Why don’t more cheese makers make chocolate goat cheese? It is a splendid indulgence, a more dense version of chocolate cheesecake.

Since we had our first bite of Capri Chocolate Goat Cheese Log, we were hooked. (You can buy it from the producer, Westfield Farms, or from iGourmet or

An entry from France, La Bonne Vie Chocolate Chip Goat Cheese Log, is available from Instacart and other retailers, but you might as well roll your own: a plain goat of goat cheese in mini chocolate chips.

Thanks to Vermont Creamery for adding Chocolate and Cherry dessert goat cheese log to its first two sweet flavors, Honey Truffle and Strawberry Spritz.

The goat cheese is blended with cocoa powder and dried tart cherries before being rolled in tiny semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Says the Creamery: “Channeling the depth and decadence of a Black Forest cake and boasting a ridiculously rich fudge-like texture, Chocolate and Cherry is…ready to be eaten on its own, any old time and just because.”

Say we: “Enjoying an inch-wide slice of the chocolate log, with or without a graham cracker or other cookie, is far more prudent than devouring a whole slice of chocolate cheesecake.”

Yes, it’s a dessert, a snack, a chocolate fix, all rolled into one 4-ounce, heavenly delicious log.

Among other fine food chains, Chocolate Cherry Goat Cheese is available at Albertsons and Whole Foods Markets.

Here’s a store locator.

> The history of chocolate.

> The history of cheese.

> The different types of cheese: a glossary.

> The history of goats is below.
 
 
HOW TO SERVE CHOCOLATE GOAT CHEESE

Serve slices of chocolate goat cheese on a platter, board, or individual plates, with:

 
Another nice presentation is to include a slice of log and a cookie on a mixed dessert plate with a macaron, meringue, tartlet, etc.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF GOATS

The history of goats is intertwined with the history of human civilization. Domestication of goats is believed to have occurred more than 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent*, making them one of the earliest domesticated animals.

Prehistoric mankind recognized the utility of goats for providing milk, meat, hides, and fiber (cashmere and mohair). Archaeological evidence suggests that goats were domesticated in the Zagros Mountains of Iran and Iraq around 10,000 to 11,000 years ago.

The practice of goat domestication then spread to Africa, Asia, and Europe. Goats adapted well to diverse climates and landscapes, making them valuable for various agricultural and pastoral communities.

Goats played a crucial role in early agriculture. They were prized for their ability to graze on a variety of vegetation, including grasses and shrubs that other livestock might avoid. Their adaptability allowed them to thrive in different environments.

Goats are now found all over the world, having adapted to a wide range of climates and ecosystems. They are kept for various purposes, including subsistence farming, commercial agriculture, and even as pets.

Over time, different breeds of goats have been developed for specific traits such as milk production, meat quality, or adaptation to certain climates. Examples include the Alpine, LaMancha, Nubian, and Saanen breeds known for their milk production; and the Boer, Kalahari Red, and Spanish breeds which are raised primarily for meat.

[1] Oh, how delicious—we could eat the whole thing: Chocolate Cherry Goat Cheese (all photos © Vermont Creamery).

[2] Serve it as a dessert spread with cookies.

[3] The package is just 4 ounces. You’ll want several!

[4] An Alpine goat, whose milk contributes to the cheeses at Vermont Creamery.

A 1630 census of Jamestown lists goats as one of the most valuable assets!

Goats were brought to the southwestern U.S. in the 17th century by early Spanish explorers and clergy. These goats are the ancestors of the Spanish goats of Texas and the Lamancha breed of California.

Other European settlers also brought their goat breeds to the U.S. as they moved into the eastern U.S. in the 18th century.

The early 1900s was a period of explosive growth in the number of dairy goats being brought into the U.S.

Goat popularity surged following the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (a.k.a. the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis), where the first dairy goat show in America was held.

Most popular there was an exhibit of 300 Angora goats. Their appearance, with curly, heavy hair, drew hundreds of fans to the Louisana Purchase Exposition.

