When I reflect back on the summer of 2011, it may well go down in my personal history books as the Summer of Goat Cheese around our house. I actually think it began by accident at one of my weekly stomping grounds: the grocery store. Feta cheese is a favorite salad topping in our family, and on one fateful shopping trip, I was distracted by my son throwing Cheerios from the grocery cart, and purchased a tub of goat cheese by mistake. I decided to use it the same way I would feta, and my love affair with goat cheese began.
Capriole Farmstead in Greenville, Indiana makes some of the best goat cheese you’ll ever taste. The family makes the “chevre” by hand, using only the milk produced by their herd of goats. If you’ve never had goat cheese before, it does resemble feta, but it has a creamier, less salty taste. In fact, you can use it in place of cream cheese for a lighter take on many favorite recipes. Unlike many cheeses, it doesn’t really melt, so it holds it’s shape nicely on top of pizzas or in casseroles. Lately, I’ve been enjoying whipping up some fall-inspired butternut squash soup, and Capriole’s goat cheese is a perfect topper to add some creaminess. Tomorrow night, my family will have it on top of this pumpkin soup recipe, using an Indiana-grown pumpkin!
If you’re interested in sampling some Capriole’s many varieties, you can purchase Capriole Goat Cheese at many local food stores around the state. They also sell their cheeses online here. But if you’re like me, then you’ll want to get down to the farm in Floyd County to see the production for yourself. Each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the farm opens it’s doors and offers samples and specials, and even runs a barn tour at 11 a.m. I’d love to get down there soon for a visit and say hello to one of the 500 goats who have made so many fantastic summer and fall meals possible in my kitchen!
If you have an adventureous foodie or wine lover on your Christmas list, Capriole also sells a variety of baskets that would be the perfect unique gift. More information on their products is available here.
Photo courtesy of Capriole Farmstead.
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