Our Cave to Co-op for March 2021 is Patrolman’s Blues from Mt. Mansfield Creamery in Morrisville, Vermont — a raw farmstead, cow-milk, hand pierced blue by cheesemakers Stan Biasini and Debora Wickart.
Mt. Mansfield Creamery
was started in June of 2009. Cheese is made year-round, and Debora milks about 30 cows per day and has received awards for the quality of milk produced. Stan, a graduate of Paul Smith’s College, has put his chef days behind him to concentrate on their cheese recipes. With the creamery four miles from the farm, Stan transports their milk to the creamery on cheese-making days. Debora milks the cows and still ships to St. Albans Co-operative. They make small batches of cheese only 8 to 12 times per month and increase production according to demand. They milk registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss cows on rotational grazing in the summer months and fed grain and hay during the winter.
The cheese facility is in the heart of Morrisville, in the old United Farmers Creamery building. Not only did Stan and Debora renovate the building, but they built their own cheese cave in the basement. They wash and brush the rinds to keep them thin to ensure that their products are one hundred percent edible.
Patrolman’s Blues is a raw cow milk cheese that has been hand ladled into the forms before being left to drain overnight, being flipped to ensure even drainage. After a few days, Stan hand-pierces the cheese to allow oxygen in to allow the p.roqueforti to grow. After 90 days of aging, Patrolman’s Blues are a buttery and robustly blue cheese that begs to be paired with dessert wines, stout or lambic beers, or off-dry cider.
Try these recipes highlighting Patrolman’s Blues for a twist to fritters and meatloaf.
Cheese Fritters w/Patrolman’s Blues & Scallions
Ingredients
4 oz fresh breadcrumbs
4 oz crumbled Patrolman’s Blues
2 scallions, minced
zest of 1 lemon
¼ tsp dry mustard
2 T minced parsley
2 eggs, separated
1 T each oil & butter for sautéing the fritters
Directions
1.Mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, scallions, lemon zest, dry mustard, and parsley with the yolks. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture is a little stiff add a bit of milk: it should be stiff but spoonable. Whisk the egg whites and fold them in.
2.Heat a little oil and butter in a large frying pan, add the mixture in spoonfuls (do this in batches if your pan is small). Fry until golden and then turn over to cook the other side. They need about 5-6 minutes in all to make sure the middles are cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with a spicy relish or salsa.
Meatloaf w/Patrolman’s Blues, Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms
Ingredients
½ small yellow onion, sliced
1 T olive oil or butter
2 eggs
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach
½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
½ cup plain bread crumbs
⅓ cup crumbled Patrolman’s Blues
2 T reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 T minced garlic
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch dried basil
salt & ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ lbs extra-lean ground beef
Directions
1.. Preheat oven to 350ºF
2. In a non-stick or cast-iron pan heat up oil or butter; add sliced onions and slowly cook until caramelized.
3. Mix onions, eggs, spinach, mushrooms, bread crumbs, Patrolman’s Blue, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper together in a large bowl. Add ground beef and mix thoroughly with your hands; be gentle as you want the blue cheese to remain intact.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 45 – 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160ºF
