Humboldt Fog & Turophilia

The enigma that is Humboldt Fog. This hand crafted artisan goat cheese from Cypress grove Chevre, is both soft and slightly crumbly, ripened yet incredibly fresh tasting and looks like a slice of cake...but is of coarse cheese.
Humboldt Fog has a beautiful ribbon of vegetable ash that runs through the middle and along the edges. A delicate softness reminiscent of a cream cheese and flavors that are subtly nutty and delightfully tangy. This cheese is Cypress groves signature cheese and has won several awards, including first place in the American Cheese Societies prestigious competition.
Try serving Humboldt Fog with Apples, honey, cashews and thin crackers. Or in late Autumn after foraging from a mushroom harvest with sautéed wild mushrooms, crusty bread, cured meats and a tart fruit spread like Lingon berries or lemon curd.
Turophiliacs  (lovers of cheese) check out there website for more information on this and other Cypress grove Chevre.
www.cypressgrovechevre.com

A Porktastic adventure, Part three: The conclusion of my beast feast.

Cured meats…bacons, salumi, hams, lardo, Guanciale some of the tastiest foods on the planet are cured meats and cured pork cheeks or guanciale are among the best of them.

When cooked properly cheeks can fall apart and be even more tender than slow cooked shoulder, or when cured, diced and pan fried, make a great alternative to bacon, and when used for Spaghetti Carbonara nothing is better!
That’s exactly how I concluded my day with a very simple, delicious Spaghetti Carbonara with guanciale.

All you really need for a great Carbonara is Spaghetti cooked al dente of course, Egg yokes buy free range organic, Salt & Pepper, some proper Guanciale (or bacon/panchetta if you can't find guanciale) and as much  Parmigiano-Reggiano as you like...I perfer a good deal of Parmesan in my Carbonara.

Bring water to a Boil, toss in spaghetti,
as the spaghetti is cooking.
Cut the meat into cubes, fry until crisp 4-5min.
Drain off the fat.
Grate the Parmesan into a mixing bowl, beat 2 egg yokes in a seperate bowl, add the Salt & Pepper.
When the spaghetti is cooked to your liking, drain and put back in the pot.
Add the egg yokes to the parmesan and mix well, pour the mixture over the hot spaghetti and toss to coat the pasta.
Toss in the Guanciale, check the seasoning. and serve!

The eggs and cheese make a great creamy sauce and the sweet, salty, crispy pork contrast beautifully with the tender pasta, a little kick from the pepper and what else could you ask for...a cold beer perhaps? Perfect quick dinner, and exellent end to my Porktastic adventure.
Spaghetti Carbonara is a very simple, inexpensive and quick dish to make. Its a comforting dish when you need it, and faster that take-out. Give it a go!
Cheers!