Goat Dairy

There's a sign by the road that says "Goat Dairy" that I pass by occasionally, and I always want to turn there and check it out.  So we finally did.  You drive back on a dirt road behind some houses and into kind of a farm-y area.  And then there's a little white shed with a sign on it that says, GOAT DAIRY---OPEN.  Inside there's a little refrigerated display case with feta, chevre, ricotta, yogurt, and milk, and they also sell soap and gelato (the sign said, though I didn't see any).  You fill out an order form, take your food, and leave your money in a little box by the door.  It's charming (and the prices very reasonable).

There wasn't any feta in the case when I went, so I called the phone number on a sign posted inside, and got a nice old man who said, "I haven't got any cut just now, but if you can set tight for a bit, I'll go on out and cut some and bring it on over."  We waited on a handy bench outside (and watched some goats sleeping and walking around---very peaceful), and soon he drove up in his truck with some bags of cheese for me.  "Do you like it quite stout?" he said.  "Oh yes," I said, not really knowing what he meant but thinking he meant "strong."  "This-ere's three years old," he said.  "It's quite stout."  So, I took it, and also some chevre, and I've been using it with great enjoyment for the past few days in my cooking.  The feta IS quite "stout."  You can really smell it when you open the fridge.  But it's delicious, and the chevre is too---smooth and creamy and just sour enough.  Yum!  I would like to try the yogurt and the ricotta (and gelato, if they really have it) next time I go back.

I made this macaroni and cheese---actually Carrot-and-spinach Pasta and Feta---that I thought turned out quite yummy.  Here is how you make it:

• Cook some pasta (I used the colored spinach kind because I like feta and spinach together) until not-quite-soft.
• Make a roux (equal parts flour and butter cooked together in a saucepan; then whisk in milk to desired thickness.  I did about 1/4 c. butter, 1/4 c. flour, 2 c. milk? or so). 
• Add grated cheese (any kind; I did a mixture of cheddar and feta), salt and pepper, and a little nutmeg. 
• Melt a little more butter (2 T?) and stir it together with some bread crumbs (panko style, or make your own) and more feta.  This is your topping.
• Stir together the pasta and the cheese sauce.  If I'd remembered I would have added spinach too.  And then top with the topping.  Bake at 375 for a half hour or so.

My sister-in-law also taught me how to make this good salad.  (She says basically, you put in a cheese, a fruit, and a nut.)  I changed it to use the ingredients I had.  Both versions are really good.  Hers had:

• Red Onion, thinly sliced
• mandarin oranges
• avocado
• artichoke hearts
• lettuce
• sugared sliced almonds (fry almonds in 3-4 Tbsp. sugar until sugar dissolves and coats nuts; cool, then break apart)

Mine had:

• feta cheese
• chopped apples
• sugared almonds
• green onions
• avacado
• spinach
• lettuce

And here is her delicious Poppy Seed Dressing which goes with the salad:

1/2 C. Sugar
1/4 C. oil
1/3 C. Cider Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon poppy seed
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 Tablespoon Grated Onion (optional)
pepper to taste

Tomorrow night I am going to use the rest of the feta on this pizza.  Roasted sweet pepper and feta, or caramelized leek and feta.  Yum!