The Hungry Hoosier

Judy Schad is a Rock Star

Indiana has a handful of Local Foods Rock Stars. They are literally a handful because they can be counted on the fingers of one hand and you can have a finger or two to spare. Judy Schad of Capriole Farms is one of them. What qualifies someone as a Local Foods Rock Star? Someone who is producing foods of unparalleled quality and distinction and recognized by great chefs and discriminating consumers.

Judy Schad's Capriole Farms goat cheeses fits that description. Chef J. Joho of Chicago's award-winning Everest Restaurant could choose any chevre for his menu but he turns to Judy. Foodie Bibles like Saveur repeatedly heap on the praises.

The latest publication to profile Capriole is the April issue of Midwest Living (article not available online - pick up a copy at your local newsstand). The piece does a great job of capturing the cheesemaker and her craft. Judy explains why her cheese is so special.

"What limestone does for Kentucky bourbon, it also does for my goat milk. The limestone base makes for sweet grasses, alfalfa and clover - and more flavorful cheese."

Indiana needs more local foods rock stars like Judy - people who figure out Indiana's unique natural and cultural assets - our soil composition, our climate, our heritage - and use those assets to do something better than anyone else.   

The Hungry Hoosier on TV

You may recall that I did a TV show recently for WNIT in South Bend Indiana. You can click here for the video clip. I made an Crostini with Indiana Chevre, Black Fig Marmalade, and Caramelized Onions and paired it with a wine from Madison Vineyards in Madison, Indiana. You can get the recipe here and more information about the wine here. The cheese was from Capriole Farms in Rockville, Indiana. A special thanks to Larry Parman for digitizing the video for me.

Quick Summer Salad

Last night for dinner, Lisa fixed a light, quick summer salad of spinach, strawberries, pears and goat cheese with a raspberry walnut vinaigrette. We used Capriole's O'Banon (this was terrific but any goat cheese will work nicely). The dressing was straight out of a bottle - Newman's Own. We heated up a nice crusty loaf of bread and opened a bottle of 2003 Landshut Riesling.   

A Visit to Capriole

This week I had the opportunity to visit Capriole to sample several of their products, meet a few of the baby goats, and purchase some of their hand-made cheeses. Capriole is located just north of Louisville in the rolling hills of southern Indiana. Written words can not do justice to either the farm or the cheese. It is a delight to the senses. The cheeserie is characterized by an unpretentious simplicity. This is certainly not an Interstate "Grandpa's Cheese Barn" kind of place.

On my visit I was greeted by a radiant young woman that I learned was an agricultural student intern from Hungary. She set out several cheeses for me to sample and explained a bit about each one. I decided on three cheeses:

Wabash Cannonball -  a 3ounce ball of chevre dusted with ash. This particular cheese one the 1995 American Cheese Society's Best of Show

The O'Banon - The original banon cheese has been made for centuries in the Haute Provence of France. Capriole's version is larger & fresher than the French cheese giving it a lighter, palate-cleansing edge. Traditionally, the chestnut leaves used to wrap the cheese were soaked in eau de vie. Capriole uses Old Forester or Woodford Reserve Bourbon. The tannins in the leaves & the bourbon combine to give this creamy, dense cheese just a nuance of a kick. The updated name was inspired by Frank O'Bannon, former governor of Indiana.

Fresh Goat Cheese Log with Wasabi - I feel immediately in love with the goat cheese/wasabi combination the minute I tasted it. The taste is so clean and fresh with that wasabi zing. This is great on crackers and also makes a great cucumber tea sandwich.

After I made my cheese purchases I stopped by to see the baby goats and snapped a few photos. I'm already talking about a return trip, this time with the family.

Blessed are the Cheese Makers

Congratulations to Indiana cheese maker Capriole Farms. It's O'Banon cheese was named by Saveur Magazine as one of their picks for thier "50 Favorite American Cheeses." According to Capriole, the O'Banon is an old cheese with a new name. It was one of the first cheeses Capriole made at a point when a goat cheese didn't sell unless it had a French name. Banon is a traditional French cheese that has been made for centuries in France's Haute Provence. Capriole's version is larger and fresher to give a lighter, palate cleansing edge to heavier cheeses on a cheese board.

Traditionally, the chestnut leaves used to wrap the cheese were soaked in eau de vie. Capriole uses Old Forester or Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Capriole named their cheese "O'Banon" to honor friend and former Indiana Governor, the late Frank O'Bannon. The O'Banon, as well as their other products, can be ordered via their website. I ordered one today.