As a plus, goats are also used for vegetation management in certain areas—including ours—as their “eat anything” grazing habits help control unwanted vegetation that is too difficult for man or machine to remove.

According to the USDA, as of 2022, there were 2.55 million goats in the U.S., representing 200 different breeds.

There are approximately 450 million goats worldwide.

Goats are members of the Bovidae family, which also includes antelope, buffalo, cattle, and sheep.

Goats are herbivores (they only eat vegetation). They are ruminants, and like cattle, they have four stomach compartments [source].
 
 
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*The “Fertile Crescent” or “cradle of civilization,” are names given to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It was the original area for much cultivation of essential crops. Today, the area includes modern Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and southwestern Iran.

†Pastoral societies are nomadic or semi-nomadic and rely heavily on herds of domesticated animals for food, labor, and trade.
 
 

[1] Leek and goat cheese dressing. The recipe is below (photos #1 and #3 © Vermont Creamery).

[2] A rustic sourdough loaf (photos #2, #4, and #5 © Good Eggs).

[3] Vermont Creamery’s Unsalted Cultured Butter — 82% Butterfat.

[4] Shallots taste like a cross between red and yellow onions, with a more delicate, sweet flavor.

[5] Leeks are members of the Allium family, along with chives, garlic, onions, scallions, and shallots.

[6] While you only need a four-ounce goat cheese log, the eight-ounce size affords snacking possibilities (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[7] Fresh sage, of course.

Perhaps our favorite item on the Thanksgiving dinner table is the stuffing. We’re a bread-a-holic to start with, and we simply don’t think to make stuffing at other times of the year.

We’re not talking about the basic Pepperidge Farm stuffing: bread and butter with onions, celery, and herbs. Not that we’d turn it down at someone else’s house; we just wouldn’t make it at ours.

We’re always looking for recipes with a complex layering of flavor: butternut squash, chestnuts, chicken livers, fruit (apples, dried cranberries, grapes, pears, persimmon, raisins), mozzarella perlini, mushrooms, nuts, oysters, nuts, scallops and more have made it into our stuffing—not all at the same time, but three or four choices.

Plus lots of herbs, especially sage. To us, it isn’t stuffing if it isn’t redolent of sage.

Varying the bread is also something we enjoy: cornbread, pumpernickel, rye, turmeric bread, and even bagels!

We match the bread to the ingredients: cornbread with fruits, nuts, and squash; pumpernickel with oysters and scallops; and so on.

The recipe below is a gourmet’s dream: a cross between a savory bread pudding and classic stuffing.

Rich with the flavors of leeks and shallots, toasted bread, herbs, and celery, all complemented by tangy goat cheese.

November 21st is National Stuffing Day!

The recipe is below, but first:
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUFFING & DRESSING

It’s simple:

 
While the idea of stuffing the bird appeals to many, most experts recommend cooking a separate dressing.

For food safety reasons, stuffing in the cavity of the bird must reach the same 165°F temperature before it is ready to serve.

If you have a vegetarian dressing, it’s not an issue. But if you have a dressing made with raw meat or seafood, make sure it cooks to 165°F.

It’s also a heck of a lot easier to make dressing, both in placing it in a pan instead of spooning it into the turkey cavity; and in avoiding the labor of scooping the stuffing out of the bird.

While we grew up in a family that made stuffing—and we loved watching Mom put it into the bird and scoop it out—as soon as we learned about the dressing alternative, we changed our perspective.
 
 
RECIPE: LEEK & GOAT CHEESE STUFFING

To us, this is “gourmet” dressing—food for foodies.

The recipe is from Vermont Creamery, which used its goat cheese and 82% butterfat butter (a revelation). divided Vermont Creamery Unsalted Cultured Butter – 82% Butterfat

We happened to have a duck and Armagnac sausage from D’Artagnan. What to do?

We made a double batch of the stuffing and added a small dice of the sausage to one pan. We liked it!

As a note: To feed a larger group, double the recipe and bake it in a 13×9-inch baking pan.

