The lovely people and when I say people, I mean I was contacted by one person and got a note from another...so technically its people, at Sartori Foods sent me a package of cheese. A variety of ten to be exact.
They are wondering what I think
and I told them I would taste and play and let them know
so here I am
but first
a complete and total disclaimer
because it isn't like someone at Sartori Foods was cruising the internet and happened upon this blog and thought...I like her....let me send some cheese.
I have a connection
several actually
My MIL and her husband both retired from Sartori, my husband worked there when he was in high school, I have been at social events with the Sartori family. Okay FTC? You happy...full and total disclaimer.
that being said
Sartori Foods did not ask me to review, comment, discuss, endorse, in any shape or form, on my blog. I am doing it of my own accord
But they did give me free cheese.
and now we can get back to what this is all about.
I went to the farmer's market the other day and picked up a bunch of beets. I heart beets. I heart beets even though some stupid blood sugar or blood type diet tells me I shouldn't eat them. Who am I to turn down loads of vitamin C and the earthy delights of such a beautiful orb?
Today for lunch, I shaved a beet
...hmmm that doesn't sound right.
I made beet ribbons with a vegetable peeler and made a nice little salad using Sartori Gorgonzola for a nice creamy and briny component.
The salad was perfect for a nice light meal, and I think would be delicious perched atop a pan roasted chicken paillard, or even a thinly sliced, medium-rare, cooked over an open flame---flank steak.
Oh yum!
Or
add poached pears and some watercress to the salad making it a bit more rounded
and composed.
1 large raw beet--scrubbed clean
4-5 walnut halves--sliced into delicate bits
red wine vinegar
olive oil
black pepper
2 or 3 chives--chopped
gorgonzola cheese
Using a vegetable peeler, make fine ribbons from the beet. Add just a bit of vinegar and let sit while you finely slice the walnuts (the reason I do this is so they match the delicate-ness of the beet ribbons. If you prefer a nice big crunch from the walnut, leave them as is...it isn't critical to the recipe). Toss together the beets, the chives and then a bit of olive oil, just to make it glisten. Add black pepper to taste and then pile the beet onto the serving plate or platter. Top with walnuts and a generous slice of gorgonzola cheese. I do not add salt to this recipe as the gorgonzola is quite salty and carries enough brininess for the salad.
So What About The Cheese?
The gorgonzola is salty...but not offensively so. As a matter of taste, I prefer my cheese to have impact on my palate. It is also quite creamy, and I love that when I sliced a wedge for my salad it stayed intact. While it is my first instinct to not let food items stand alone...i immediately look for pairing opportunities...this gorgonzola can stand quite nicely by itself. As well, it would be scrumptious with a nice fig jam, some apple slices or a nice glass of port.