September 30th, 2013 and there is no guarantee an entry will be included.

Excited for Summer Markets

​Here we are at the awesome indoor Winter Farmers' Market at Hope Village. 

We have a busy farmers' market season ahead of us (as you can see from our 'At the Market' page). We will be hustling to over half a dozen farmers' markets a week so you can have feathery mozz on all of your tomatoes and dollops of sweetened ricotta on all your fruit tarts. Thanks for stopping by our table to say hello and taste a sample or two. We love to meet our customers face to face.

Light Summer Cheeses

Tacos topped with dollops of Plain Angelito are a true summer treat. These simple tacos here also have black olives, roasted zucchini and fresh pinto beans.

The words 'light' and 'cheese' are not often paired with one another but it doesn't have to be that way. Light can means more than 'fat-free'. It can also mean a meal that leaves you feeling satisfied but not stuffed or a dish that doesn't weight one down. 

In the summertime, instead of extra-dense dishes that really 'line the ribs', think about ways to pair cheese that give you a burst of nutrition and flavor without the fullness. This means a little less cheese and a little more veggies or fruits in a dish. Here are our five favorite ways to enjoy Narragansett Creamery cheese when the summer heats up: 

• Fresh mozzarella slices layered with tomatoes, olive oil and basil
• Grilled vegetable salad (with asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes, onions) topped with parsley, basil, olive oil and shavings of Atwells Gold
• Greek salad made with romaine lettuce, lemon juice, olive oil, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives and Salty Sea Feta
• Grilled corn on the cob, portabello mushrooms, eggplant and queso blanco (the latter four rubbed down with olive oil). Grill until everything is cooked to crispy tenderness. Salt and pepper as needed.
• Ricotta Dream: 1 cup Renaissance Ricotta mixed with 1/4 cup powdered sugar or honey and 1/2 tsp almond extract, topped with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and peaches

Can You Freeze Cheese?

​Frozen cheese won't look so good once it comes out of the freezer but much of the taste and nutritional value will still be there.

Most people think you can't freeze cheese but the truth is you can--at least with some cheeses. High-moisture dairy products, such as kefir or yogurt do not freeze well. But denser, higher butterfat products like chevre or our Angelito freeze nicely. Freezing is especially successful if you're planning to cook with the cheeses (versus eat them plain) later on. 

Medium moisture cheeses such as our queso blanco or our cheddar are not the best candidates for freezing. These 'middle' cheeses tend to break down in texture and end up mealy and unappealing. If, however, you can't bear to throw food away and you promise us the cheese is only going to get baked into a lasagna, you can get away with freezing them. 

Harder aged cheeses, such as our Atwells Gold, can be frozen but also keep quite well simply in the fridge, if wrapped tightly. If you have a vacuum sealing machine and can seal the cheese without air, these cheeses will hold for even longer.

With all frozen cheeses, it's important to thaw slowly--in the fridge instead of in the microwave--for the best texture results.