Today I’m introducing a brand new series called What’s for Dinner? I’ll be inviting some of my favorite bloggers, business owners and online personalities to share with you their own go-to recipes, the favorite meals, snacks, drinks they make over and over again. You’ll get to meet some of my online friends, and we’ll all get some new (fantastic) recipes to try! Sound like fun? Let’s go!
I’m so thrilled to introduce my first What’s for Dinner? guest: the lovely and talented Sarah Von Bargen of Yes and Yes. I was lucky enough to meet Sarah earlier this summer at a workshop and learn from her blogging expertise, and have followed her online ever since. She has filled a void in my online life with a fascinating mix of “day in the life” stories, witty perspective on living awesome and down-to earth style advice. And, as if after my own heart, she’s going to teach us today HOW TO MAKE CHEESE! (Which is on my list of Goals For My Life. Done and done.)
What’s for dinner, Sarah?
It is a painfully, dorkily well-documented fact that I love cheese. I’ve thrown cheese-themed parties and I obviously own various cheese boards/knives/cookbooks based on this, the most delicious of dairy products. But if you really, really want to impress your friends/dinner guests/date? Make some fresh cheese. Like, right in front of their faces.
What? YES. And it’s so, so much easier than you think.
Sarah’s go-to recipe: Fresh Buttermilk Cheese
I swear by this recipe:
- 1 qt. whole milk
- 1 1/2 c. buttermilk
- 2 t. coarse sea salt
- 1-2 t. fresh thyme, minced
- 1 t. lemon zest
- fresh cracked pepper
- Olive oil
1. Line a colander with a cotton handkerchief or some cheesecloth; put your colander over a bowl.
2. Combine milk, buttermilk and salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until mixture has separated into white curds and translucent whey, about 8 minutes.
3. Dump your lumpy milk into your lined strainer and let the whey drain out. Twist the cheese cloth to squeeze out some (not all!) of the whey and form a satisfyingly solid little round ball of fresh cheese.
4. Unwrap your cheese, top with olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper and serve with french bread.
5. Say “Suck it, Martha Stewart!” (optional)
Sarah Von Bargen is a blogger, writer, and internet awesome-i-fier. She blogs (almost) daily at Yes and Yes and helps small businesses make a name for themselves on the internet. You can follow her shenanigans on Facebook and Twitter.