Prep time is 30 minutes, and cook time is 45 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. POSITION the rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. LIGHTLY BUTTER a 9-inch round baking dish or equivalent. Set aside.

3. PLACE the bread onto a rimmed baking sheet; toast for 20-40 minutes or until dry and lightly golden. (Baking time depends on the type of bread used. Soft white bread toasts more quickly than heartier breads.)

4. PLACE the leeks in a large bowl; cover with cool water. Separate the leek slices to rinse off any sand; let stand for 5 minutes, swirling a few times. Any sand should sink to the bottom of the bowl.

5. MELT 3 tablespoons butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. When the butter is hot, lift the leeks from the bowl, shaking off the excess water. Add them to the skillet.

6. ADD the celery, shallot, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Add the wine and continue cooking for 2-4 minutes or until evaporated.

7. PLACE the toasted bread pieces in a large bowl; add the leek mixture, parsley, sage, thyme, and pepper.

8. ADD the egg to the broth and whisk to combine. Pour over the bread mixture and toss well to combine. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to absorb a bit of moisture, tossing a few times.

9. SCOOP half of the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish; top with half of the crumbled goat cheese. Top with the remaining bread mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining goat cheese. Dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small pieces.

10. BAKE for 40-50 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is golden and crisp and the center is hot. Sprinkle with additional parsley, if desired. Serve warm.
 
 
MORE DRESSING OR STUFFING RECIPES

All of these delicious recipes are “not just for Thanksgiving.”

 
 
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*Save the crusts! We had them for lunch with a bowl of soup, and toasted them the next day to spoon up Greek yogurt.

Whether you need an easy pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving—no baking, gluten free!—or feel like mousse at any time of the year, here’s a recipe from Straus Family Creamery of California.

National Mousse Day is November 30th. National Chocolate Mousse Day is April 3rd.

> The history of mousse is below.

> The history of pumpkins.
 
 
RECIPE: EASY PUMPKIN MOUSSE

This three-ingredient Pumpkin Mousse (plus pinches of nutmeg and salt) is light and flavorful.

Prep time is 30 minutes, plus chilling time of 3 hours.
 
Ingredients For 6 To 8 Servings

 
Preparation

1. HEAT the sweetened condensed milk over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly until the color darkens.

2. ADD the pumpkin purée and stir until combined, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil for 2 minutes; then add the salt.

3. PRESS the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to strain out any solids; then cool completely. While the pumpkin mixture is cooling…

4. WHIP the cream to stiff peaks. Set aside 1/4 of the whipped cream.

NOTE: Consider setting aside the 1/4 amount before you whip the rest into stiff peaks. You can always re-whip an under-whipped cream, but once it becomes stiff, you cannot go back.

5. GENTLY FOLD the pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream. Once fully combined, portion into individual serving cups and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours prior to serving.

6. TOP each serving with a dollop of the remaining whipped cream and dust with nutmeg.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF MOUSSE

The first known reference to mousse, a French word that translates to “foam,” dates to the 18th century.

Unlike the sweet desserts we know today, those first mousses were savory, made with cheese, meat (including chicken livers and foie gras), seafood, and vegetables.

[1] An easy pumpkin mousse. The recipe is below (photo © Straus Family Creamery).

[2] Plain or candied pecans are a delicious garnish, as are spiced nuts (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[3] Embellish the dessert or snack with gingersnaps or other spice cookies (photo © Splendid Spoon).

The first documented recipe for a sweet mousse, chocolate mousse appears to be in 1750, in a pastry chef’s cookbook La Science Du Maître d’Hôtel Confiseur by Joseph Menon, the most prolific cookbook author in 18th-century France [source].

Whipping cream to incorporate air bubbles gives mousse its light and airy texture (and all that was done with a whisk and a strong arm, in the era before electricity and electric beaters).

Following publication, chefs nationwide began to create desserts consisting of whipped cream flavored with chocolate, coffee, fruit, and liqueurs called crème en mousse (“cream in a foam”), crème mousseuse (“foamy cream”), or just mousse. Modern mousses are a continuation of this tradition [source].

