In our third issue, Chef Lea shares her love of All-American blue cheeses and name drops one of her favorites…Rogue Creamery Crater Lake Blue because it’s rich in flavor and has a moist, crumbly texture perfect for her dressing.

The folks at Rogue Creamery say that their Crater Lake Blue is “our most robust, full-bodied blue, admired for its contemporary and complex blend of molds from Rogue Creamery and around the world.”

Color: Pronounced, vibrant green blue veins in a creamy opaque paste mirror storm clouds over Crater Lake

Nose: A potent, rich, lively earthiness delivers a seductive olfactory overload

Taste: Big, bold BLUE flavor with a proud, strong tang

Finish: A long and pleasant savory, velvety finish that’s “nice to walk around with”

Uses: A taste sensation on its own; cheese plate; great with savory jams, meat, fruit and textured baked goods

Food pairings:
Homegrown tomatoes, steak, pears, honey, chocolate, bread, melted into pasta, served atop Italian corn cookies with savory jelly, crumbled over sautéed peaches

Drink With: Pair Crater Lake Blue with full-flavored varietals such as late harvest Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Chianti, Claret, Syrah, port. Delicious with sparkling wine. For a balance of strength, pour a mocha porter like Rogue Ales’ Old Crustacean and Rogue Ales’ Chocolate Stout

Rogue Creamery co-owner David Gremmels first tasted a sweet cheesecake made with blue cheese in England. His taste buds were so tantalized that he implored Lisa Lawrence, the creamery’s in-house chef, to create a custom recipe. “We tried several types of blue, and Crater Lake was the hands-down favorite,” says Lisa. A thickened reduction of spicy port adds a drizzle of up-front sweetness to the cake’s underlying saltiness.

Crater Lake Blue Cheesecake with Port Wine Peppercorn Sauce

For cheesecake:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup melted butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
24 oz cream cheese (brick-style)
8 oz sour cream
5 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 – 5 oz Crater Lake Blue, crumbled

Let cream cheese, sour cream, eggs and blue cheese come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter, press onto bottom and sides of a 10” spring form pan. Bake 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and crumble Crater Lake Blue evenly over bottom of warm crust. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Beat cream cheese until soft; add sugar and sour cream and slowly add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until combined. Add lemon juice and mix well. Pour mixture into pan. Bake for approximately 60 minutes, or until cheesecake is just set and beginning to get slightly golden around the edges. Let cool 2 to 4 hours, or for best results, refrigerate overnight before serving.

For sauce:
3 cups port wine
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Simmer until reduced by half. Strain. Keep at room temperature. Serve drizzled over cheesecake.

Read Full Feature in Nesting Newbies Magazine, Fall ‘09 >>

Kathy Goodman offers tips and yummy treats for Fall!

“When I plan an event, whether for my business or my family, I care deeply about making sure I create a personalized experience that will captivate the guests.” Kathy has a knack for creating memorable parties with fun themes, interactive activities, and one-of-a-kind design elements. Her company, Well-Rehearsed, is her unique take on event planning. Her specialty? Rehearsal dinners, but she’s been known to bring her creative energies to bridal and baby showers and other milestone events.

Kathy has some spectacularly fun ideas for your Thanksgiving Day dessert. “Make it an experience! After being stationary so long at the dinner table, let the crowd get up and get involved in making their sweet treats.” She suggests a caramel apple station where crisp apples (either Granny Smith or petite lady apples) are coated with melted caramel and dipped into a variety of toppings—M&M’S®, pretzels, toffee chips, nuts, sprinkles, candy corn and peanut butter cups. Kathy says to make sure the apples go into the fridge for a few minutes for the caramel to firm up. Then the finishing touch is a final dip or drizzle into melted milk, dark, or white chocolate.

That alone would be over-the-top, but Kathy suggests taking it even further. “Make apple and pumpkin pies in bite-sized versions and serve two fall signature drinks…a Caramel Apple Martini and a Pumpkin Pie-tini.”

Kathy’s a foodie peep who enjoys making dinner an event, and for that we are truly thankful.
Chirp! Find Kathy Goodman at www.wellrehearsed.com.

Photography by Fu Wong