By the late 19th century, sweet mousses, including today’s standard-bearer, chocolate mousse, began to gain in popularity [source].

According to one source, the United States first became acquainted with chocolate mousse at a food exposition held at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1892—although arguably, wealthy people with French-trained chefs might have enjoyed savory and sweet mousses before then [source].

Back to the savory side: A dip of fish mousse with “party slices” of pumpernickel or other brown bread and butter was a popular party food in American cuisine in the 1950s [source].

Why did it take this long? In 1977, New York chef Michel Fitoussi is credited with creating white chocolate mousse, in 1977. He was the chef at the Palace, Manhattan’s most expensive luxury restaurant [source 1] [source 2].

[Editor’s note: We were privileged to eat at the Palace several times, and remember Chef Fitoussi’s innovative cuisine. Some of our favorite dishes were sea urchin soup, a rolled slice of smoked salmon filled with crème fraîche and caviar—which we still make today—and fish pâte topped with foie gras (ditto). We also remember his pastry swan, filled with half chocolate mousse and half white chocolate mousse.]
 
 

[1] SuckerPunch pickles are a convenient, low-calorie snack, shown here with Destihl SuckerPunch Dill Pickle Sour Beer (all photos © SuckerPunch Gourmet).

[2] Pickles at the pool.

[3] Pickles in the kitchen. Snack away1

Snack A Pickle Time, September 13th, is a more unusually named food holiday. There’s also Shape Up With Pickles Time, the first week in February; Pickle Time Week, the second full week in February; and National Pickled Peppers Month, October.

The more straightforward-named National Pickle Day is November 14th.

And what a great day for us to share the news from SuckerPunch, “makers of bolder pickles done differently,” that their SuckerPunch Pickle Pouch Snack Packs are now available nationwide in more than 3,100 Walgreens stores.

You can get your pickle-fix-in-a-pouch for just $1.79.
 
 
FOUR VARIETIES OF PICKLE POUCHES

The SuckerPunch Pickle Pouch Snack Packs are available in four varieties:

[1] Cacio e Pepe, a dish that dates to ancient Roman times (photos #1, #2, and #3 © DeLallo).

[2] If you make the recipe often, consider making compound butter to make the task quicker.

[3] While spaghetti is the classic cut, you can choose anything you’d like. Here, it’s gnocchi.

[4] Today’s DOP Pecorino Romano is the direct descendant of the sheep’s milk cheese that was the staple food of the Roman Empire more than 2000 years ago (photo © Talbott & Arding).

[5] Madagascar black peppercorns. Grind the pepper just before using it. Use a coarse grind, or if you prefer the texture, crack the peppercorns (photo © Aromatiques Tropicales).

National Cacio e Pepe Day, November 14th, celebrates a pasta dish from ancient Rome.

Traditional Cacio e Pepe (KAH-chee-oh ay PEP-pay, meaning cheese and black pepper) uses spaghetti. But over the years almost all types of pasta have been combined with the sauce of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Go classic, or use an inspired cut of pasta.

The creamy sauce is called cremina, and the secret to a good Cacio e Pepe is finding the right balance between the cheese and the starchy cooking water. The original recipe does not include oil, butter, or cream to make the cremina—alternating the precise amount of ingredients and technique are crucial.

Some cooks argue that the best way to achieve success is to finish the cooking in a pan so as to allow the spaghetti to release its starch, which is fundamental for the sauce to amalgamate perfectly. Practice makes perfect!

> The history of Cacio e Pepe.

> The different types of Italian grating cheeses.

> The history of pasta.

> The different types of pasta: a glossary.

> A Cacio e Pepe recipe with zucchini noodles.
 
 
RECIPE: CACIO E PEPE

Prep time is 5 minutes and cook time is 15 minutes.

Here’s a video.

Thanks to DeLallo for the recipe.
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Mains

 
Potatoes

 
Vegetables & Grains

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